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His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark

   -An excerpt from His Holiness' book The Life of Thanksgiving. 

        And, we do not give thanks- especially in sufferings because we did not yet realize the blessing of suffering and its glory.

         Suffering is a gift that deserves thanksgiving and as the Apostle said “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” (Phil1: 29). Then, it is a gift with glory too, and it is said, “... if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”(Rom 8:17). As long as suffering is a way to glory, it deserves thanksgiving.

          Therefore, God did not stop suffering from his friends: St. Paul the Apostle labored more abundantly than all the others in preaching and teaching (1 Cor 15:10), nevertheless, he received persecutions and sufferings more than they all as he explained in (2 Cor 11:23) “...I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often”, and God did not keep away all these sufferings from him. But said, when he was chosen to the ministry and apostleship, “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:16).

         What we say about St. Paul the Apostle, also applies to St. Athanasius, pillar of faith, who was exiled four times and many accusations and conspiracies were plotted against him. He was told, “The whole world is against you”, but God allowed all this to happen, because in suffering there is glory and it has crowns, also it is an expression of love.

        The virgin St. Mary herself endured many sufferings, and she is the holiest person on earth.

        If you endure afflictions for God’s sake, thank Him from your depth, because you were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name (Acts 5:41). Thank Him because he directed you to the narrow gate, which leads to the Kingdom and life (Matt 7:14).

        Finally, I say that we sometimes do not give thanks because we consider the good we are in, is something normal, which does not need thanksgiving! You have many good things for which you do not give thanks, like health and shelter, as you count them normal, but those who are deprived of them, know its value, and if they receive them, surely they will thank God for them. Let me give you and an example: Perhaps you do not give thanks now for the lights we have during our lecture, but if, for any reason the current is cut off, then you realize the grace you were in.

        There are many normal matters in our life, which need thanksgiving!

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark

  -An excerpt from His Holiness' book Words of Spiritual Benefit Volume 1. 

There is a trivial joy for perishable, worldly affairs and pleasures…

Like Solomon's joy with what he toiled under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:3) and Jonah’s joy with the plant more than with the Salvation of Nineveh. The same kind of joy is that of the elder son, when he said to his father, "You never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my friends." (Luke 15:29)

One type of the false joy is the joy of some people over their talents as the disciples were joyful in casting evil spirits, so the Lord said to them, "Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."(Luke 10:20)

The worst type of joy is being joyful over other's suffering. About this the Apostle said, "Love does not rejoice in iniquity… " (1 Corinthians 13:6) as those who rejoice in people's loss. Solomon says, "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls." (Proverbs 24:17) This wicked joy is called gloating.

As for the holy joy, it emanates from the fruits of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22)

The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord, and the Magi when they saw the star, and the righteous rejoiced over the fruits of their holy toil, "Those who sow in tears, shall reap in joy." (Psalm 126:5).

The Bible has explained to us the joy of your salvation and the joy of the shepherds when the angel said to them, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy... for there is born to you this day in the city of David a savior...” The psalmist says about the joy of salvation, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation." (Psalm 51:12). And the father said, "It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again." (Luke 15:32.)

The joy of the repentance of a sinner is in heaven and earth! When the good shepherd found the lost sheep, "He lays it on his shoulders rejoicing," (Luke 15:5). He also says, "... there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:7). The widow also rejoiced when she found her lost coin and called all her neighbors to rejoice with her. We also rejoice over all means of grace...

"I rejoiced over your testimonies", "I was glad when they said to me 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" (Psalm 122: 1), "There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God." (Psalm 46:4)

The righteous rejoice over temptations and reproach: (James Chapter 1). "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials" so I rejoice over tribulations.

The greatest joy is that of the kingdom: "Enter into the joy of your Lord." (Matthew 25:21). This is the real joy, where we rejoice in the Lord, and in His company. Although we have not reached His kingdom yet, we rejoice while waiting in hope. As the Apostle says, "Rejoice in hope" (Romans 12:12).