Raiati

We have a common saying which is “what is said in secrecy shall remain in secrecy”. This means that you are not to reveal what your friends have entrusted you with for they confided in you. There is no doubt that people would be hurt or offended if others knew about their private matters. People may entrust you with their family affairs, their worries or their work problems for they see you are capable of giving advice, or they do so just out of complaining. You might also have heard of these matters from people who enjoy the misery of others.

You might as well know details you were entrusted with so that you help out. And if you ever revealed this information or the name of the one who told you about, you would be creating a conflict between the person who confided in you and the one to whom you spoke. Thus, it has been said in the Bible “A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.” (Proverbs 11:13). You might have no intention of divulging information but it is gossiping that has led you to speak.

Whenever you feel pressure for a significant person has spoken ill to you of another significant person, do not tell what you have heard so that you remain trustworthy and avoid conflict between the two of them. If they trusted you with a matter and you saw you are capable of helping, use the good utterance of what you have heard for the benefit of people and not their grief.

The priest is not the only one to be bound by the secrecy of confession. Thus, each one of us is bound to keep to ourselves what we have heard unless the utterance might jeopardize the safety of the government or sabotage the church. For instance, if any clash occurred in the parish, the bishop must be aware of such incident so that the unity of the believers shall remain intact. Any other disclosure shall be gossiping. Revealing the worries and sins of people is tattling, for tattling is disclosing true matters that are not to be disclosed.

Constructive criticism is one you make with someone you want to reform. Sometimes, you may analyze what people say as long as they are talking about it and it is already revealed. You may have an objective criticism about what you have heard but you may not dispraise the one who spoke it. And sometimes you may analyze a disclosed behavior or stands already revealed, but never offend people because of cruel criticism hiding rancor.

A lot of false news is spread in the church community. And when examined, the majority turns to be untrue. Why he who knows something about a clergyman does not go to him and admonish him rather than spreading the news among the chatters and the gossipers? So-and-so has sold something, or so-and-so has bought another thing. How can one prove any of this? The title-tattle causes a great deal of pain and sadness in people’s souls.

Silence is salvation. “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” (James 1:26). And the greatest saying is: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” (3:6)  

The rule is to praise people in their absence and to keep their misdeeds unrevealed so God shall overlook yours. Say only what is necessary and useful. For if what you said secretly is not revealed, yet it might mislead.  If you ever knew something in this matter, let go of it so that you won’t be led in desperation and lose your hope. If you found out that someone has committed a misdeed, pray for this brother and forgive his sin, for if you reproach him for what he has done you might commit the same. If someone has sinned, do not blame or punish them for this leads you to rancor.

Translated from Arabic – 16.12.10

Original Text: “الكتمان” – 17.08.97

The Great Litany in the Divine Liturgy and other services starts with the deacon saying: “In peace let us pray to the Lord”, which means that we want to be in peace with God so that we can pray. Then we say: “For peace of the whole world.” The audience may think that we are asking for peace between nations, but the explanation comes shortly after that when we say: “For the peace of God and the salvation of our souls.” This sentence clarifies that if there was peace between us and the Lord, we will be able to spread calm in our private relationships, in the family and the whole society. Peace that resists the interests of nations, individuals and disputes in the family or the parish is bestowed upon you from above.

          Unfortunately, every nation comprises good people and many wise people, but they are not policymakers. And “Man is a wolf to man”. Wars between strong nations and weak ones will persist, unless all nations witness substantial moral reforms, as well as development and prosperity, so that they understand that their real interests lie in the growth and development of all nations together, while preserving every nation’s uniqueness, genuineness and right to be different. It is by believing in the freedom of others as a condition for peace and as a completion of our own peace that people’s lives would be at their acme.

          It would then be possible to achieve durable peace between several countries after they realize that war destructs them all, builds nothing and does not make them gain control; and that if you exclude someone, he will rebel against you to exclude you. It began to seem – after a hard slog – that peace across borders is possible for human values became stronger than animosity in souls. The European Union is a good example, for it is the fruit of a quest for cooperation and unity, after tasting the bitterness of wars and adopting Gospel principles, translating them into social values. Undoubtedly, there are some basic religious-based deep-rooted convictions that turn into a policy.

          Basically, the United Nations tried to establish peace based on human rights that became accepted standards put in a human and mundane frame, without any apparent relation to the Gospel. However, they are certainly derived from the Gospel.

          Do we dream of global peace? It depends on honesty, yet this quality is nowhere to be found in most countries. Honesty is the result of abstention from racism and the desire for expansion and economic control. Indeed, it will stay for decades, or even hundreds of years, a nebulous concept.

          It is justice that we seek, for no peace is possible without a justice for everyone. Peace may be imposed, yet it will not last. In one way or another, it has to be “peace of God” in order to survive on earth. This is the meaning of the annunciation upon the birth of Jesus Christ: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth”. If you receive something bestowed upon you from above, you shall turn it into peace and spread it here on earth.

Translated from Arabic – 02.09.10

Original Text: “سلام المسيح” – 03.08.97

This virtue results from our belief that God has conferred freedom on people and that His patience remains until their repentance. He allows them to sin, and does compel them to be righteous. He waits for the time when they would accept grace bestowed on them. God seeks people’s love, and He does not force them to love Him. It grieves Him to see their sins.

          Likewise, we shall be patient with others and wait until they restore their senses and calm. We shall avoid anger and resentment, and be kind and modest, in hopes of prompting others to be kind and modest. We shall wait until our or their last breath. Our patience with each other is derived from God’s patience with us.

          The Lord told us “not to resist an evil person”, for He knows that if you resist an angry person by anger, neither of you will be healed. You cannot stop the tension if you were furious. You are supposed to heal the other person, and it is only by peace that you can do this. Should you acquire peace in you, the other person’s tension shall end. 

          It is not a matter of escape or isolation, for they bring no solution to the problem. Instead of just watching the sin, you have to correct it. In fact, you cannot live away from people. You should get involved in their problems, even if you have nothing to do with these problems, in order to heal those who are suffering from them, through love, forbearance and meekness. Patience is a prayer and a transfer towards God. If you rose and were compassionate, the others will be more likely to rise as well. Your change fosters the others’ chances to change. And change is not a matter of resisting others. On the contrary, you shall become a new person and the others will also be renewed.

          The image is the following: you ascend towards God, and then you come down from God to the other person. The latter will be in a trinitarian relationship composed of:  you, God and him. This is how salvation in God happens for you and for the other person, and this requires you to be lenient. If you were compassionate, the other will feel he is loved. The other’s sin should not make you neglect him. You shall go to him despite his sins, and embrace him and not his sin. When he feels he is loved, he will get rid of his sin and see himself in God’s presence. That is when he will revert to His holy face.

          How long should you be patient? “I endure all things” (2 Timothy 2:10), for people – all people – are likely to commit all lapses and even crimes. You shall be expecting all people to sin and you should not refuse to deal with anybody. The sinner nowadays cannot bear any anger or isolation. Currently, the church does not practice excommunication, and I think this would be impossible because religious spirit and religious commitment are becoming less common. Excommunication is efficient only in strong communities where the sinner knows that it is a beneficial disciplinary measure and would be really afraid to lose Christ’s satisfaction if he was excommunicated. The church comprises these days both strong and weak believers. The excommunicated members would feel you are angry and you do not love them. Therefore, the church needs patience now more than ever. Those who are marginalized would lose their patience, and nobody would accept to be excluded from the community. They would feel that your action is unfair and that it is triggered by hatred. Previously, the excommunicated used to understand – if they were excluded from the community – that you are doing so for a disciplinary purpose, so that when they would be excommunicated, they would want to restore their place in the community.

          Some people within our churches hate the priest and the bishop and want to control them. The spiritual leader cannot disappoint any member in order to keep him in the community. He will deal with him with clemency, patience and fatherhood so that he can perceive God’s fatherhood.

          We are in need of a substantial temptation, a substantial training, as well as pains in order to acquire patience which Christ requires from us. If we were able to reach this degree of patience, God’s kindness will be settled in our hearts.   

Translated from Arabic – 11.08.10

Original Text: “فضيلة الصبر” – 27.07.97

I counted a total of 178 verses against lying in the Old and New Testaments. First, this shows that lying is widespread. The Bible is based on the premise that God does not lie and that the devil is a liar and the father of it (John 8: 44). In other words, it is implied that God’s honesty should be reflected in man’s honesty, and that he who lies is not a son of God. The Holy Scripture establishes always a connection between the liar and the evil spirit. Hence, it is written: “Satan filled your heart to lie” (Acts 5: 3).

According to the Divine Word, lying is not merely the act of revealing the opposite of the reality, but it rather goes deeper in defining it: “We lie and do not practice the truth” (1John 1: 6). This refers to a pattern of behavior characterized by lies, for some people are not righteous and have an improper conduct in addition to their untruthful utterances. Such people should not be in the presence of the truth, in the light.

As for the New Testament, it places emphasis on the spiritual inspiration offered to us to arm us with the truth. Paul guides us to “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness”, then he urges us to abstain from lying, “for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4: 23-25).

Therefore, it is by renewing ourselves in Christ that we can approach the truth. You would then know that you became a member of the body of Christ, i.e. the church. Honesty will allow you to unite with your brothers who would heal you from your sins, should you hide nothing and reveal the truth to them. How can you be a brother to those whom you lie to? Brotherhood entails communication, transparency and a direct, sincere and honest relationship.

I asked once one of my spiritual sons whether he lies. He answered: “But I do not harm anybody”. I said: “Even if this was true, there is one person you are harming”. “Who is that person?”, he asked. I told him: “Yourself. You are degrading yourself.” Strength is all about admitting and confronting, for you shall become strong by admitting and telling the truth.

No healthy relationship can be founded unless the other person trusts what you are saying, relies on it, and makes his decisions accordingly.

You might think that hiding some facts would allow you to arrange your matters. Even though you can escape from problems once or twice, but the truth will be revealed sooner or later, and people will despise you, avoid or even stop dealing with you. There are so many liars, yet no one appreciates the other liar. In such a case, you would find yourself trapped trying to escape by telling another lie.

I understand that people’s cruelness triggers your improper conduct. Therefore, the church recognizes no cure for lying other than accepting each other and forgiving the sinners. If one knows that he would still be loved no matter how sinful he was, he would definitely dare to be honest. He relies on the fact that he is loved. He who loves does not blame others for their weaknesses. He would rather point out their mistakes kindly at an appropriate time, but does not consider them bad at all.

If we saw the image of God in a sinner and awakened him to see Him, or if we saw him receiving the patience of God and our patience, he would undoubtedly dare to remain in the brightness of truth and dealings.

Translated by Amani Haddad

Original Text: “الكذب” – 20.07.97

The heart is open for everyone, as they are in their weariness, complaints (grumbling is our disease), objections and requests for help. The open heart has no fear and never rejects anyone. Each and every one of us has the right to knock the door of the heart and to feel he is received with gladness, whether he was polite or rude at the beginning. If he is accepted with delight, his insolence will vanish away. You might not be able to respond to every demand; but, first and foremost, we all need sincere affection.

Someone comes to cry beside you. Cry with those who cry, rejoice with those who rejoice and console those who are in grief, for the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, as Jesus called Him in His last talk with His disciples, and as we call Him at the beginning of every prayer. To comfort does not mean to coax or to flatter.  Sometimes, you need to be severe, but your interlocutor feels – if you were caring – that you do not intend to hurt, mock or disregard him. If you had little and you were asked for help, then you shall offer what you have, so the asker will know you are sincere. And your presence is what you can always give. If you had some influence, authority or control, do not hesitate to help others, for we are all brothers in Him who loved us to death.

Do not be judgmental as to people’s intentions because you ignore intentions. It is better for you to be deceived than to misjudge. “God tests the hearts and minds”. You are incapable of testing hearts. Do not think that you are extremely intelligent, for this is an arrogant behavior. Listen to others’ needs, be innocent while listening and respond to the request if you can, so you shall be serving God. The Christ is behind the needy, so if you serve the latter, you are serving the Christ.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that naivety is a condition of innocence, nor exaggeration is a condition of intelligence. Try to find out the hidden talents, because for many people, these talents are often veiled for no one loved them. Love people and you shall see them doing miracles. People die in a horrible isolation. Every human being is lonely. One might be lonely and have a wife who does not love him. Similarly, many women feel they are uncared for. Most people are scattered, and find no one by their side when they need to express their complaints or describe their sufferings.

You need to get out of your shell and reach to the other’s face. If you reject others’ faces, then yours and theirs are gloomy because no one has ever looked at them. People can be overexcited, yet they are lonely; for excitement does not help us get rid of our seclusion. People might think that they are meeting others at wedding ceremonies since these are joyful; however this is not always the case. Adornment is a sign of one’s isolation; and luxury is the main indicator of isolation. Our overspending implies our deep dejection; for happiness does not need anything else to be. We can add nothing to happiness.

We are invited to share happiness, rather than superficial pleasures. Happiness is to forgive and not to blame; for blaming means that you were expecting something and you ended up being deceived. You ought to expect to be deceived by those whom you love most. Even the closest persons to you may hurt you. This is certainly sore. But, do not leave those who hurt you, for they do not know what they do.  Perhaps they hurt you because they have been suffering from life, and they are throwing their harm on you. Be patient and pray for them so that they can have a clear sight and peace in their hearts. Be kind with them so that they wake up. Your aim is their spiritual wellbeing, and your main concern is that they see the face of God rather than yours. You want to see their faces illuminated; and this is your reward. You shall be happy for them being cured; and they shall pay you love in return. But, if you treat them in a bad manner, you will fall in badness with them, and they will not be released.

Let the doors of your soul be open for all those who come to you, so you shall rise and they will too. This is the kingdom bestowed on all of you.

Translated by Amani Haddad – 26.02.10

Original Text: “الملكوت المسكوب” – 06.10.96

John the Beloved concluded his first Epistle with the following: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (5: 21). Why does John say this, even though his addressees have been freed from worshiping idols? The reader of the Epistle understands that there were heresies, some of which claimed that Christ did not have a real body, and therefore was not incarnate; as if the general and permanent heresy is when the believer does not feel that the truth of Christ is amongst us and within us.

Is Christ with us and within us if we succumb to that which deprives us of our freedom in Christ and of always looking up to Him? There is no doubt that worshiping money, worshiping glory and worshiping the body are some of the permanent idols that enchant every generation and mislead people. However, I am talking now about other things.

Among others, worshiping of science and technology constitutes a new religion. In fact, science makes us feel that we are breaking into the unknown; and every time we do so, we feel that we no longer fear it and that we are more capable of understanding reality; although we often worry about that which we did not expect. Yet knowledge, no matter how wide it can get, does not alleviate the impact of neurosis nor inner anxiety, or family problems, or the isolation we feel in the church where things are not working out as we expected when we sought its revival. People are the same, even if they were called spiritual persons. This is often nothing but a name; yet some of them rejoice in money and fake glory.

We suffer isolation in a society where authoritarianism and lies prevail, as if people cannot believe that honesty brings power and profits, but with patience.

We can never rid ourselves of the fear of the future or the fear for our health which is threatened with heart disease, cancer, hypertension and AIDS. Rejoicing in palaces, beautiful houses, luxurious furniture, travelling, women (and women rejoicing in men); none of this will prevent sickness or death from occurring. Fear will always remain regardless of all the sophistication and luxury. But people amuse themselves and get all dressed up so as to forget their concerns and find their way to settlement temporarily, even though there is no settlement.

I am not calling on people to abandon education but to be aware that science is relative in the wholeness of life, for the ignorant and the scientist are equal before death and sickness. And when our faith is weak, we tend to make science an alternative. Nothing is dangerous in itself. Knowledge is not a danger. Yet the danger lies whenever this knowledge replaces the simple values that make up the existence: love in all forms of giving, human sharing, refraining from indecency, justice, forgiveness and every other eternal matter revealed to us by the Bible.

As for technology, it is good in itself since it allows us to produce more, shorten the distances, stay up to date with all what is new in the world, get our daily chores done easily and reduce the difficulties of life in general. Yet technology comes with a price. Technology can cost us our nerves and our spiritual lives if we were not very cautious and aware. This does not mean that we are to return to the old civilizations, manual industries and the simple life style. This is a getaway dream that will not ever be realized and that vanquishes weak peoples. Big nations impose this on you since they barter machines for the product of your agriculture.

And if you are to contribute to technology, keep away from what is immoral, especially in the field of genetic engineering which is an attempt to manipulate genes and fetuses. This science produces in vitro babies and gets rid of the unwanted fetuses by throwing them away or burning them. We are not slaves of technology.

What matters is to be free from that which is put into your hands, as you were free from the money you accept and the authority given to you. Things have no power over you. It is you that give them value and worship them as idols. Slavery and freedom lay both inside of you.

Translated by Amani Haddad

Original Text: “الأصنام” – Raiati n^o 38. 22.09.1996

Every individual in the Church community has the right not only to talk about anything, but also to criticize everything. I said “every individual in the Church”, not in the religious denomination. You might be considered as orthodox simply because you were born so, but you may not be taking part in the prayers, or you may not be in contact with those who work and teach. You may also be lacking the minimum knowledge that enables him to enjoy the right to criticize. Only the believers who practice their faith, who are present, and who are familiar with the activity of the parish and the diocese, know what they are talking about, unlike others.

            Criticism in gatherings, for entertainment purpose, that target the clergy, mainly what they did and said, might be daunting or leading to sadness and despair. This type of criticism is often unfounded and based on slander and defamation. If you were to criticize the behavior of the priest or the bishop, you ought to talk to him or blame him. In fact, we are willing to listen and to accept your arguments, should you have any.

            Do not believe everything you hear. Make sure it is right and then talk to those concerned. And let your comments be for prosperity, so that we can advance, if you we talking because you are zealous for the church of God. Refer to the Lord and be calm before voicing your complaints, so that He scents your mouth with the redolence of the Spirit. Then, talk to those concerned both humbly and clearly. The church is not a place for letting off steam; and it cannot be built by the plaintive, the angry, or the one who seeks dispute. Paul called us to “Bear one another’s burdens”, and he added: “If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness”.  We shall pay attention and refrain from destroying and defaming each other, for defamation is evil.

            The commandment is to cover the trespasses of our brothers. “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” But the commandment also mentions: “Put away from yourselves the evil person.” This means that we shall report the misbehavior of the sinful or the dishonest to the spiritual authorities. If you remained silent about those who are destroying the church of Christ, you are a partner in destruction. We must not expose the priest or the authorities in front of people, so as not to cause them to stumble. Our duty is to report the misbehavior to the spiritual authority, in order to repair the situation and to discipline those who must be disciplined.

            Inoffensive utterance aims at improvement. And every faulty person is subject to complaints, so as not to be partner in the dark path of faults. “What communion has light with darkness?”

Translated from Arabic – 10.06.10

Original Text: “النقد البناء” – 26.05.96

It is called prying for people meddle in affairs not of their concern. Ethicists accepted the concept of scientific curiosity, which is seeking the knowledge of what lies in the universe, in history and the general knowledge in everything, for knowledge of this world shall release us from the rigidity of mind. However, ethicists do not wish for us to probe into people’s affairs and concerns; for this shows disrespect for others. Everyone has their own friends and their own spiritual father. As for us knowing the sins of others and endeavoring to know them by all means, it shall harm us as it shall harm them. And if we are to distract ourselves with the sins of others, we shall fail to examine our soul and to mend it. We meddle often in other’s affairs in order to defame and tattle about them, and this is the beginning of gossiping.

Instead of keeping their sin to ourselves and forgive them in advance, we spread it and our brother would be hurt because of us and would feel desperation and be ashamed of himself. Tattling does not lead others to repentance, but it deepens their sin, puts them in misery and lets them belittle themselves and loath us. It has been mentioned in the ascetic literature: “What would you do if you saw your spiritual father committing adultery?”  It has been later said: “I shall cover him”. I do not wish to see his weakness. If we seek the imperfections in people, we shall most likely commit the same. Therefore, our fathers have advised us not to mention a misdeed we had committed, for in mentioning lies the power of attraction and recurrence.

Also in the ascetic literature, it has been said that hermits have complained about a hermit among them bringing a woman into his cellm, but the convent’s chief did not pay any attention to what they have said even though they reiterated their complaints. The chief came suddenly upon the hermit while he was at his cell and he saw the woman. He took her and placed her in the necessities’ box. He later called upon the hermits, sat on the box and said to them when they arrived: “Where is that woman?” The sinned hermit felt ashamed and repented, and the others hermits repented of gossiping as well.

We have our eyes on people’s actions. We care to know where did so-and-so go, where did he stay, at what time did he enter this house, who was with him in the car, who sent this letter, and what did the letter say? We are obsessed to know how people live under their roof, where they have spent the night, at what time did they come back, what happened there and what one told the other.

What is wrong with this? First and foremost, curiosity is to take pleasure from the sins of neighbors and colleagues. No one seeks a misdeed done by others unless he was attracted to the misdeed itself. Therefore, to push away his guilt, he enjoys knowing that others have committed the same. Whoever describes the misdeeds of others shall do the same.

The greatest danger is that we shall neglect our own soul, for mending it would cost us too much trouble. The one who repents is the one who watches over his soul in order to mend it. Our sins are numerous and repenting of them shall take all our time. Watching over ourselves leads us to become quiet and calm, whereas curiosity arouses agitation in us. Silence is the best frame for chastity because it puts us right before our soul.

It has been said in the prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syriac in fasting: “…Free me from idleness and curiosity.” Curiosity emanates from idleness. He who does not have anything to do shall enjoy watching others. And he who finds himself watched shall be hurt, isolated and even hateful. There is no spiritual depth in someone who corrupts and burns the world with his tongue. As for the one who places his soul under divine examination, he shall be occupied with repentance. Pay attention to the good deeds only, for they shall make people’s faces shine, and when we see their beauty, God’s face shall also shine to us.

Translated from Arabic – 28.12.10

Original Text: “الفضول” – 07.01.96

In our local language, we use the word “cronies”, which translates into “followers” in formal Arabic. Those are found among us and they lack the courage to express their opinions. Undoubtedly, they follow their leaders due to their need for protection, at a time when the government provides no protection. This is inherited from the late Ottoman era, when dignitaries and notables used to be the representatives of the denomination. This was justified since notables used to care about people’s sufferings, to defend them, and to pay the military recompense if it was necessary to exempt the citizen from performing the military service.

            During the Mandate period, our notables became irresponsible, enjoying the prestige given to them by tribes, and they did not provide services for people. They used to believe they have rights to be taken from people, but they do not have duties for the poor and the weak. During the Turkish era, there was a kind of solidarity between the notable and the people and each of them had a role to play. But now, you are just a follower and you have no benefits. The only protection provided is for bullies, because they can violate the law without punishment.

            The new notable wants you to remain silent, and your silence shall protect you from offense. Hence, the condition for your survival is a humiliation. They would humiliate you to convince you that your relationship with them is a principle. In the recent past, I used to hear people saying: “I am with x, this is my principle”. In my view, a principle is a belief from which you start, and on which you build your life. If you and your leader share the same doctrine, then it is your principle and his principle. But what I still cannot understand is the fact that you are with a leader due to a principle, such as “my father was with his father”, or “we consider ourselves as one family”, or other paltry emotions from which I understood, after long meditation, that this weak person lacks a personal identity and can only see himself as a follower for someone. It is noteworthy that the concept of “followers” is, for us, deeper than one might think, for it means that two or more families in the village or the town divide the subjects, and each party takes its own share. In the civil field, we used to say “the Sultan’s subjects”, for he owned the land and the people living on it. The vulnerable people prefer to be protected, for this spares them the efforts of shaping their own personality, and thinking about the issues of the city or a lower level. As a result, there would be outstanding people and “weakened” people. In fact, standing out requires to have a stance, to defend it, and to say no sometimes. To stand out lies in accepting if your conscience orders you to do so, and refusing if your conscience orders you to do so. As for silence, it does not expose you to any danger, but it allows you to lean back comfortably, drink coffee with the fortunate, and your son will be given a position he might or might not deserve. Not to die, not to starve, to be present ostensibly before the leader, to survive due to the fragments falling from his tables, this may be all that the majority in our country aims for.

            How can we reconcile this with our presence in the Church with the Lord to Whom we say sometimes yes, and sometimes no? The Christ would leave the ninety nine sheep to look for the lost one in the mountains to shepherd it, the Christ who said to the last man: you are My beloved. How can we be such a great thing in Church, and still accept to be meaningless in the world? Nobody is confident that he exists even if all leaders on earth died.

Translated from Arabic – 18.10.10

Original Text: “التابعون” – 17.12.95

“Love thinks no evil” (1Corinthians 13: 5). Being human means thinking evil, for humans are in a constant state of fear. We do not want to see our weaknesses, so we do not have to get rid of them. We think evil about others, for in this we find comfort and excuse. Our eyes see through others’ hearts, yet only God knows hearts. We conceive our own images of others. But the real image necessitates mercy, a quality rarely found amongst humans. God wants us, first and foremost, to trust others. Trust will help them improve and make them more trustworthy. Everyone deserves to be trusted, for confidence strengthens and reforms us. Trusting someone is your connection to him and his way to God.

            “Love suffers long and is kind”. It requires patience, and the latter requires listening carefully to others, understanding them as they are, seeing their good aspects, even if they shouted or cursed. They may be shouting because they are suffering, because they thought evil. They also see us through the image they have conceived for us. No one knows anyone except through the images we take of each other, though these images are often unfair. The apostle also claims that love endures all things, all harm. Some people want to hurt us, to trample us and see us trampled. Despite all this, we shall be patient, for perhaps we may deliver them from their misery. They do not know that they are harming themselves by harming us. They do not know that they hate themselves. We shall grant them tenderness because it is their last chance for salvation. We shall be kind to protect them for the aggressiveness of their own hearts. We shall neither rave nor revenge. The other is the one who is present, and his presence will increase if we were kind, so he shall be a new person.

            Fear of isolation makes us offend people, and we think that this will help us enhance our identity. But, we do not know that only the Holy Spirit can vanish this isolation if we received It in our soul to temper it. The base of all this is that people are weak. And the weak needs the strong to console him and support him. Therefore, we shall not ask him about what he is doing against us or against himself, for what is important is to relieve him of his agony. Perhaps the love we grant would help him get out of his selfishness in which he used to confine himself. The confrontation is quite difficult; because he must destroy the walls which he thinks are protecting him. His consciousness is a weapon against the fake veil behind which he is hiding. It is tormenting to see yourself naked, for numerous are the defects you will discover; yet this is the first step of the remedy. Our concern is his healing. But we shall avoid severity, for our tenderness will let him recognize that we are veiling him with a garment of light. He will be happy to know that he can be adorned with lightsome apparel. And we shall also rejoice in the truth that has been bestowed upon him and has changed him.

            Every one is capable of being great in the eyes of God. But he will not see this greatness unless our patience, forbearance and kindness made him feel loved. No one is forever condemned to dwell in darkness. No one is completely enlightened or completely dark. Even the enlightened needs to be consoled and supported to prevent him from getting tired of his virtue and considering it dry. As for the dark one, we need to tell him that he can save himself by accepting the salvation God has made available for him.

            This is the story of life. People rescue people. Those who have their God in them, who have felt His presence, can show to others His beauty, so they shall leap like deer and wonder. Aspiring to perfection is possible, and insisting on beauty is a demand to the soul that yearns for beauty. Every soul is originally beautiful, for God in it is its beauty. And every soul can move towards God, for God moves it. But all this requires the soul to be open, to carve righteousness and grace bearing. It would then be new as the dawn.

Translated by Amani Haddad

Original Text: “المحبة لا تظن السوء” – 10.12.95