What is the service?
The lecture addresses the meaning of service in Christian life and affirms that service is not merely teaching or transferring information, but a flowing spiritual life that passes from spirit to spirit. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III distinguishes between a teacher and a minister; he explains that the true minister is the one who possesses deep love for the kingdom and for people and works for the salvation of souls.
Characteristics of spiritual service
Service is love, sacrifice, and a spiritual magnetism that attracts people to God; it contains holy zeal and consecration, and it is a partnership with the Holy Spirit, not merely a human work. The true minister is filled with grace, spiritually attractive, and acts as a bridge between God and people.
The minister’s responsibility and the nature of giving
Service is a duty and an obligation toward the Church; it is a trust and responsibility over the souls entrusted to one. The minister gives continuously like a tree or a river or the sun; he does not seek benefit or position but continuous giving. Service is spiritual nourishment provided in due time and in a spiritual manner, not dry information.
The method of service and daily life
Service is not formalities or a lesson plan but a spirit you live and by which you lead others through a good example. The minister is the living image of the calling and theology, and spiritual teaching should connect the heart to the Lord rather than remain a dry philosophy.
Spiritual conclusion
Service is the work of grace and a divine instrument acting in both minister and ministered-to; it is an effective power that does not return empty, and its goal is to proclaim the living Word of God and hand down a pure Orthodox life of faith from generation to generation.
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