Spiritual Watchfulness – Part 7: Reconciliation with God
Main Idea
Pope Shenouda III addresses the subject of reconciliation with God, explaining that God, on His part, desires to reconcile with humanity and save them, and that the main obstacle often comes from the person himself. He explains that love of the world and preoccupation with its pleasures may cause a person to place God outside his heart and fail to find joy in the spiritual life. He also warns against postponing repentance and spiritual growth, because the opportunity available today may not come again tomorrow.
Spiritual Message
The teaching calls the person to look toward eternity and the life to come, rather than limiting his attention to the material and temporary matters of this world. It emphasizes the importance of loving virtue and staying away from sin, while recognizing that a person can be influenced by his environment, friends, and surroundings. Therefore, one should maintain a continuous spiritual atmosphere through prayer, meditation, spiritual reading, hymns, praises, liturgies, service, and spiritual friendships.
Educational Lesson
Pope Shenouda warns against certain ideas that lead a person to justify his mistakes or interpret religion according to his own desires, emphasizing that religion, virtue, and God’s commandments do not change with the passage of time. He also stresses the necessity of examining oneself rather than justifying one’s mistakes, and recognizing one’s spiritual shortcomings in order to begin the path of correction.
Practical Application
Reconciliation with God begins by loving God above everything else and overcoming self-centeredness, because excessive love of self becomes an obstacle to life with God. The teaching encourages self-denial, carrying the cross, and following Christ, while making God the first priority, caring for others, and refusing to make oneself the center of life. A person should also preserve the spiritual influence he receives and not allow harmful influences to choke it, while hastening to repentance, doing good, and everything that strengthens his relationship with God.
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