Spiritual Contemplations for those who serve the Lord |
Last month, we discussed few aspects of what is a Spiritual Ministry. Through the grace of God, this month we will continue and conclude this topic with few more aspects of the Spiritual Ministry... The ministry is payment of debt The Church has brought us up, taught us, guided us to God and granted us the spirit of service, so we are indebted to God who loved us so much, gave us everything and taught us His ways. We should love Him exactly as He loved us, declaring this love towards His children whom He placed in our care. The ministry is an obligation It is a spiritual obligation, whoever loves God and loves people should serve. He/she can’t just stand by, watching others going away from the way of the Lord. Since the servants experience God’s love, they will be keen to help God’s children and guide them to God. When the Samaritan woman knew Christ, she went immediately to tell everyone, calling, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did” (John 4: 29). She was turned from a sinner, into a repentant, then to a preacher, who loves Christ and talks to people about Him. This happened with so many other people whom Jesus had healed, and they went all around talking about Him. Every person can serve according to their talents! People can serve in so many areas: caring for the sick, solving problems, tutoring, being a good example, etc. As for people who do not serve at all, they are neglecting their obligation towards their brothers and sisters. This is a sin and should be confessed to their spiritual Father, because this means that their love for God, His kingdom and His children is incomplete. The ministry is a scale, a talent and a responsibility We will have to stand before the Lord and give an account on how honestly we served our children. What did we do to build them up spiritually? The ministry then is a critical responsibility before God and the Church. This is because the servant might be the only source of religious education at this stage of the child’s life. Maybe there is no one at home or at school to nourish them spiritually, and the Church has depended on you for this responsibility. If they cannot find the spiritual nourishment through the servants, they might lose their souls!! Servants should fill their hearts with the love of God and His knowledge, otherwise, their children will be empty from inside and lose their spiritual way. God shall ask the servant "Give an account of your stewardship” (Luke 16:2). Let us always remember that service is not an activity, but a responsibility and a talent which we should offer to God with profit. The ministry is about being a good example The Christian ministry is more than teaching, it is caring for the lives of others; nourishing the divine image, through their good example. So, the teacher is important in the ministry - not the lesson. The teacher who tasted the sweetness of the Lord, wants others to taste it too “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8). It is the life of a person filled with the Holy Spirit, which overflow into the hearts of others. The children do not need a teacher to fill their minds with different information, they need a clean heart, close to God; to guide them in the way of God and intercede for them. They need a good example to follow, in which they can see Christianity in practice. There might be some Sunday School teachers who are not so eloquent or rich in knowledge, but they have a great influence on the children. Just the look of them implants the love of God in the children’s’ hearts; the way they talk or deal with others, their spiritual behavior, their quiet, smiling features, all this can teach them more than a lesson given inside the class. They see the image of God in their servants, so they love God who works in their lives. Children like to imitate , so let us be a good example for them to follow. They are high in spirituality, with clean hearts and noble principles. They are white pages during their childhood, and the Lord Jesus says "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3). Lord Jesus did not mean us to be as young as children, but to grow in spirituality and innocence like children. If you cannot be a good example, at least don’t be a stumbling block because they are so simple, they accept and believe whatever you say or do. Let your words be the truth and righteousness, because the Lord says "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6) Preaching by example is called the Silent Ministry. This is where a person teaches without speaking. People learn just from their behavior, their lives are sermons - not their speech. The ministry is fullness It is life, not just words, the words should be turned into living behavior, giving a good example to others, as our Lord Jesus says “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). Do your words give life to others? Listen to what the Lord says: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Does your ministry change the life of others? You should first have a life with Christ as well as communion with Him, so that you can give life to others. There is a well known saying among the servants “You can never overflow before you are filled.” The disciples spent three years with Lord Jesus learning from their Good Teacher, the Greatest Teacher, learning from His pure sermons and practical experiences. They observed Him in His ministry and the lessons He taught through miracles and wonders. In spite of all this, He said to them; “But tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49), and also "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8). When the Holy Spirit descended on them on Pentecost Day, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Only after this, did they start their ministry, preaching to the whole world The ministry is a way of life, transferring from one person to another This is not only done through being a good example and caring. We have an excellent example in the Holy Bible talking about the service of the seventy elders who helped Moses the prophet in his ministry. “So the LORD said to Moses: "Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel;... bring them to the tabernacle of meeting. ...Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you....” (Num 11:16-17). The ministry is a working power It is the power of the Holy Spirit working in the servant and those whom he serves, it is the power of the word of God that never returns void. It is exactly like the power of life found in a seed, you plant it in the soil and it never stops working and growing, until it gives you fruits: a hundredfold, sixty and thirty (Matthew 13:8). The ministry is a spiritual, not a formal work Some people might think that the Ministry is just the surface appearance: the preparation book the attendance records and visitations. This is not all that the service involves - The ministry is spiritual before anything else. It is the spirit of the servant delivered to their children, the spirit with which he teaches and deals with them, it is his heart before his tongue, the warmth of his heart before his spoken message. The ministry is a way towards spiritual growth Not only for children, but also for the servant. If the servants do not make use of the lesson themselves, this lesson can never affect the children. The lesson must be a spiritual means for the servant’s and the children’s growth. A servant who thinks that the lesson is just for the children is not a true servant. *Adapted from HH Pope Shenouda III's The Spiritual Ministry - Chapter 1
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The Christian ministry is not just teaching or tutoring, otherwise it becomes a mere intellectual work. The servant is not just a teacher, or a storage of information, transferring information to the minds of the children. So what is the ministry, then? The ministry is love This love fills the heart of the servant towards God and His Kingdom, towards people and especially the children. He loves God and wants everyone to love Him too. He loves people and wants them to reach God, and his service is an expression of this love. The Ministry is a natural outcome of something greater than the service itself, Divine Love. The service is an expression of love overflowing from the heart, it is a desire to serve. If it is without love, it becomes dry, routinely and without spirit or fruits. It will just be a transfer of knowledge. Then we love those whom we serve, as God loves us, and then we will be successful in our ministry. Let us fill our hearts with love, as much as we can. Love was the basis of our Lord Christ’s ministry “....having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” (John 13:1). The act of salvation is a clear expression of this love. St. John the Beloved also writes "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) As for you, you can never have a spiritual effect on a person unless there is love between you and that person. Through the child’s love for you, trust will develop and the child will accept your words. Eventually, they will tell you what is inside their hearts. In this event, you can know their spiritual needs and guide them to God and His Kingdom. So, the Sunday School servant is a loving and loved person. They love their children and their children love them. The servants love their ministry and this love will run into their hearts and their bodies. The servants who love their children will serve with feeling: If any one of their children are absent, they will miss them. Even if twenty eight out of thirty are present, the true servant will keep thinking about the other two. This feeling will be apparent when they go to visit them. The ministry (service) is not a formal work, it is an expression of love for God and the people! In all their activities and ministry, servants do not concentrate on themselves, in case they desire to appear as good and honest servants in their own eyes. This type does not fear God’s judgment. The true servants serve out of love towards their children. When preparing a lesson, the main objective should be to give the children all what they can offer, so they try to find interesting stories, collecting any beneficial ideas and useful information. The intention is not for the lesson to be perfect, but to make others happy, to work for their benefit, and to suffer for their sake. The ministry is giving to everyone The servant gives without obligation, naturally, without being pressured to do so. As the sun, by its natural law gives heat and light, and the tree gives shade, flowers and fruits, so the servant gives freely to all. Also, as the spring gives water and quenches everyone’s thirst, so the servants who freely give, refresh the souls of all they meet. By their nature, they love, teach, visit, help and support everyone, without partiality. They give to everybody in every occasion and everywhere: In their home, with their families, at work, at university or at Church, they are like their Master, Jesus “....who went about doing good ...” (Acts 10:38) . They try to draw people closer to God by all means. Service, then, means to do good deeds, lovingly towards people! This is planted by God, through a useful word, a blessing and giving help. It moves the heart of the servant towards the people he meets. They are constantly giving themselves to everybody. The servant gives spiritual nourishment Nourishment is offered by the servants to the souls of their children, to feed them with the good word of God. The Lord says "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?” (Luke 12:42). Servants give their children rich meals from spiritual books, the lives of the saints and hymns. They also include teachings related to the theological beliefs and doctrines of the Church in a simple and spiritual method. How can the servant offer a rich, spiritual meal to his children in just one hour per week? Spiritual influence does not depend on how many hours spent with the children, but on the power of the spiritual word coming from the spiritual servant. They should be led by the Holy Spirit of God “...the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb 4:12). St. Anthony heard just one word in Church, and his whole life was changed. This was the reason for the founding of the angelic (monastic) life in the Church! Ministry is holy zeal It is a flame of fire inside the heart which makes it full of love towards others and desire their salvation. David the Psalmist says “... zeal for Your house has eaten me up ...”(Psalm. 69:9). Similarly, St. Paul says “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22). The Good Shepherd says "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” (John 10:11, 14). Also, “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick." ( Ezekiel 34:16). It is a great favor from God to give us the chance to share with Him in caring about His children. He can do this work alone, but because He is so humble, he allowed us to work with Him, Glory be to His Name. This is why St. Paul the Apostle says about himself and Apollos “For we are God's fellow workers;” (1 Corinthians 3:9) Service is Co-operation and communion with the Holy Spirit; The Holy Spirit is working for the establishment of the Kingdom, we are just His instruments. The Holy Spirit works in us, through us and with us. He gives words to those who evangelize and makes the word effective to the listeners. The Lord said "...for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” (Matthew 10:20) How beautiful are the letters addressing each of the Bishops of the seven Churches in Asia “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."' ( Revelation 2:7 ) The ministry is a bridge between God and people You should be a strong bridge in your service, delivering what the Holy Spirit says. The spiritual servants are the ones who take from God and give to their children, they do not give from their own resources. Service is like Jacob’s ladder, reaching up to heaven from earth, where the angels of God were ascending and descending on it (Gen 28:12); they were ascending with the needs of the people to present them before God, and descending with their fulfillment from God. Didn’t the Lord say "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7). Servants, in their ministry, are like the angels of God in heaven. They raise their prayers up to heaven on behalf of their children that God might give them utterance, to open their mouths (Ephesians 6:19), and from the ladder of Jacob, the word shall descend, and they preach it to their children. Ministry is the work of angels and the apostles St. Paul said about the angels “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). He also said about himself and the rest of the Apostles, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor 5:20). ..... to be continued *Adapted from HH Pope Shenouda III's The Spiritual Ministry - Chapter 1
As servants, you are doubtless aware that repentance is the key to the kingdom of God "Unless you all repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13: 3). It is also the movement of the heart towards the loving God, a remorseful turning back from the past, a looking forward to a share in the eternal glory. The Fathers have praised it profusely; St. John Saba said: ‘O Repentance, You have created virgins out of adulterers!’ However, man is sometimes confused and does not know whether he is on the right path to repentance or not. If he stumbles, he thinks he is not a son. If he goes through a period of dryness, he imagines that he has fallen back. ‘What exactly is expected of me?’; this is the question asked by those who are perplexed about this matter. What are the characteristics of an acceptable repentance? Our repentance has to be: Arrow-like Just as one flees from imminent danger, or a stifling atmosphere, or a burning fire, so must our repentance be. It is a quick and arrow-like escape from the land of sin and a quick and arrow-like running to the bosom of God. Just as launching a rocket with astounding speed is the only way it can get away from the force of gravity and conquer space, so is the launching of the soul towards the bosom of Christ, with speed, and without hesitation or bargaining, the only way to get rid of the attraction of sin and the flesh. The speed at which a rocket is launched is our repentance: "I will arise and go to my father ......... and he arose and came to his father’s house" (Luke 15: 18). "Follow me.... and he left all, rose, and followed Him " (Luke 5: 27, 28). As for those who look behind or hesitate to forsake the death of sin, their repentance will be difficult until they have a firm intention and are totally persuaded to forsake sin completely. Comprehensive Just as repentance has to be quick, "redeeming the time for the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16), so should it be comprehensive, embracing all the human being. I have to offer my thoughts and all the attitudes in my life to Christ, withholding nothing from Him. I must put before Him my habits so He sanctifies them and replaces them with better ones. I must offer Him my emotions also, giving up any that may hinder my spiritual growth and forsaking any evil tendency, envy, or jealousy.. Above all, I should give Him my senses and my ‘self’ on the altar of consecration where He completes its sacrifice, for it is the most deceitful of all and is capable of changing color like the chameleon, so that it appears holy, while in reality it is centered around itself and is hatefully egoistic. Pray saying: "O Lord Jesus Christ, here is my life which I lay before You as an open page, full of many tendencies, habits, emotions, and wrong attitudes. My heart cries, O Lord, here is my life which I now consecrate to You. Work in it, in all its corners; I will not withhold anything in it from You." Continuous Repentance in the Orthodox concept, is life accompanied by strong, spiritual, and serious emotions and an awakening of the conscious to sin. It is a way of life and a constant, profound, and continuous attitude. St Paul the apostle said: "My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin (this is the intention of the children of God and the goal of their daily struggle). And if anyone should sin, we have an advocate with the father" (this is evidence of the continuity of repentance and renewal by putting off the old and putting on the new) (1 John 2:1). Fruitful This is the last characteristic of acceptable repentance. Its fruitfulness is in a life of holiness, and in love and service to others. It is impossible to claim that our repentance is true if it is still barren and an outcome of selfishness and a prisoner of the ‘self’. The soul’s knowledge of Christ will drive it quickly forward towards other souls: "Come, see a man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ:" (John. 4: 29). True repentance is fruitful and effective with others, and is able to attract souls to the fold in three ways:
Two main fundamentals in the life of repentance are:
Repentance is not a human device to worship an idol called ‘self’, but it is the continuous gift from a heart that has the humility of the poor to Christ who is able to save to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25). Hence, the concentration of people on themselves and on their weaknesses and constant morbid groaning at sin does not serve the cause of repentance as much as fleeing to Christ in love, to the Bible in fulfillment, and to the Church in incorporation. The negatives are superseded by the positives. *Adapted from The Characteristics of Acceptable Repentance - HG Bishop Moussa
It is easy for anyone of us “to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). We think that we are servants of the Lord while the ministry in its spiritual depth has high standards. We may not have reached these yet. Alternatively, we may have started as spiritual servants but did not continue that characteristic through. So who is the spiritual servant? Spiritual servants are a beautiful tune in the ears of the Church They are pure icons, a source of blessing to whoever sees them. They are ladders reaching up to heaven always taking their children above with them. They are bridges transferring others from the worldly shore to the heavenly shore, from the present age to eternity. They are the voice of God to people, not human voices; they are mouths through which God speaks. The spiritual servant is a heavenly gift, sent from heaven to earth, and is one of the visits of grace, sent by God to the people, offering them the taste of heaven and of real life. The Spiritual servant is a living Bible or a moving Church They are the picture of God in front of their children, an ideal example or model to follow and a means of explaining all virtues. They always feel the presence of God. The ministry to them is just like a holy altar, their work or service smells like incense. The aim of the spiritual servant is to let God enter their service saying with David “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 126:1). The Spiritual servant always feels humble and unworthy They feel it is an honor to have the responsibility to prepare saints, “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17). They know quite well that the salvation of human souls is higher than their abilities, it is the work of God. They are not worthy of sharing this holy work with the Lord and the Holy Spirit. At the same time, they do not leave the ministry. In fact, the feeling of humility and unworthiness pushes them to pray more always saying to the Lord: “O Lord, this ministry is your work and not mine, I know that you will work with or without me, I am just a by-stander “who stands and hears....and rejoices greatly” (John 3:29). It is true that “neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Do your work, Oh Lord, let the hearts of your children rejoice. Do not prevent the grace of Your Holy Spirit from dwelling inside them because of my weakness and sins.” Being insistent in their prayers, God will grant them His Grace, and when their ministry succeeds, they give glory to the Lord Who did all the work. The Spiritual servant is always a person of Prayer Through prayers, they serve their children and solve the problems of the service. Prayers to them is like breathing in and out, as the Fathers said: The Spiritual servant is a flame of fire; He has holy zeal for the salvation of souls, saying with David the Prophet, "Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, Or go up to the comfort of my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids, Until I find a place for the LORD..." (Psalm 132:3-5). This applies to the hearts of everyone. The Spiritual servant is the fragrance of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15) People smell in them the sweet aroma of Christ because they are the message of God read by everyone. They are a burnt offering pleasing to the Lord. In them, the divine fire becomes its flame, that can never be extinguished. The Spiritual servant continuously moves towards the Lord Moving inside God’s heart, because the lord is inside their hearts. All their works are directed to the comfort of others in order to transfer every person to God’s heart. They are candles melting with love in order to give light to others, fulfilling the Lord’s words: “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). The Spiritual servant is a soul, not only a mind They are not just teachers, but great souls united with the Lord and experiencing life with Him. They have tasted the sweetness of the Lord, and want to transfer this life to others. They do this by expressing their feelings, being good examples and praying for others. They don’t just give lessons, they are the lesson. These servants prepare themselves before preparing the lesson, remembering the words of the Lord "And for their sake I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” (John 17:19), and St. Paul’s words to his disciple Timothy the Bishop “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” (1 Tim 4:16). The children of the spiritual servant do not need visiting Their children always want to attend the lesson. When they see their servants at Church, they feel that they have found a great treasure. They learn lessons just from their look and manner with others. Through love, they tie their children to the Church and the Lord. As a result, the children eagerly wait for the lesson. Spiritual servants love their children and the salvation of their souls The love of these children is part of the servant's love to God. The servants love their children as Christ loved His disciples, it was said about Him, “having loved His own, who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Spiritual servants love God from all their heart, and want all their children to be the same. The children of Spiritual servants are spiritual like them Their servants brings them up spiritually. Similarly, a social servant will bring up social children, the scientists concentrate on the scientific aspect of life, so their children will be just like books with much information and little spirituality. How beautiful are the words of Genesis, when talking about the creation of the plants on the earth “Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth "; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ” (Gen 1:11). If this is the case, then we must be very careful as to how we reveal God to them, because our children will be the same. ....... to be continued * Adapted from HH Pope Shenouda III's The Spiritual Ministry - Chapter 5
The importance of the ministry comes from its strength, depth, love and giving. The way it affects and changes people! The Effective Word This was clear in the Lord Christ’s service, Glory be to Him. We should take notice of the Lord Christ’s invitation to St. Matthew, “And as He passed by, He saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax collector’s post and said to him, “Follow me”. And he arose and followed Him” (Mark 2:14), (Mattew 9:9). It was just a word said to a person responsible for tax collecting. As a result, he left his job, arose and followed Him without even asking where to? The same powerful invitation was used when calling the four fishermen disciples. As it is written, “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." And immediately they left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.” (Mark 1:16-20). Through the power of the Word, they left everything and followed Him immediately, without any hesitation, delay or argument. They left their father, their nets, and everything. St. Peter summarized it all by saying ..."See, we have left all and followed You." (Matt 19:27).
His words had the power of convincing even those who argued with Him. When He explained to the scribes and Pharisees how a person is allowed to do good deeds on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-12) and about the Resurrection, it was written “......He forty had silenced the Sadducees” (Matthew 22:34). Also, “...no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.” (Matthew 22:46). His words also influenced others because of their warmth and love. When he said to Zacchaeus, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." (Luke 19:5). A word, so deep and warm, led this person to repentance, so that he said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house” ( Luke 19:8, 9). All this because of one strong, warm word spoken by the Lord. The same powerful words characterized the ministry of our Fathers, the Apostles. A sermon said by St. Peter the Apostle on Pentecost, attracted three thousand people who were baptized that same day (Acts 2:37-41). The strength of the word also appears in St. Paul’s ministry, even when he was captured and judged before Felix the governor “Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid...” . (Acts 24:25). Also, King Agrippa said to St. Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." (Acts 26:28). The Power Of Giving Some servants like the easy service, with no troubles or effort, but the power of the ministry appears in bearing its hardships, in love, giving and rejoicing. An example of this is St. Paul the Apostle’s ministry “...in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness (2 Cor 11:26, 27). * Adapted from HH Pope Shenouda III's The Spiritual Ministry - Chapter 4
God's measurement is different from this of people. He looks at the hearts and He knows everything. When he evaluates the service, for sure, we will discover very strange facts on judgment day. Maybe we will see servants of whom we never heard about before! Maybe we won’t see the servants that we served with! Incorrect Evaluation Of The Ministry 1-Evaluating The Service According To Responsibilities People evaluate the service according to the responsibilities of that servant. God, however, has different measurements. Let us turn to St. Stephen the first deacon, as an example. He was just a deacon, without any high rank. If the Church measured the strength of his ministry according to his rank in the Church, he would not be considered very highly, but, as it stands, he is mentioned even before all the Patriarchs. His ministry is measured according to its depth, for he was full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom and faith (Acts 6:3,5). Acts 6:8 mentions “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.” He faced three synagogues of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians and those from Cilicia and Asia), they were disputing with Stephen, but “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10). This is why, after the laying on of hands (after he became a deacon), “....the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7). This was the powerful ministry of a deacon, which the Jews couldn’t bear, so they stoned him. During this, he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" (Acts 7:56), and “and they saw his face as the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). Let us also look at St. Ephrem the Syrian. He strongly resisted the Arians, and fought for the sake of the true faith, although he was just a reader in the Church, a rank given to thousands and thousands of Sunday School servants. He was called the “violin of the Holy Spirit” and “The Teacher” because of his poems and spiritual writings which influenced so many people. Can we then measure his ministry according to his rank as a reader? Another example is St. Athanasius at the council of Nicea. At that time, he was just a deacon among 318 of the well known fathers, bishops and priests representing the Churches of the whole world. His work is measured according to his attitude against the Arians, and his zeal in defending the Orthodox faith. He also fomulated the Creed to refute this heresy, the creed in which all the Churches of the world believe. The ministry is not measured according to its rank, but according to its power and influence. Also, St. Simon the Tanner was a man without any rank in the Church - he was merely a layman. But the strength of his service was in the depth of his prayers. He saved the whole Church through the miracle of moving the Mokattam mountain. This was done during the rule of Pope Abraam Ibn Zaraa. St Reweis was not a bishop, priest or even a deacon, he was without any job or service in the Church, but in spite of that, the Church ranks him as one of its fathers. We can also remember, Ibrahim El Gohary, who was a layman occupying a job in the Government, but, he had a deep love for the church. Nobody can forget his services in building monasteries, Churches and helping the poor in a way which puts him above many servants. An example outside of the Coptic Church is Michael Angelo. He was an artist, but his services in painting the Church’s icons, made him famous in history, especially St. Peter’s Cathedral. We don’t ask about his rank, but about his deep and sincere service. 2-The Place Of Ministry Some people relate the importance of the servant to the place where they serve, but this is wrong. An example is St. Gregory Nizianzen. He was a Bishop of the city of Niazinza which is a small, unknown city. Yet, because of his deep, precious sermons and theological understanding he was called St. Gregory the Theologian. He made this city famous, it wasn’t the city who made him famous. The same applies to St. Gregory the Bishop of Nyssa. He was the brother of St. Basil the great, and wrote many articles against the followers of Arius. He also had many holy contemplation, and wrote books about the blessings of God. Nobody can say that his service was useless because it was shepherd a small town. The Lord Jesus Himself was born in a village, Bethlehem, the least of cities in Judea (Matt 2:6). He was related to Nazareth and some were wondering “can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46), but He made Nazareth famous and was called “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matt 26:71). He also made Bethlehem famous, and it became a holy place. 3-The Length Of Time In The Ministry Many servants measure their greatness according to the long time they have been in the ministry. There are however, servants with shorter periods of service who are more effective and productive. John the Baptist served only one or two years, and during this short period, he prepared the way for the Lord, “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). The period of Christ’s incarnation was very short. He served for just over three years. After which, He said to the Father, “I have finished the work which you have given me to do” (John 17:4). He also said “I have glorified you on earth...” He completed the salvation, teaching and being a perfect example. Pope Kyrillos IV served as Pope for around 8 years, but the Church called him “The Father of Reform” because of his deep services to the Church! Many priests have proven to be successful over their short ministry, one such man was Father Manassa Yohanna of the city of Mallawi (Upper Egypt). He departed when he was 30 years old. During this short time, he delivered thousands of sermons, wrote many books, and had great spiritual influence on his congregation. One day of St. Paul’s service is greater and deeper than many years of another’s service. 4-The Number Of People You Are Serving This criteria cannot be used as a tool for measuring the effectiveness of one’s ministry. What counts is the number of those who are influenced by your service and those who reached God as a result of it. Our Lord Jesus Christ, Himself preached to thousands, He also ministered to the twelve disciples. These were more important than the thousands since they attracted cities and countries to the faith after Christ’s ascension. The number of listeners is not important, but the number of those accepting the word with joy, in whom the word bears fruit and leads them to the life of repentance, holiness and perfection. 5-The Quantity Of Service Maybe you are doing so many services at one time. Maybe you will be so busy doing all these things, you will lose control of everything, as a result the ministry loses its spirituality! So, how can a spiritual ministry be measured? ............ to be continued * Adapted from HH Pope Shenouda III's The Spiritual Ministry - Chapter 4
If any be a devout lover of God, let him partake with gladness from this great and radiant feast. If any be a faithful servant, let him enter rejoicing into the joy of his Lord. If any have wearied himself with fasting, let him now enjoy his reward. If any have labored from the first hour, let him receive today his rightful due. If any have come after the third, let him celebrate the feast with thankfulness. If any have come after the sixth, let him not be in doubt, for he will suffer no loss. If any have delayed until the ninth, let him not hesitate but draw near. If any have arrived only at the eleventh, let him not be afraid because he comes so late. For the Master is generous and accepts the last even as the first. He gives rest to him who comes at the eleventh hour in the same was as him who has labored from the first. He accepts the deed, and commends the intention. Enter then, all of you, into the joy of our Lord. First and last, receive alike your reward. Rich and poor, rejoice together! Sober and slothful, celebrate the day! You who fasted and you who have not fasted, rejoice together. The table is fully laden: let all enjoy it. The calf is fatted: let none go away hungry. Let none lament his poverty; for the universal Kingdom is revealed. Let none bewail his transgressions; for the light of forgiveness has risen from the tomb. Let none fear death; for death of the Savior has set us free. He has destroyed death by undergoing death. He has despoiled hell by descending into hell. He vexed it even as it tasted of His flesh. Isaiah foretold this when he cried: Hell was filled with bitterness when it met Thee face to face below; filled with bitterness, for it was brought to nothing; filled with bitterness, for it was mocked; filled with bitterness, for it was overthrown; filled with bitterness, for it was put in chains. Hell received a body, and encountered God. It received earth, and confronted heaven. O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen! And you, o death, are annihilated! Christ is risen! And the evil ones are cast down! Christ is risen! And the angels rejoice! Christ is risen! And life is liberated! Christ is risen! And the tomb is emptied of its dead; for Christ having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be Glory and Power, now and forever, and from all ages to all ages. Amen! *Written circa 400 AD
The soul is an image of heaven because the Lord dwells within it, but the flesh is of earth, wherein live mortal men and irrational beasts. Regulate the needs of your body, therefore, in conformity with the hours of prayer and be prepared to dismiss arguments which would draw you away from observance of the rule; for it is the way of the devils to urge us to be absent during the time of prayer on the pretext of a seemingly worthy reason, so that they may plausibly draw us away from saving prayer. Do not make excuses, saying, ‘Alas, my head! Alas, my stomach!’ alleging invisible proofs of non-existent pain and relaxing the rigor of the vigil for the sake of taking rest. Rather, be constant in secret prayer which God beholds in secret and will repay you for openly (Matthew 6:18). Hoard the accruing gains of the most perfect way of life, that in the day of need you may discover hidden wealth. When it is your turn to serve, add to your physical labor a word of exhortation and comfort for love of those whom you serve, that your ministry, seasoned thus with salt (Colossians 4:6), may be acceptable. Do not allow another to do the work that is rightly yours, so that the reward as well may not be taken from you and given to another and he be enriched with your wealth while you are put to shame. Perform the duties of your ministry decently and with care as if you were serving Christ, for, ‘Cursed,’ says the Prophet, "Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully." (Jeremiah 48:10). Fear, as if the eye of the Lord were upon you, the perversity which arises from fastidiousness and contempt, even though the task in hand seem to you a menial one. The work of the ministry is an exalted work and leads to the kingdom of heaven. It is a dragnet of the virtues, comprising within itself all the commandments of God. It contains, first of all, the virtue of virtues, humility, which brings with itself a host of blessings; secondly, there is that saying of the Lord: ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; stranger and weak and in prison and you ministered to me (Matthew 25:35, 36). There is, furthermore, a special merit in performing the owed service in a humble spirit without arrogance or irritation and murmuring. Be a zealous follower of those who lead upright lives and inscribe their deeds upon your heart. Pray to be among the few, for the good is rare; wherefore, few, also, are they who enter into the kingdom of heaven. Do not think that all who live in a cell are saved, the bad as well as the good, for this is not true. Many, indeed, take up the life of virtue, but few bear its yoke. The kingdom of heaven is the prize of the violent and the violent bear it away-these are the words of the Gospel (Matthew 11:12). By ‘violence’ is meant the affliction of the body which the disciples of Christ voluntarily undergo in the denial of their own will, in the refusal of respite to the body, and in the observance of Christ’s precepts. If, then, you wish to bear away the kingdom of God, become a man of violence; bow your neck to the yoke of Christ’s service (Matthew 11:30). Bind the strap of the yoke tightly about your throat. Let it pinch your neck. Rub it thin by labor in acquiring virtues, in fasting, in vigils, in obedience, in silence, in psalmody, in prayer, in tears, in manual labor, in bearing all the tribulations which befall you at the hands of men and demons. Source: St. Basil of Caesarea, Saint Basil: Ascetical Works, ed. Roy Joseph Deferrari, trans. M. Monica Wagner, vol. 9, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 1962), 28–30
He spoke to me: "You know," he said, "that you who are servants of God are living in a foreign country, for your city is far from this city. If, therefore, you know," he said, "your city in which you are destined to live, why do you prepare fields and expensive possessions and buildings and useless rooms here? If you are preparing these things for this city, you obviously are not planning to return to your own city. Foolish and double-minded and miserable person, do you not realize that all these things are foreign to you, and under someone else's authority? For the lord of this city will say, 'I do not want you to live in my city; instead, leave this city, because you do not conform to my laws.’ So you who have fields and dwellings and many other possessions, what will you do with your field and your house and all the other things you have prepared for yourself when you are expelled by him? For the lord of this country has every right to say to you, 'Either conform to my laws, or get out of my country.‘ So what are you going to do, since you are subject to the law of your own city? For the sake of your fields and the rest of your possessions, will you totally renounce your own law and live according to the law of this city? Take care; it may not be in your best interest to renounce your law, for if you should want to return to your city, you will certainly not be accepted, because you have renounced the law of your city, and will be shut out of it. So take care; as one living in a foreign land, do not prepare for yourself one thing more than is necessary to be self-sufficient, and be prepared so that whenever the master of this city wants to expel you because of your opposition to his law, you can leave his city and come to your own city, and joyfully conform to your law, free from all insult. Take care, therefore, that you serve the Lord and have Him in your heart; do God's works, remembering His commandments and the promises that He made, and trust Him to keep them, if His commandments are kept. So instead of fields, buy souls that are in distress, as anyone is able, and visit widows and orphans and do not neglect them; and spend your wealth and all your possessions, which you received from God, on fields and houses of this kind. For this is why the Master made you rich, so that you might perform these ministries for Him. It is much better to purchase fields and possessions and houses of this kind, which you will find in your own city when you go home to it. This lavish expenditure is beautiful and obvious; it does not bring grief or fear, but joy. So do not practice the extravagance of the outsiders, for it is unprofitable to you, the servants of God. But do practice your own extravagance, in which you can rejoice; and do not imitate or touch what belongs to another or covet it, for it is evil to covet someone else's things. But do your own task, and you will be saved. *The Shepherd of Hermas. Parable 2.1
BEHOLD a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He Who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised. Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things yielded in obedience to God. This day He Who is, is Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassability, remaining unchanged. And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb. Since this heavenly birth cannot be described, neither does His coming amongst us in these days permit of too curious scrutiny. Though I know that a Virgin this day gave birth, and I believe that God was begotten before all time, yet the manner of this generation I have learned to venerate in silence and I accept that this is not to be probed too curiously with wordy speech. For with God we look not for the order of nature, but rest our faith in the power of Him who works. What shall I say to you; what shall I tell you? I behold a Mother who has brought forth; I see a Child come to this light by birth. The manner of His conception I cannot comprehend. Nature here rested, while the Will of God labored. O ineffable grace! The Only Begotten, Who is before all ages, Who cannot be touched or be perceived, Who is without body, has now put on my body, that is visible and liable to corruption. For what reason? That coming amongst us he may teach us, and teaching, lead us by the hand to the things that men cannot see. For since men believe that the eyes are more trustworthy than the ears, they doubt of that which they do not see, and so He has deigned to show Himself in bodily presence, that He may remove all doubt. What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of days has become an infant. He Who sits upon the Cherubim and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger. And He Who cannot be touched, Who is simple, without complexity, and incorporeal, now lies subject to the hands of men. He Who has broken the bonds of sinners, is now bound by an infants bands. But He has decreed that ignominy shall become honor, infamy be clothed with glory, and total humiliation the measure of His Goodness. Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been ‘in planted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels. To Him, then, Who out of confusion has wrought a clear path, to Christ, to the Father, and to the Holy Spirit, we offer all praise, now and forever. Amen. *Adapted from "Homily on Christmas morning", St John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (349 - 407 AD)
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