Pope Shenouda III
The Holy Bible is a message presented to you, and who does not rejoice with a message from God?!
St Anthony the Great received once a message from the Emperor Constantine. His disciples greatly rejoiced but the saint put the message aside. His disciples were astonished and became enthusiastic to read the message. So St Anthony said to them, “My children, why do you rejoice so much for a message received from a man? Here God has sent us many messages in the Holy Bible and why don’t we receive them with the same joy and enthusiasm?!” After that, he read the Emperor’s letter and replied in order to bless him.
And you, if you receive a letter from a person who is dear to you, don’t you rejoice and read it time after time...? Isn’t it appropriate for you to do the same with a message that you receive from God...?
God’s message that is sent to you, uttered by the Spirit and spoken by the prophets who were led by the Spirit, is a word full of the Spirit. We understand it through the Spirit and live it. It is, as the Lord said:
“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (Jn 6:63).
