The lecture begins by mentioning the center’s title and then moves to interpret the famous verse from the Epistles which says that what God has prepared for those who love Him surpasses all sensory experiences. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III clarifies that what is meant by matters “which no eye has seen” are eternal glories above the level of matter, the body, and the senses.

Seeing God and eternity

He explains that the vision of God is latent in the fullness of holiness and that it becomes possible for the human being when his heart is purified and he rises to a higher spiritual level. The speaker cites verses (John, Corinthians, Hebrews) to show that the trained and holy soul sees what the material eye cannot perceive.

Biblical examples as a pledge of vision

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III invokes examples from the Bible (the martyrdom vision of Stephen and the visions of Paul, Jacob, and prophets like Elijah and Daniel) as a pledge of what will be seen in heaven, pointing out that some visions were given to prophets and saints as a foretaste of what will come.

Rites and glorified bodies

The lecturer shows that the kingdom is not of flesh and blood according to 1 Corinthians; rather God will strengthen our bodies into the likeness of the glorified body that will be able to see and hear what current senses do not grasp.

Spiritual life and training the senses

The call is practical: the believer must train his spiritual senses through prayer, repentance, and contemplation so that they may be purified and see what is heavenly. Examples from the lives of the saints (Didymus the blind and Anthony) are used to encourage believers not to grieve the loss of physical sight but to ask for spiritual sight.

Warning against attachment to material things

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III warns against preoccupation with visible and material things because that weakens the spiritual senses and distances the spirit from sensing divine glory. Faith is to trust in God’s promises even if they are not seen, and to cling to hymns and promises that herald salvation.

Conclusion and practical exhortation

The lecture concludes with an invitation to prepare for the eternal bliss through spiritual discipline and adherence to Scripture and prayers, affirming that visions and heavenly manifestations will be the reward for believers who cultivate their spiritual senses and live according to God’s promises.

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