His Holiness Pope Shenouda explains that true life is not physical life or mere breathing and heartbeat, but spiritual life in God, in which man unites with Christ and lives through Him.

1. Earthly Life Is Temporary

He teaches that human life on earth is short and passing—like vapor or grass that withers. It is a period of testing to prepare for eternal life. Whoever lives a spiritual life on earth will inherit eternal life.

2. Life in Christ

True life is Christ Himself, as St. Paul said: “For to me, to live is Christ” and “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Christ is life, and whoever unites with Him in baptism and abides in Him becomes truly alive in spirit, not merely in body.

3. Living by the Spirit, Not by the Flesh

The sinner is spiritually dead because sin separates him from God, the source of life. Those who walk according to the Spirit are the truly living ones, for “to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

4. Means of Spiritual Life

• The Eucharist: “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has life in him.”

• The Word of God: It nourishes the soul—“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

• Repentance: Through it, man passes from death in sin to life in grace.

• The Cross and Struggle: The narrow path and carrying the cross are the way of life with Christ.

5. Fruitful Life and Mission

The truly living person has a mission and bears fruit in the Church and society. Life is measured not by length but by depth, like that of John the Baptist, St. Stephen, and St. Athanasius, whose short lives were deeply influential.

6. Life That Continues After Death

True life does not end with death but continues through one’s fruits, teachings, and spiritual influence. The saints’ lives still work in the world through their miracles and example.

Conclusion

True life is union with Christ, walking in the Spirit, bearing the cross, and being fruitful in holiness and service. Whoever lives this way has life now by grace and forever in eternal glory.

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