His Holiness Pope Shenouda explains the grace of the forty days after the Resurrection as a time of sacred joy that matches the holiness of Holy Week from one side.
He affirms that sorrow for the Lord is penitential and sacred, and joy for the Lord is also sacred, and everything has its time under the heavens.
He mentioned how Christ’s words about his death and resurrection were fulfilled, so the disciples were joyful because God’s promise was accomplished; thus they gained certainty and their faith increased.
He reviewed Christ’s appearances after the resurrection to the women at the tomb and to Mary Magdalene, then to the two disciples at Emmaus, and to the disciples in the upper room, and to Thomas, and mentioned other appearances and the appearance to Paul on the road to Damascus.
He explained that Christ appeared to those who were weak in faith to strengthen them, for he took their love and sanctified it and gave them faith and assurance; he did not rebuke them but trained them and corrected their weakness.
He spoke of the forty-day period as a time of gradual appearing and teaching: Christ interpreted the books of the Old Testament to the disciples, handed them over the sacraments and rites, granted them the authority of the priesthood and breathed the Holy Spirit into them.
He emphasized that this period shows the importance of preparing servants and that the apostolic oral and practical teaching preserving the church tradition complements the written Gospel.
He concluded with a call to true spiritual joy during the forty days — joy in the Lord and in His presence with us within hearts, not only bodily rejoicing — and urged the faithful to sense the Lord’s presence and to stand firm in the faith.

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