The Feast of Saint Anba Roweis – “Woe Is Me, for My Sojourn Has Been Long
Main Idea:
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III reflects on the saying of Saint Anba Roweis: “Woe is me, for my sojourn has been long.” This phrase expresses the believer’s awareness that life on earth is only a temporary exile, and that the true homeland is in heaven.
Spiritual Exile:
Pope Shenouda explained that the feeling of exile is the foundation of all virtues, for one who realizes that he is a stranger in this world does not cling to its vanities or riches, but directs his heart toward eternity. The saints lived as strangers on earth, walking toward the heavenly city whose builder and maker is God.
Detachment and Simplicity:
Exile gives birth to detachment and humility. The stranger does not store treasures in a passing land, but builds treasure in heaven through mercy, giving, and endurance for Christ’s sake.
Exile from the Body:
The Pope taught that man is not only a stranger to the world but also to his own flesh, which weighs him down and separates him from spiritual life. When the soul overcomes the desires of the body, it begins to taste the heavenly life even while still on earth.
Exile and Silence:
One of the fruits of exile is silence. The true stranger avoids unnecessary talk and interference in worldly matters, living in calmness and contemplation, with his mind fixed on God. The more silent and peaceful he is, the deeper his sense of spiritual exile.
Exile and Responsibility:
Although Christians are called to detach from the world, the Pope emphasized that exile does not mean neglecting responsibility. Everyone entrusted with a mission, a family, or a service must fulfill it faithfully before God.
The Heavenly Goal:
The true exile directs all effort toward preparing a place in heaven through good works and steadfast faith, trusting that heavenly glory is the only true rest after the exile of the body.
Final Message:
Whoever truly feels his exile on earth lives in humility, detachment, and silence, conquering bodily desires, and longing for his eternal homeland in the Father’s embrace.
