How to Benefit from the Pascha

In this sermon, Pope Shenouda III provides spiritual guidance on how to deeply benefit from “Holy Week” (Pascha). He warns against the contradiction of being reverent inside the church while indulging in worldly distractions outside of it. His core advice includes:

• Consistency Inside and Outside the Church: Believers should maintain the same solemnity and reverence outside the church as they do inside, avoiding the loss of spiritual blessings through excessive joking, socializing, or worldly talk.
• Retreat and Minimizing Distractions: Sanctify the fast by retreating. Minimize social gatherings, stay away from newspapers, phones, and entertainment to focus entirely on God.
• Following Christ’s Footsteps: Walk with Christ step-by-step through the week’s events. Reflect on His spiritual kingdom on Palm Sunday and treat the General Funeral as a moment of profound personal readiness.
• Feeling the Week’s Sanctity: Recognize this as the holiest week of the year. Take time off work if possible to dedicate time to worship, and reduce preoccupations with household chores like cleaning for the upcoming feast.
• Sharing in Christ’s Sufferings: Joyfully accept trials, bear with others, and become a “sacrifice of love.” Do not justify yourself at the expense of others, but rather bear their burdens just as Christ bore our sins.
• Curating Reading and Hymns: Read spiritual books and commentaries focused specifically on Christ’s passion. Play Holy Week hymns at home to transform the house into a small church.
• Deep Personal Prayer: Engage in profound personal prayers, silently confess your sins to lay them at the foot of the Cross, and chant the Paschal praise (Thok Te Ti Gom).
• Preparation for Communion: Prepare deeply through repentance and confession to partake in Communion on “Covenant Thursday” (Maundy Thursday), which is considered one of the greatest spiritual blessings.
• Physical Asceticism: Practice strict asceticism regarding food (e.g., abstaining from sweets and cooked meals) as a way to conquer the flesh and prepare for greater spiritual victories.