In this lecture, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III recalls a moment with Sheikh Muhammad Metwali Al-Sha’arawi, who once asked him to recite the last poem he had written. The Pope humbly and poetically replied that his “last poem” had not yet been written, reflecting his continual renewal and creative spirit in expressing faith and emotion. He then shared verses about human feelings, explaining that a person is, at their core, a collection of emotions — and without them, one ceases to be truly human.

His Holiness describes how these emotions are not fleeting but deeply rooted within the soul. They live in every part of the person — in smiles, in laughter, in tears, in silence — flowing constantly like blood through the body, whether one is aware of it or not.

He emphasizes that genuine emotions never disappear; they remain part of the human essence, expressing one’s inner truth and sincerity. This deep perspective shows the spiritual understanding of humanity as created in the image of God — capable of love, compassion, and longing.

The spiritual message is that a true human being lives through pure and sincere emotions, for without them, one cannot be alive in the spiritual sense. Feelings are what connect people to one another and to God — the language of the heart that never fades.

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