Service as a Spiritual Work
The lecture emphasizes that service is not merely an activity or a church duty, but a spiritual and divine work in which a person participates together with God. The Lord Christ is presented as the perfect example of the servant who worked without ceasing, in every time and place, doing good and revealing the Father’s love for humanity.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III stresses that true service begins from within, where a person strives to correct himself, pray, meditate, and reflect on the Word of God, because the inner work is the foundation of every fruitful service.
He also explains that God calls every person to work according to the gifts He has granted him. He does not ask a person for more than he is able to give, but He expects faithfulness in little things, because whoever is faithful in little will be entrusted by God with much.
The lecture also highlights that failing to do good while being able to do it is considered a sin, because the Christian life is not only avoiding evil, but also continually practicing goodness.
It further emphasizes that service should be performed with faithfulness and diligence, without laziness or negligence, while using every available ability, no matter how small it may seem, because God is able to work powerfully through weak abilities.
It also explains that successful service is carried out in the spirit of prayer and dependence on God, not by human abilities alone, and that the true servant works with all his heart, seeking no personal glory, but only the glory of God.
The lecture concludes by calling believers to remain steadfast in spiritual work and service with constant hope, without despair or discouragement, trusting that God remembers every labor of love and rewards every work offered in His Name, no matter how small it may appear.
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