Quality of response and reaction

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III presents a deep spiritual theme focused on:
How does a person respond to everything he faces in life?
He affirms that the problem is not the external events, but the way the heart, mind, and spirit receive them. The events are the same, but reactions differ, and according to one’s response, both spiritual and practical life take their direction.

🕊 First: The different reactions of people to events

• The event is the same: a frank word, a problem, an insult, praise, service, a position, fasting… but its effect varies from one person to another.

• Some collapse, some get angry, some analyze, some hand the matter to God, and some see everything working for good.

• Like Joseph the Righteous, whose troubles turned into good because he received them with faith.

🕊 Second: The heart is the place of response

• His Holiness likens the soul to concrete: water ruins it if it is not fixed yet, but strengthens it if hardened; likewise, events may destroy one person and build another.

• Scripture says: “Above all guard your heart” because the heart determines the course of life.

🕊 Third: Dealing with frank words and insults

• Some benefit from advice and thank God.

• Some feel hurt and consider it an offense.

• Others retaliate and dig into others’ past.

• But the spiritual person examines himself, as St. Antony said: “If someone says evil of you, examine yourself.”

🕊 Fourth: Dealing with problems

• Some collapse and grieve, others get agitated, others analyze the causes, another seeks solutions, and another entrusts everything to God and says: “All things work together for good.”

• The message: The problem is not the problem but how we deal with it.

🕊 Fifth: Responding to praise, positions, and service

• Praise may lift the heart, break it, or not affect it.

• Positions may create pride or deep humility depending on the heart.

• Service may raise someone spiritually or harm him if he enters it before spiritual maturity.

🕊 Sixth: Benefiting spiritually from fasting

• Fasting is not merely plant-based food but an inner change.

• Some look for loopholes, some take only its outer form, and others embrace its spirituality, disciplining thought, tongue, and emotions.

• The important thing is that one leaves fasting as a renewed person.

🕊 General conclusion

The core message:
The event is the same, but the heart makes the difference.
Inner change is the path to spiritual growth.
A true person examines himself, corrects himself, and walks in humility and surrender, benefiting from everything he faces, so fasting, service, and trials become means of grace and growth.

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