His Holiness Pope Shenouda III distinguishes between intellectual/theoretical knowledge of the Lord and a heartfelt, practical knowledge. The mind takes us to the shores of divine knowledge, while life, trials, and prayer transfer us into its depths where one “tastes” the Lord’s presence.

How to move from hearing to seeing

The lecture calls to move from the level of “ear hearing” to the level of “eye seeing” — that is, from reading books and theoretical teaching to living fellowship with the Lord and experiencing His presence in every deed and daily life.

The role of trials and prayer

Trials and afflictions reveal God’s working hand and grant practical knowledge and inner assurance. Continual prayer and contemplation open the heart to the grace of revelation and help to embody God’s attributes in life.

Humility and the special ones

Divine revelation is given to those who love and are humble; pride prevents openness to knowing God. God reveals Himself to His own who keep His commandments and truly love Him.

Conduct and keeping the commandments

Keeping the commandments is not only verbal understanding but a practical life that produces genuine love; whoever does not keep the commandments remains far from true knowledge of the Lord.

Qualities of the spiritual life required

One’s life must be pure and spiritual: purity of heart, avoidance of materialism, widening the heart for contemplation, and accompanying constant prayer so that the perception of God may truly settle in us.

Benefit from the lives of saints and remembrance

Reviewing the lives of saints and writing the memories of God’s deeds in our life (a record book) strengthens spiritual memory and reveals how God moved in history and personal life.

Educational and spiritual summary

True knowledge of God is a knowledge lived and experienced; it yields love and faithfulness to the commandments, and it requires humility, spiritual purity, continual prayer, and the ability to see God’s work in trials and history.

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