The Spiritual Life
A Word of Benefit
The Spiritual Life
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It is a continual journey toward God. It is constant progress toward infinity. It is an unceasing pursuit of perfection, and perfection has no limits. Therefore, the spiritual life does not benefit one who stops, nor one who sits or sleeps; rather, it requires a person who strives at all times, with all his strength.
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It is a transition from one perfection to a better perfection. It is always bound to growth. The spiritual life is not to live a virtuous life, but to move from a virtuous life to a better one, then better still—without limit. It is summed up in one phrase spoken by the Apostle Paul: “I press on toward the goal.”
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Wretched is the person who spends his entire life resisting sin. It is assumed that he should finish with sin and enter into a life of righteousness, then grow in the life of righteousness until he reaches perfection, progressing from relative perfection while striving toward absolute perfection, which he will not attain. Therefore, the righteous person continually feels that he is a sinner and negligent, because the goal before him is still far away.
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The spiritual person strives with all his capabilities, and does not suffice with them, but continually expands the scope of his capabilities, trying to create new capabilities for himself. In all this, he struggles with himself and contends with the grace working within him. He struggles with God so that God may lead him as He led the saints.
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Do not be sluggish on the path of the spiritual life. Do not stop, and do not be preoccupied with the sights of the road. Do not allow your enemies or your loved ones to hinder you. Say to them as Eliezer of Damascus said to Rebekah’s family, “Do not hinder me, since the Lord has prospered my way.” Remember the saying of the Lord Christ, “Greet no one on the road.” Do not be preoccupied with a relative or a beloved, but repeat the saying of the Apostle Peter to the Lord, “We have left all and followed You.”
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The Samaritan woman did not wish to be delayed by the jar, so she left it at the well and hastened to proclaim Christ.
And we have many jars: whenever one is emptied of water, we fill it again. We have neither left the well, nor left the jars, nor left the water. We have neither walked on the road nor proclaimed Christ. -
Believe me, an entire lifetime is not enough to traverse our path toward God. How great, then, is our loss regarding those years we wasted from our lives—years that were the strongest hours of life, the most energetic, and the greatest in reward.
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Very often, the most pious of our times are the times when we speak about the road, its beauty, and its spirituality, without walking on this road..! Are we merely scholars, attending lessons and delivering them to people?!
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – Al-Keraza Magazine – Fifth Year – First Issue – October 19, 1974
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