وجبـــــــة روحيـــــ(†)ــــــــــة يوميـــــــــة

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

We should not forget what happened to nature at the time of the Lord's crucifixion: The earth quaked, the rocks were split and the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51). And there was darkness over the whole land from the sixth hour until the ninth hour (Mk. 15:33); (Lk. 23:44,45).

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

One of the aspects of Christ's authority over nature was that He cursed the fig tree and it immediately withered (Matt. 21:19), thus manifesting His authority over plants.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

His authority over animals was manifested in the two miracles of catching the great number of fish: When He called Peter to be a fisher of men (Lk. 5:4-7), and at the Sea of Tiberias, after His resurrection (Jn. 21:5-1 1).

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

His authority over nature also appears in His healing of diseases, especially the incurable ones, by His mere order, touch or will, like when He healed the lepers, the blind, the dumb, the deaf, the mute, the paralyzed and the lame.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

We add to the above the miracles pertaining to Him such as His Birth of a virgin and the wonderful movement of a star to show His place of birth.

All these denote that Christ has authority over nature in all its aspects: the sun, the stars, the rocks

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

St. John the Evangelist says about the Lord's authority over the sea: "And it was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat, and they were afraid' (Jn. 6:17-19). And St. Mark says about this miracle: "Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased And they were -greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marvelled' (Mk. 6:47-51).

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

The Lord Jesus Christ did not only walk on the sea Himself, but also made St. Peter the Apostle walk with Him. And when St. Peter was afraid and began to sink, the Lord caught him.

Peter said: "'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. 'So He said, 'Come.' And when Peter had comedown out of the boat, he walked on the water. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him. And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased' (Matt. 14:25-32). Of course, all this was done by Christ's own authority, by His own might; the might of His Divinity. Where are the laws of physics here, which speak about the law of gravity? Are these laws not of His design as well, because "all things were made through Him" (Jn. 1:3)?

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Where is the law of gravity in His ascension to heaven, which is recorded not only in the Book of Acts, chapter one, verse 9, but also in St. John's Gospel, chapter 3, verse 13?

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

About the submission of the angels to Christ, it is written: "Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him" (1 Pet. 3:21,22). Who is the One ministered to by the angels, and to whom angels, authorities and powers are subject, but God alone?

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

In St. Matthew's Gospel, chapter 13, verses 41 and 42, it is written: "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire." Who is the One who has authority to send angels on the Day of Judgment, but God alone?