By: Pope Shenouda III The start of a new year always carries a sense of possibility. It’s a reminder that life offers opportunities to reset and refocus—not just outwardly, but within. Here are three essential steps to help you walk into the new year with a renewed heart and spirit. Reflect on the …
How do I Respond to Humiliation? Abba Isaiah answers this question as follows: If a person hurled a harsh word at you do not be disgusted or become haughty but hasten and make a metanaya. Do not blame him in your heart for in this way you will give rise to anger. If someone accused …
If it happens that I show longsuffering in some matter, my thought becomes high-minded; how should I be thinking about this? When you happen to do something good, you should know that this is a gift of God, given to you by God’s goodness; for God has mercy on all. But pay heed to yourself, …
Macarius the Great, also called Macarius the Egyptian (to distinguish him from Macarius of Alexandria) is one of the most venerated saints of the Coptic Church (his name, which means "blessed," in Greek is "Makarios," in Arabic "Maqar"). He was born around the year 300 in Jijber (present-day Shabshir), a village in the southwest portion …
All the works, visibly done in this world, are done out of a certain hope of enjoying one's labors and unless anyone is fully convinced that he will profit from his labors, he would see no advantage in doing them. For the farmer sows seeds in the hope of fruit and he undergoes toils on …
My son, listen and be wise, accept the true doctrine, for there are many ways. Be able to obey God like Abraham, who abandoned his country, went into exile, and with Isaac lived in a tent in the promised land as in a foreign country. He obeyed, humbled himself, and was given an inheritance; he …
From his very early entry into the monastery, a monk should occupy himself with all possible care and attention with the reading of the Holy Gospel. He should make such a study of the Gospel that it may always be present in his memory, and at every moral step he takes, for every act, for …
During my last retreat to the monasteries in Egypt last January and in my numerous spiritual consultations with many of the elders, the topic of the Bible and how to read it frequently came up. In fact the Bible is so central to their lives that one of the solitary elders said to me “the …
The study of inspired Scripture is the chief way of finding our duty, for in it we find both instruction about conduct and the lives of blessed men, delivered in writing, as some breathing images of godly living, for the imitation of their good works. Hence, in whatever respect each one feels himself deficient, devoting …
Confession is one of the seven sacraments of the church. Despite Confession being a heavenly sacrament, there appears to be a number of people who object to the power of this sacrament and raise objections regarding the practice of this sacrament. The sacrament of confession could be summarised as “the Lord entering into man by …
