The Apostles’ Fast

The General Message of the Lecture

This lecture revolves around the love of the Lord Jesus Christ for His disciples, a unique and profound love that cannot be fully expressed in words, but is revealed through actions—a love “to the end.” His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains how this love appeared in Christ’s choosing of His disciples, accompanying them, bearing with their weaknesses, glorifying them, sending them forth, and granting them the Holy Spirit, making Christ’s love an eternal model for the Church and for every believer.

First: The Love of Choosing and Accompaniment

Christ loved His own from the beginning. He chose them Himself and did not leave them to walk alone, but lived with them, ate and drank with them, taught them, and showed them the good example in His daily life, so they became closely united to Him, and He to them.

Second: The Love of Endurance and Compassion

Although He knew beforehand their weaknesses, fears, denials, and doubts, Christ endured the weakness of His beloved just as He endured the ظلم of His enemies. He did not rebuke them harshly, but encouraged them, comforted them, and assured them that the weakness of the flesh does not cancel the strength of the spirit.

Third: The Love of Honesty and Hope

He spoke to them openly about His sufferings, crucifixion, and death, but always connected pain with resurrection and joy. He did not leave them in despair, but gave them hope, saying: “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Fourth: The Love of Complete Giving

He washed their feet, gave them the mystery of the Eucharist, prayed for them a long prayer, and promised that they would be with Him where He is. He did not leave them as orphans, but promised them the Holy Spirit to dwell in them and remain with them forever.

Fifth: The Love of Sanctification and Mission

Despite their weaknesses, He granted them the authority of teaching, baptism, and binding and loosing. He called them friends, not servants, and made them witnesses to Him to the ends of the earth, affirming that the power is not from them, but from the Holy Spirit working within them.

Spiritual Conclusion

The love of Christ for His disciples is a love that overlooks falls, transforms weakness into strength, fear into witness, and sinners into saints. This love is not only for the disciples, but for all of us—present in the Church, in the sacraments, on the altar, and until the end of the age.

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