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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 Words of Spiritual Benefit.
Death is an alien and a stranger to humanity. When God created man, He formed him for life; He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.
God wished him life and perpetuity, but man's choice was inclined towards sin. Man thus brought death upon himself as a result of his sin, "For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans6:23), and death came into the world and reigned over humanity.
We rejoice with the resurrection because it is a triumph over death and a return of man's nature to life. God has created man to live and not to die.
Christ's resurrection is the handsel of our resurrection, and thus, Saint Paul the apostle described Him as "…the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1Corinthians15:20) He is the first fruit and we will rise after him.
Perhaps someone may ask saying 'How can Christ be the first fruit of the dead while many rose before Him?' Examples of such people are:
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The son of the widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon, who was raised from death by Elijah the prophet (1Kings17:22).
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The son of the Shunammite, whom Elisha the prophet raised from death (2Kings4:32-36).
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The three whom the Lord Christ Himself raised from death, and they are:
1. The son of the widow of the town called Nain,
2. Jairus' daughter, and
3. Lazarus.
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آخر تحديث ( 15/04/2009 )
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التفاصيل
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His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark
Sacrifice
-An excerpt from His Holiness' book Words of Spiritual Benefit.
The love which does not sacrifice is a barren love, without fruit.
Love is a productive mother that gives birth to numerous virtues such as compassion and affection, a word of encouragement and a word of consolation, attention and care, forgiveness and seeking the salvation of the soul. This is the spiritual love...
Perhaps the most distinguished quality in love... is sacrifice.
This is the big difference between love and lust: love always seeks to give whereas lust always seeks to take.
Lust seeks to take because it is concentrated around the self, but love, as the Apostle said, "... does not seek its own."
Love that does not sacrifice is not a true love.
Love sacrifices everything, does not keep anything from whom it likes, no matter how this thing is precious or essential to self. It gives from its needs.
The greatest thing a loving person can offer is to sacrifice himself, and the Lord said, "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13). This was shown in depth on the cross...
The crucified Jesus is a sacrifice of love... The Bible said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).
During the Passion Week, many contemplate on the passions of Christ. Christ's passions are merely a natural result of His love. Love here is the origin, while pain is the outer appearance...
I wish we would contemplate on His love which He revealed through His passions.
The candle melts to give light to others; this is also a kind of self-sacrifice for the sake of others. So, we put candles before the icons of the saints... as a symbol.
Also the incense burns in fire to give sweet smell which ascends to God... It is a delightful burnt offering to God, and it is also a symbol...
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آخر تحديث ( 15/04/2009 )
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His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark
The 2008 Papal Christmas Message.
Peace on the Feast of the Nativity.
My beloved children in the lands of immigration, Clergy and Laity, It gives me joy to congratulate you on the Glorious Feast of Nativity and with the start of the New Year. We pray that it is blessed and joyful in the life of each of us.
The birth of the Lord is full of deep spiritual contemplations; we hope that they may be a lesson to us all, having its effects and results.
Firstly, He came down to us, to visit us, reconcile us and save us. One of the fathers the saints said: “With sin there was contention between man and his creator, and since man could not ascend to God and reconcile with Him, God came down to man.” Yes, He came down and continues to knock on the door of the human heart so it may open for Him.
In His coming down, He “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant ... and being found in appearance as a man...” (Philippians 2, 8:7) He did not desire to frighten us with His Divinity, but attracted us with His humility. He also attracted us with His love, as He went about doing good. And this is another lesson for us.
In His Nativity, He was born in an amazing simplicity: He did not come down upon the wings of the Cherubim, engulfed by a choir of angels. Instead He was born from a poor orphan virgin, who was in the care of a simple carpenter. His birth was in a manger, on a day not known to anyone, but was proclaimed to some shepherds, and then visited by three Magi representing the estranged Gentiles... It is a mixture of simplicity and humility, which was a third lesson for us to be far from outer appearances.
The Lord Christ lived an alienated childhood far from being famous. A part of this childhood was threatened by the sword of Herod, and in a part of this childhood, He was a stranger in the land of Egypt, although He blessed it. As for His youth days, we do not know anything about it. And the title that the Jews gave Him was “the carpenter’s son.”(Matthew 13:55)
When He started His ministry, He lived for more than three years without a position of leadership in the Jewish community. The title that He was known by among His beloved was “Teacher.” He did not possess a house for the ministry, He did not even have a place to lay His head (Luke 9:58). He sometimes preached from the mountain, or in the wilderness, or in the fields, or upon the sea shore...
His strength was in His personality and not in any appearances that surrounded Him; loved by the people and envied by the leaders, but He was a source of love to all, being compassionate upon everyone in need, every sick person and upon those tormented by evil spirits.
He had disciples who were also simple; and He filled their hearts with love, filled their minds with knowledge, granted them His Holy Spirit, and also granted them gifts.
This is The Christ whom we celebrate His birth, and we are proud that His Name has been called upon us. Blessed is the day of His birth, and may we also celebrate His characteristics as well. Finally, be all well and healthy in the Lord, absolved from His Holy Spirit.
May this year be a blessed one,
Pope Shenouda III
January 7, 2008
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آخر تحديث ( 06/01/2010 )
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