Two Are Better Than One (1)
I would like us to meditate tonight on the saying of the divine revelation in the Book of Ecclesiastes: “Two are better than one… for if one of them falls, his companion will lift him up. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for there is not a second to lift him up.”
From here came the life of fellowship in the Church and throughout the whole world.
For the Lord said from the beginning of creation, “It is not good that Adam should be alone; let Us make him a helper comparable to him” (Gen. 1).
And the Lord Christ, when He sent His disciples to serve, sent them two by two, so that one might support the other; and one might help the other, and if one of them fell, his companion would lift him up….
And this holy fellowship presents to us examples of spiritual friendships,
And among the famous pairs in the lives of the saints are:
Saints Maximus and Domadius lived together in a life of holy fellowship, each helping his companion, and they died together, in the same week… Cosmas and Damian, Abram and George, Abakir and John…
A holy pair, or a holy fellowship, even in monasticism and solitude.
Thus monasticism knew the cenobium (the common life), or koinonia.
Some monks lived together, supporting one another. Or a monk father with his disciple or disciples…..
And because “woe to him who is alone when he falls,” therefore the spiritual guide was found.
He was the second who protects from falling, or lifts up the one who has fallen from his fall. It was said, “Those without a guide fall like leaves from the trees.” It was also said, “Do not lean on your own understanding.”
“Two are better than one”: in persons, and in opinions…
The one who isolates himself with his opinion is exposed to error and falling. Therefore, he should add another opinion to his thinking, even if it is opposed to him. Hence opposition was found in democratic systems, and counsel and guidance were found in the field of education and upbringing, and spiritual fatherhood and priesthood were found in the life of man with God… There must be another opinion added to your opinion, so that you may gain the benefit of the knowledge, understanding, and experience of others. For two are better than one…
A person’s view of everything from many angles is better than viewing it from one angle. Breadth of horizon is better….
The other opinion may offer another view, from another angle. Hence came teamwork, committees, and the discussion of matters among people, examining them thoroughly through research and study….
You may be alone, with no one to discuss with you or consult; be patient for a while. Perhaps another thought will come to you, through deliberation…
Blessed is the one who adds the thought of sonship to the thought of fatherhood, and the thought of youth and young women to the thought of old age, and the thought of secularism to the thought of priesthood: “Two are better than one, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
And when we speak about the second thought, we mean (the one who lifts him up)… It is not merely a second, but a second who lifts him up. For there are those who destroyed others.
Jezebel was beside Ahab, giving him the second opinion for his destruction. And the serpent was beside Eve, giving her an opinion for her destruction. And Ahithophel was giving counsel for destruction, until David and his beloved cried, “O Lord, frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel.” Rebekah gave her son Jacob counsel by which he deceived his blind father. And there are many wrong counsels. The Bible says, “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”
Not every second is beneficial; rather, the second who lifts up the one who falls.
Rehoboam, son of Solomon, found before him two kinds of this second opinion:
One for his destruction, and the other to lift him up… the young men and the elders.
The young men’s opinion was that he should be harsh in dealing with the people, saying to them, “My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions,” while the elders said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and serve them, they will be your servants all the days” (1 Kings 12:7). Unfortunately, Rehoboam listened to the opinion of the young men, and the second opinion destroyed him….
Therefore, let us search for this second one, the wise spiritual person, who lifts us up.
We may find this in a faithful friendship, such as the friendship of David and Jonathan..
Whenever a conspiracy was being plotted against David by Saul, Jonathan would reveal it to him “to save him and lift him up.” Jonathan was therefore a second for David, devoted to him..
What would have happened if David had been alone, without Jonathan?
And in another trial, what would have happened if David had been alone without Abigail, who saved him from revenge and from shedding blood…
The second may be found within the family circle: the wife or relatives..
“Aquila and Priscilla,” a pair whom the Apostle Paul praised, and he praised the church that was in their house (Rom. 16). Sarah, about whom the Lord said to our father Abraham, “Listen to Sarah in all that she says to you,” and Saint Monica, who was for her son Augustine a “second to lift him up.” And Damiana, who guided her father Mark when he denied the faith and brought him back to the Lord, and was a second for him to lift him up. And Macrina, who was a second for her brother Saint Basil, and for her brother Saint Gregory, and the examples are many.
Ruth was a wonderful second; she stood in love with her mother-in-law:
She said to her, “I will not leave you. Death alone is what separates me from you. Wherever you go I will go, and wherever you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” What wonderful faithfulness…
Would that we find this second who lifts up, in the family,
In a wise father, or a devout mother, or a faithful brother, or a loving sister, or any spiritual relative, so that the atmosphere of the home may help toward the spiritual life and drawing near to God…
If you do not find the second among people, you may find him in books…
A book may be a faithful friend, giving you the right opinion and good counsel, and leading you to God, if you choose your books well. Do not therefore be alone, but let your book be with you. And woe to him who is alone when he falls, and there is beside him neither a Gospel, nor a spiritual book, nor the life of a saint, nor any of the sayings of the fathers that kindle spiritual fervor and lead to repentance..
The spiritual means may also be the second companion who lifts up.
Woe to him who is alone when he falls, and there is beside him none of the spiritual means that lift him up, such as prayer, meditation, self-examination, confession, Holy Communion, spiritual exercises, fasting, prostrations, the atmosphere of service, and the Holy Sacraments.
Therefore, the second who lifts you up may be the Church…
The community of believers, members of the Body of Christ, who, if one member suffers, the other members suffer with it. Be sure that as long as you are connected to the Church, no matter how much you fall, you must rise quickly. The prodigal son fell because he moved away from the Father’s house. When he came to himself, he returned to his father’s house. There he found salvation. Therefore, cling to the Church so that it may lift you up.
Perhaps the second who lifts you up is the spirits of the saints and the angels…
We are not alone. The spirits of the saints watch over our struggle, intercede for us, and lift us up. We are also surrounded by hosts of angels: “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” They are angels who guard us, guide us, and lift us from our falls. Like the angel (seraph) who flew quickly and took a coal from the altar and touched Isaiah’s mouth with it so that he might be purified (Isa. 6).
You are not alone. The second who lifts you up is grace..
Grace working in you and with you, so that you may will and so that you may strive…
The second who is with you to lift you up is the Holy Spirit..
The Holy Spirit who convicts you of sin, who urges you toward goodness, and strengthens you. Therefore, do not grieve the Spirit of God who is in you, do not quench the Spirit, and do not resist the Spirit, lest you stand alone and there be no second to lift you up…
Thus we also feel that the hermits were not alone.
They were called “hermits” because of their lack of association with people, but they were not alone. The grace of the Lord was with them, and His Holy Spirit was with them, and the spirits of the angels and saints were with them, and many means of grace were with them.
Woe to him who is alone when he falls, for there is not a second to lift him up.
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, published in Al-Keraza Magazine, Year Ten, Issue Ten, March 9, 1979.
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