The Self (Ego)

General introduction
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III addresses the subject “the Self” or the ego (the I/ego) and its spiritual and social effect on the person and Christian life. He explains that excessive concern for the self leads to spiritual downfall and the birth of many sins and obstacles in relationships, service, and faith.

Main idea
The self — when it becomes the center of a person’s life — makes the person independent from God and succeeds in producing pride, arrogance, envy, selfishness, and bodily and psychological desires. Mentioning biblical examples (the fall of the devil, Adam and Eve, Jonah, Job, Solomon, and the stories of Abraham and Lot and Abel and Cain) shows that the origin of sins begins from centering around the self.

Spiritual and educational dimension (from a Coptic Orthodox faith perspective)
The central spiritual message is a call to self-denial and love of God and others. Christ and apostolic teaching teach that following Christ requires denying the self and rejecting centering around the personal “I”. Breaking from self-love and reestablishing the divine image in the person is achieved by virtues such as humility, self-control, fasting, vigil, and giving in service.

Practical and social effects of the self
A person’s concern with the self corrupts marriage and family relationships (conflicts, envy, rebellion), corrupts church service (some seeking authority and personal glory instead of God’s kingdom), and generates social, economic, and moral problems. The self always seeks satisfaction and distinction, leading to stubbornness, arguments, and spiritual laziness.

Treatment and spiritual healing from the phenomenon of the self
Treatment begins by coming out of the imprisonment of the self toward others: love of the other, giving, service, and sacrifice. Training in humility and self-control (denying pleasures, restraining desires, fasting and vigil) weakens the power of the self. Practical training to prefer the other in honor and humility leads to true self-denial and a return to the image of God in the person.

Practical conclusion
The final call is that the believer should seek self-denial not only as a death of the soul but as a birth of Christ’s life in him: “Whoever loses himself for my sake will find it.” Spiritual transformation requires continuous practice: service, giving, sacrifice, and self-discipline so that the divine image returns and virtue overcomes the ego.

Self-denial

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