How do we reach the fear of God?

The lecture, delivered by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, answers the question: “How do we attain the fear of God?” The speaker clarifies that the fear of God that remains with the loving person is a type of reverence and veneration (awe), and not the fear of punishment which “love casts out.”

I. Psychological Exercises to Achieve Awe

1. Feeling Shame Before God (Reverence/Awe):
   • In Actions: You should be ashamed to do before God what you would be ashamed to do before people.
   • In Thoughts: Do not entertain any thoughts that you would fear people discovering, lest you be exposed, because God sees them.
   • In Feelings: Do not conceal your wrong feelings with external appearances that contradict your inner self, for the fear of God makes you a single personality before both people and God.
2. Remembering the View of Heaven:
   • Remember that God sees you in every action, and that the angels, the souls of the saints, and the souls of your loved ones see you. Feeling ashamed before all of them leads to the fear of God.
3. Associating with Those Who Fear God:
   • Associate with those who fear God, for you will be ashamed to make any mistake in their presence, thus the fear of God will be transferred to you.
   • Stay away from flippant people so they do not encourage carelessness, indifference, and cause you to lose the fear of God.
4. Guarding Against “Small Sins”:
   • Do not say, “This is a minor sin.” Whoever fears the small sin will naturally guard against the large one.
   • Christ warned against anger and lustful gazing because they are the first steps toward murder and adultery.
   • We must capture “the little foxes that spoil the vines.”
5. Scrutiny and Self-Accountability:
   • Be precise in your self-accountability, just as you hold others to a strict account.
   • Reproach yourself for every mistake and punish yourself. Remember the saying of Saint Macarius: “Judge yourself, my brother, before they judge you.”
   • Never trust that you are too great for any sin, for sin has “cast down many wounded, and all her slain are strong men.”

II. Manifestations of Awe in Worship

The fear of God is manifested in reverence (awe) for everything related to God:

1. Reverence for Holy Places (The Church):
   • Remember Jacob’s saying: “How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28).
   • Enter with a broken heart and remember what God said to Moses and Joshua: “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” At the very least, take every vain thought out of your mind.
   • Maintain the order, silence, and holiness of the church, and avoid flippancy, running, clamor, and shouting inside it.
   • There must be reverence for the Altar (Heikal), the Priest, the Deacon, and even the photographers, so they do not enter without veneration.
2. Respect for Prayer and the Absence of Distraction:
   • Respect the prayer because you are speaking to the Lord of lords and King of kings.
   • Avoid talking, noise, and commentary during the Sacraments and public prayers (Baptism, Marriage).
   • Focus and avoid distracted thoughts during prayer.
   • The decorum of speaking with God includes prostration, kneeling, reverence, and controlling the senses (sight and hearing). The Saints said: “When you stand before God, stand as if you were standing before a blazing fire.”
3. Venerating the Divine Liturgy:
   • Do not leave before the end of the Liturgy and receiving the Blessing and Dismissal, lest we be like Judas.
   • Reject the idea of insisting on communion without preparation or full attendance of the Liturgy.
   • Priests must be held accountable for personal interpretations of the Liturgy prayers; adherence to the original text is required.
4. Respect for the Holy Bible:
   • The Holy Bible must be venerated by respecting it, kissing it, and not placing it in an inappropriate location.