وجبـــــــة روحيـــــ(†)ــــــــــة يوميـــــــــة

[Mary Naeem]

* "هل من نهاية لكلامٍ فارغٍ؟"
إنه كلام فارغ ذاك الذي يخدم زهوًا وقتيًا، وليس غايته البرّ.

البابا غريغوريوس (الكبير)

[Mary Naeem]

يحذرنا الكتاب المقدس من اللغو الباطل كما من الصمت الباطل،
حتى متى تقدسنا يتقدس صمتنا كما كلامنا، فيكون للكلام وقت
وللسكوت وقت، ويعمل كلاهما لبنيان الإنسان

ولتعزية اخوته كما لمجد الله.


"الكلام في غير وقته كالغناء في النوح" (سيراخ 22: 6).
"كثرة الكلام لا تخلو من معصية، أما الضابط شفتيه فعاقل" (أم 10: 19).
"الجاهل يكثر الكلام، لا يعلم إنسان ما يكون وماذا يصير بعده من يخبره" (جا 10: 14).
"الكثير الكلام يمقت، والمتسلط جورًا يبغض" (سيراخ 20: 8)
"لا تعّود فاك فحش الكلام، فإن ذلك لا يخلو من خطية" (سيراخ 23: 17).
"في الكلام كرامة وهوان، ولسان الإنسان تهلكته" (سيراخ 5: 15).
"الحكيم في الكلام يشتهر، والإنسان الفطن يرضي العظماء" (سيراخ 20: 29)
"الكلام الحسن شهد عسل، حلو للنفس، وشفاء للعظام" (أم 16: 24).
"لا تمتنع من الكلام في وقت الخلاص، ولا تكتم حكمتك إذا جمل إبداؤها" (سيراخ 4: 28).
"لا تكثر الكلام مع الجاهل، ولا تخالط الغبي" (سيراخ 22: 14).

[Mary Naeem]

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III

These were not the only thoughts which my father monk and I discussed, for we talked about things more profound. We discussed the attitude of the senses ‘when one tries to understand and meditate on theological matters. The senses are physical and limited and thereupon are not able to approach God Who is unlimited . The senses are also fallible and often mistake between what is wrong and what is right.

[Mary Naeem]

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III




Even the apostles were mistaken when they returned to the Lord joyfully saying, "Lord even the demons are subject to us in Your name", the Lord replied to them, "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this." (Luke 10:1 7,20)

Likewise, the murderer who kills for revenge or honour, feels content as if he has done a great deed. It is a wrong feeling certainly.

You also, my beloved brother, may have various feelings during your prayers, fasts, seclusion and meditations. Examine them well for they may be unsound human feelings . Try to free your spirit from the bonds of the senses.

[Mary Naeem]

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III





Another point which I like to draw to your attention is that when one is completely involved in meditating on theological matters, one becomes unaware of the world and of the things around them. For example Hanna was in the temple praying in bitterness from her soul before the Lord . She was not aware of anything around her. Eli the priest thought she was drunk and reproached her saying, "How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!". (1 Sam.13,14).

[Mary Naeem]

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III




If you are completely involved in your prayers and meditations, you will not be aware at all of anything that may take place around you. There may be some people talking near you or there may be some noise or various scenes but you will not be aware of anything because you are absorbed in spiritual matters. Your senses are partly passive and it is your spirit which acts. I think some consider that the spirit in this case is caught up! I remember an example of this - St. John the Short who used to spend long times in meditations during which people talked to him but he never heard their voice or knew what they were saying. Some tried to repeat what they said but he only exclaimed what the thing they wanted was and the more they repeated their words, the less he heard . "the reason is that his spirit at times was involved in other matters which were more important, far deeper and nearer to the hearing and the memory. Sometimes people asked him certain questions but the saint used to reply to them with theological meditations which had no relation whatever with what they asked. In fact, he did not hear what they were saying, because his spirit was released from the senses..

[Mary Naeem]

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III




The release of the spirit from the human wisdom:

Now, I wish that the spirit would be released from the human wisdom as well! because, "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" (I Cor. 1:20), and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." (1 Cor. 3:20). The Holy Bible tells us also, ".. the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written 'He catches the wise in their craftiness'." (1 Cor. 3:19)

[Mary Naeem]

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III




The human mind-since the beginning- is defective and limited. The mind was better in the beginning when God created it, for God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. The human mind-after its creation- was subject to sin and to the world with its ideas, researches, experiences, customs, traditions, systems and formalities which had an impression on the mind . This made the mind liable to issue wrong judgements and made it unable to comprehend or approach God on its own. Those who think themselves wise and intelligent and trust in their own wisdom and intellect are the farthest from spiritual and theological matters. Therefore St. Paul the Apostle said,: "And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power...", "... we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual". (1 Cor. 2:4,13)

[Mary Naeem]

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III


Have you now seen , my beloved brother, how vain human wisdom is... ! Would God then abolish wisdom in general? No, but He supports it.. Listen to what St. Paul the Apostle says in the same epistle, "However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery". (1Cor. 2: 6,7)

[Mary Naeem]

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III


if you want to learn God's intentions, release your spirit first from the human wisdom. Stand before God as ignorant and lacking every knowledge and understanding. Only then, you will be filled with knowledge.. that knowledge which is spiritual and perfect not human and deficient, "For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." (1 Cor. 2:10). St. Paul certainly meant this when he said, "If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise." (1 Cor. 3:18)