Gentleness and Compassion
Main Idea
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III discusses gentleness and compassion as attributes of God that the spiritual person should embody in life and in relationships with others. He explains that true love is characterized by patience and gentleness toward others, and that the spiritual person avoids cruelty and violence in judgments and actions. He emphasizes that God’s compassion encompasses all His creatures, including human beings, animals, and plants, and extends even to enemies.
Spiritual Message
The Pope explains that God shows gentleness toward the weak, sinners, and those who suffer, and gives human beings commandments suited to their ability to fulfill them, taking into account the weakness of human nature. He gives examples from the Bible, such as God’s gentleness toward animals and His care for birds, as well as the shepherd who searches for the lost sheep and rejoices when it returns. He also refers to incidents from the lives of the saints that reveal their compassion toward animals, explaining that gentleness toward creatures reflects a heart filled with love and mercy.
He also emphasizes that God’s care encompasses all of nature, as He has given every creature what helps it live and face difficulties, and has placed abilities and gifts within living creatures that invite human beings to contemplate His wisdom. He explains that God shows gentleness even toward enemies and gives them opportunities to return to Him, as demonstrated in His dealings with Judas Iscariot and the scribes and Pharisees.
Educational Lesson
The Pope calls for studying the manifestations of divine gentleness in the Bible, the lives of the saints, and nature, so that people may learn mercy, humility, and the importance of not rushing to judgment. He also explains that contemplating the lives of animals and plants reveals God’s wisdom and His meticulous care for every creature. He gives examples from the lives of ants and bees, showing that human beings can learn diligence and order from these small creatures.
Practical Application
A person should make gentleness an essential characteristic of daily interactions, showing compassion toward the weak, those who suffer, and sinners, while avoiding harshness in speech and judgment. A person should also treat animals mercifully and contemplate nature to recognize God’s care and wisdom. This teaching calls us to imitate God’s compassion, give others opportunities to repent and return, and treat them with love even when they wrong us.
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