وجبـــــــة روحيـــــ(†)ــــــــــة يوميـــــــــة

[Mary Naeem]

تُسَبِّحُهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ، الْبِحَارُ وَكُلُّ مَا يَدِبُّ فِيهَا
لأَنَّ اللهَ يُخَلِّصُ صِهْيَوْنَ وَيَبْنِي مُدُنَ يَهُوذَا، فَيَسْكُنُونَ هُنَاكَ
وَيَرِثُونَهَا. وَنَسْلُ عَبِيدِهِ يَمْلِكُونَهَا، وَمُحِبُّو اسْمِهِ يَسْكُنُونَ فِيهَا.

البركة هى تسبيح الخليقة كلها لله، مشاركة البار الذي احتمل الآلام لأجل الله، فيرى كل الخليقة حوله تشاركه التسبيح؛ السموات وكل ما فيها من ملائكة، والأرض وكل ما عليها من بشر وحيوانات، ونباتات، وكذلك البحار وكل الحيوانات التي تتحرك وتدب فيها، كل هذه تسير في نظامها خاضعة لله، فتنقاد وراء الإنسان المخلوق الأعظم قائد التسبيح لله.

البركة هى هبة الخلاص لصهيون ويهوذا والساكنين فيها، وذلك من خلال الخلاص الذي يتم في ملء الزمان للمسيح الفادى، حينما يؤسس كنيسته في كل مكان، فيجد أولاده السكن والاستقرار فيها، ويحيون لله، ليس فقط في هيكل واحد في العالم، أي في أورشليم، بل في كل مكان. فالمسيح وإن كان قد خرج خلاصه من أورشليم لكنه ينشر كنائسه في كل العالم، ويسكن فيها الأبرار الذين احتملوا الآلام بشكر وظلوا يطلبون الله، وكل أسرى حبه، كما ذكرنا في الآيات السابقة (ع32، 33). ويتمتع أيضًا الأبرار الذين ساروا في طريق آبائهم الأبرار بالحياة في الكنيسة، التي هي أيقونة السماء، أو صهيون الجديدة، وأورشليم السمائية.

[Mary Naeem]

† إن عطايا الله لك متجددة كل يوم،
فأقل شيء أن تشكره وتسبحه،
فيفرح قلبك وتتمتع بعشرته،
ويتعلق قلبك بملكوت السموات.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Fasting Accompanies Self-control




It is commendable that you control yourself against every wrong desire whether it comes to you from your inside or from warring devils, for “he who rules his spirit” is better than “he who takes a city.” (Prov 16:32).
Therefore, hold the reins of self-control in your hand.
In a bodily fast, your body longs for food. You say: No, and you succeed in applying this "No". Make therefore, this willpower include every thought, every wicked desire, every wrong behaviour, and every bodily lust.
As for the person who only controls his food and is controlled by his lusts, his fast is a bodily one. He who cannot control his bodily fast is consequently unable to control himself from bad thought, lusts, and conduct.
Control of your lusts is proof of your asceticism and love of God.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Vanquishing the body is not an aim in itself but rather a vehicle for the soul.
Vanquishing the body is necessary lest it should digress and lead to the destruction of the soul. On this matter, the apostle says in earnest, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Cor 9:27). When the body is vanquished, the soul takes control and the body not resisting, but collaborating with it and submitting to its leadership.
Therefore, control your body and keep it wisely from all futile enjoyment, luxury, and lust.
It is not enough that you fast, for you also need to overcome the lust for food.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Asceticism


Man may abstain from food but craves it. Therefore there is no gain in abstinence from food but in renouncing it.
Rising above the level of eating leads one to abstinence from and letting go of food. In turn, this leads to the virtue of detachment. Nevertheless, what should you do if you cannot accomplish renunciation and detachment?
If you cannot achieve renunciation and detachment, then at least give up something for the sake of God.
Adam and Eve were required to keep away from one fruit. It was not an issue of abstinence from food or one item of it but a sort of training to renounce everything for God's sake...
As for you when you fast, what can you renounce for God's sake, for His love and for the preservation of His commandments?
God is not is need of your renunciation of anything. However, by doing this, you show your love for God in profound and practical way, and for the sake of His love, you sacrificed your desires.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Fasting Accompanies Charity



He who hungers while fasting sympathises with the hungry. For this mercy, God accepts his fast as He said, “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.” (Matt 5:7). Out of its concern for charity, the Church chants the hymn of “Blessed are those who show mercy to the needy” during Lent.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Out of His concern for charity, the Lord said in Isaiah's prophecy: “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness ... To let the oppressed go free ... Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Is 58:6, 7).
During the age of martyrs and confessors, the Church used to preach that:
If you have nothing to give to those in need, then fast and offer them your food.
Do not fast to save food for yourself, but rather that you fast and give the food you saved to the needy, . It has been the custom for many churches during the days of fasting to hold banquets for the poor so as not to embarrass the poor by having them eat all by themselves, the whole congregation eat together.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Fasting Accompanies Charity



He who hungers while fasting sympathises with the hungry. For this mercy, God accepts his fast as He said, “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.” (Matt 5:7). Out of its concern for charity, the Church chants the hymn of “Blessed are those who show mercy to the needy” during Lent.
Out of His concern for charity, the Lord said in Isaiah's prophecy: “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness ... To let the oppressed go free ... Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Is 58:6, 7).
During the age of martyrs and confessors, the Church used to preach that:
If you have nothing to give to those in need, then fast and offer them your food.
Do not fast to save food for yourself, but rather that you fast and give the food you saved to the needy, . It has been the custom for many churches during the days of fasting to hold banquets for the poor so as not to embarrass the poor by having them eat all by themselves, the whole congregation eat together.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Fasting is Accompanied by Prostration








Prostration is in fact a series of successive prostration accompanied by short prayers.
The Church combines prostration with abstinence from food for a number of hours. Thus, on days when abstinence is not allowed, -e.g. feast days, Saturdays, Sundays, and the fifty days following Easter- then prostration are also not permissible. A belly full of food is not fit spiritually or bodily for prostration. Prostration are therefore better observed in the early morning or at any time during fasting before food is eaten.
Prostration may be a form of self-abasement before God.
Every prostration, man rebukes himself before God for on of his sins and asks for forgiveness, saying: I have sinned, O Lord, in doing this or that, so please forgive me. I have desecrated Your temple, so please forgive me. Forgive me, for I am lazy, negligent.... etc.
Prostration may be accompanied by prayers of gratitude and praise.
Spiritual preliminaries, such as self-examination or any spiritual reading to soften the heart, may precede prostration.

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III

Prostration is in fact a series of successive prostration accompanied by short prayers.
The Church combines prostration with abstinence from food for a number of hours. Thus, on days when abstinence is not allowed, -e.g. feast days, Saturdays, Sundays, and the fifty days following Easter- then prostration are also not permissible. A belly full of food is not fit spiritually or bodily for prostration. Prostration are therefore better observed in the early morning or at any time during fasting before food is eaten.