The Shepherd Is a Title of God Himself
God Is the True Shepherd
The lecture confirms that the title “Shepherd” is originally a title of God Himself, for He is the One who shepherds His people and cares for them. The Lord declared Himself as a Shepherd, and the Lord Christ described Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. Therefore, shepherding in its essence is a divine work before it is a human function.
Second: Shepherding Is Not a وظيفة but a Divine Calling
Shepherding is not merely a position or a title granted to a person, but it is a calling and a choice from God. A person does not call himself to the priesthood, but is called by God as Aaron was called. If there is no true calling from God, the service becomes a human work lacking spiritual power.
Third: Being Filled with the Holy Spirit Is an Essential Condition
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III emphasizes that the first condition of the true shepherd is being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the One who works in the shepherd and through him, and guides him in all his actions and words. The early Church was the Church of the Holy Spirit, and the apostles did not begin service except with power from on high.
Fourth: Being Led by the Spirit, Not by Human Will
The spiritual shepherd is a person led by the Holy Spirit, not moved by his personal desires or wishes. The Holy Spirit leads his human spirit, and his spirit leads his body, thus he lives a spiritual life freed from the control of sin, the world, and the flesh. This is the true freedom in Christ.
Fifth: Spiritual Wisdom in Service
Along with being filled with the Holy Spirit, the shepherd must also be filled with wisdom. This wisdom is not worldly cunning or deceit, but wisdom from above, shown in his administration of the Church, in guiding his children, and in his pastoral decisions. Wisdom is necessary for the success of the service and for preserving the Church from disorder.
Sixth: The Success of Service Is the Work of God’s Grace
When God is the One working in the shepherd, his service succeeds just as Joseph succeeded because the Lord was with him. This success is not attributed to the person but to the grace of God working in him. True service does not aim at human glory, but at glorifying the name of God alone.
The Spiritual Message of the Lecture
The essence of the message is that shepherding is a divine work accomplished in a person who is called and filled with the Holy Spirit, led by the Spirit, and armed with heavenly wisdom. If this is fulfilled, the service becomes an extension of God’s own work, not merely a human activity.
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