Pope Shenouda III reflects on the words of Christ to Saul of Tarsus: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads,” explaining that the goads represent everything God uses to move the heart and conscience and to call a person to repentance and change. A person may be affected by a spiritual word, a sermon, advice, a good example, or an event that awakens within him the desire to return to God. The Holy Spirit may work in the heart by convicting a person of sin and calling him to a virtuous life, so that he experiences an inner movement that urges him toward correction, repentance, service, and consecration. He emphasizes that what matters is not merely being affected, but responding quickly to God’s work, because delaying the response may lead to losing the spiritual influence and weakening one’s spiritual fervor.
Spiritual Message
Pope Shenouda explains that God does not leave a person without a calling, but uses many ways to awaken his conscience. This calling may come from within or through people, events, books, sermons, and different circumstances. He presents several biblical and spiritual examples, such as Saul of Tarsus, the Prodigal Son, the Good Thief, Saint Peter the Apostle, and David the Prophet, showing how a person can respond to spiritual goads and be changed. In contrast, he explains that hardness of heart and rejection of grace cause a person to continue kicking against the goads, until many opportunities for repentance and change are lost. Responding to the work of the Holy Spirit therefore requires a willing and contrite heart that accepts correction, advice, and discipline without resisting the voice of God.
Educational Lesson
The teaching shows us that sin itself is not the only problem; the danger also lies in failing to respond when God pricks a person’s conscience and calls him to repentance. He explains that people differ in their response: some are affected quickly, some are affected slowly, and some continually resist until they lose the effect of the spiritual calling. He also explains that the spiritual influence experienced inside the church and during prayer, fasting, and meditation should not be lost once a person returns to the distractions and temptations of daily life. A person is called to preserve what the work of the Holy Spirit produces in his heart so that the new spiritual person within him may grow.
Practical Application
A person should examine himself whenever he feels inner conviction or a desire for repentance and correction, and should not postpone his response to another time. When a word from God, beneficial advice, or an event moves the conscience, it should become a real action in life, because response is what makes the spiritual influence fruitful. A person should also preserve the alertness of his conscience and should not allow the pressures of life and spiritual lukewarmness to consume the holy impressions he has received. The central lesson is to accept God’s goads with a willing heart and respond to His voice when He calls us, because we do not know whether the same opportunity will come again.
For better translation support, please contact the center.
It’s hard for you to kick a broom
Pope Shenouda III reflects on the words of Christ to Saul of Tarsus: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads,” explaining that the goads represent everything God uses to move the heart and conscience and to call a person to repentance and change.
A person may be affected by a spiritual word, a sermon, advice, a good example, or an event that awakens within him the desire to return to God.
The Holy Spirit may work in the heart by convicting a person of sin and calling him to a virtuous life, so that he experiences an inner movement that urges him toward correction, repentance, service, and consecration.
He emphasizes that what matters is not merely being affected, but responding quickly to God’s work, because delaying the response may lead to losing the spiritual influence and weakening one’s spiritual fervor.
Spiritual Message
Pope Shenouda explains that God does not leave a person without a calling, but uses many ways to awaken his conscience. This calling may come from within or through people, events, books, sermons, and different circumstances.
He presents several biblical and spiritual examples, such as Saul of Tarsus, the Prodigal Son, the Good Thief, Saint Peter the Apostle, and David the Prophet, showing how a person can respond to spiritual goads and be changed.
In contrast, he explains that hardness of heart and rejection of grace cause a person to continue kicking against the goads, until many opportunities for repentance and change are lost.
Responding to the work of the Holy Spirit therefore requires a willing and contrite heart that accepts correction, advice, and discipline without resisting the voice of God.
Educational Lesson
The teaching shows us that sin itself is not the only problem; the danger also lies in failing to respond when God pricks a person’s conscience and calls him to repentance.
He explains that people differ in their response: some are affected quickly, some are affected slowly, and some continually resist until they lose the effect of the spiritual calling.
He also explains that the spiritual influence experienced inside the church and during prayer, fasting, and meditation should not be lost once a person returns to the distractions and temptations of daily life.
A person is called to preserve what the work of the Holy Spirit produces in his heart so that the new spiritual person within him may grow.
Practical Application
A person should examine himself whenever he feels inner conviction or a desire for repentance and correction, and should not postpone his response to another time.
When a word from God, beneficial advice, or an event moves the conscience, it should become a real action in life, because response is what makes the spiritual influence fruitful.
A person should also preserve the alertness of his conscience and should not allow the pressures of life and spiritual lukewarmness to consume the holy impressions he has received.
The central lesson is to accept God’s goads with a willing heart and respond to His voice when He calls us, because we do not know whether the same opportunity will come again.
For better translation support, please contact the center.