Our Church is indebted to Almighty God, beyond words and emotions, for what has been granted us through him.
Shall I make a list (let me count the numbers):
1. He is the successor to St. Mark. That is a miracle, because the Holy Spirit chose him for that postion.
2. He has endured persection--mental and physical anguish.
3. He has revitalized the monastic system, from which the nurture of the entire Church is derived.
4. The expansion of the Diaspora, and his personal, I mean full personal care, for everyone, every single parish, in the diaspora. Outside of St. Severus, in the times of the Chalcedonian persecutions, has there has been no recording of these extraordinary openings of churches, and priestly ordinations (in these numbers).
5. The erudition in his teaching and theology. We have no one, that I know of, in the Coptic Church with that caliber. To be a mouth for the Holy Spirit--amazing. His explanations are so fluid that they must be heavenly inspired--nothing else.
6. How about dignity with which he conducts himself in front of foreigners and the Egyptian Government. They are humbled in his presence. That is a gift that is granted him, that even his enemies have to bow to him.
7. How about the fatherly nature that he answers his children. He carries the patience of Job, despite the 'boils' that are put on him.
8. His courage to stand up and ask for our human rights.
9. His wit and quick thought.
10. His mastery of the Holy Scriptures by heart and not by rote.
11. He has a soft voice when pronouncing the Divine Liturgy, a heartfelt language with Our Divine Father.
If those are not miracles, I do not know what is.
Pope Shenouda is a miracle...a walking miracle...a presentor of miracles...and an inspiration for miracles.
I will not even put these matters in perspective to his age, that would be shameful. His deeds go beyond the ages that we will see. His voice echos with his predecessors.
THE MAN IS AMAZING! I AM IN AWE OF HIM!
He gives hope that any of us have the potential to be like him, in his emulation of the Lord Himself.
Wow those are really amazing things that u listed. I had no idea that he possessed all those qualities. He is an amazing man. That's a good list that u made.
[quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=6380.msg84195#msg84195 date=1206065669] Pope Shenouda is a walking miracle.
Our Church is indebted to Almighty God, beyond words and emotions, for what has been granted us through him.
Shall I make a list (let me count the numbers):
1. He is the successor to St. Mark. That is a miracle, because the Holy Spirit chose him for that postion.
2. He has endured persection--mental and physical anguish.
3. He has revitalized the monastic system, from which the nurture of the entire Church is derived.
4. The expansion of the Diaspora, and his personal, I mean full personal care, for everyone, every single parish, in the diaspora. Outside of St. Severus, in the times of the Chalcedonian persecutions, has there has been no recording of these extraordinary openings of churches, and priestly ordinations (in these numbers).
5. The erudition in his teaching and theology. We have no one, that I know of, in the Coptic Church with that caliber. To be a mouth for the Holy Spirit--amazing. His explanations are so fluid that they must be heavenly inspired--nothing else.
6. How about dignity with which he conducts himself in front of foreigners and the Egyptian Government. They are humbled in his presence. That is a gift that is granted him, that even his enemies have to bow to him.
7. How about the fatherly nature that he answers his children. He carries the patience of Job, despite the 'boils' that are put on him.
8. His courage to stand up and ask for our human rights.
9. His wit and quick thought.
10. His mastery of the Holy Scriptures by heart and not by rote.
11. He has a soft voice when pronouncing the Divine Liturgy, a heartfelt language with Our Divine Father.
If those are not miracles, I do not know what is.
Pope Shenouda is a miracle...a walking miracle...a presentor of miracles...and an inspiration for miracles.
I will not even put these matters in perspective to his age, that would be shameful. His deeds go beyond the ages that we will see. His voice echos with his predecessors.
THE MAN IS AMAZING! I AM IN AWE OF HIM!
He gives hope that any of us have the potential to be like him, in his emulation of the Lord Himself.
I would love to see him at least once a year for his blessings. For those who have that fortunate ability, I am envious. He has the nicest laugh. It makes you want to laugh and relax, especially when he gets caught up in the laughter portion. I never met my father's father, and very briefly my mother's father--in life--but I think God gave me Pope Shenouda as that surrogate grandfather, and an absolute example of a spiritual father. That is the personal miracle that God gave to me through him.
I have multiple residences, relative to work, and at each one I have an anthology of all his works in English. You can learn in one chapter what others try to explain in volumes. He is priceless. If he were an angel, one would explain it away that all of this is intrinsic in his nature, yet, because he is a man it is so much more an expression of the indelible possibilities.
When he was ill in the recent 1-2 years, I felt great pain and at times was overwhelmed with emotions to the point of tears that I would have the potential of not having him around. I pleaded with God for his health, not for his sake, but for all of our sakes. I know that God grants a proper shepherd for his church, but you cannot help being emotional about your father and grandfather. What a sweet smile and a twinkle in his eye.
Have you ever noticed when he smiles, and the outer corners of his eyes crinkle, there is such transfer of the Peaceful expression of God's Love to us.
I remember him with an interviewer when he was discussing the abductions of some of the Coptic girls in Egypt and he was choked in his words for the inhumanity of these abductions. There was no political aspirations, just a fervent emotion for his children. How difficult it must be to responsible before God for millions of souls? I barely have time to take care of myself some days.
Comments
[quote author=jydeacon link=topic=6380.msg84179#msg84179 date=1206052420]
There is a subject on this already http://tasbeha.org/content/community/index.php?topic=6006.0
Our Church is indebted to Almighty God, beyond words and emotions, for what has been granted us through him.
Shall I make a list (let me count the numbers):
1. He is the successor to St. Mark. That is a miracle, because the Holy Spirit chose him for that postion.
2. He has endured persection--mental and physical anguish.
3. He has revitalized the monastic system, from which the nurture of the entire Church is derived.
4. The expansion of the Diaspora, and his personal, I mean full personal care, for everyone, every single parish, in the diaspora. Outside of St. Severus, in the times of the Chalcedonian persecutions, has there has been no recording of these extraordinary openings of churches, and priestly ordinations (in these numbers).
5. The erudition in his teaching and theology. We have no one, that I know of, in the Coptic Church with that caliber. To be a mouth for the Holy Spirit--amazing. His explanations are so fluid that they must be heavenly inspired--nothing else.
6. How about dignity with which he conducts himself in front of foreigners and the Egyptian Government. They are humbled in his presence. That is a gift that is granted him, that even his enemies have to bow to him.
7. How about the fatherly nature that he answers his children. He carries the patience of Job, despite the 'boils' that are put on him.
8. His courage to stand up and ask for our human rights.
9. His wit and quick thought.
10. His mastery of the Holy Scriptures by heart and not by rote.
11. He has a soft voice when pronouncing the Divine Liturgy, a heartfelt language with Our Divine Father.
If those are not miracles, I do not know what is.
Pope Shenouda is a miracle...a walking miracle...a presentor of miracles...and an inspiration for miracles.
I will not even put these matters in perspective to his age, that would be shameful. His deeds go beyond the ages that we will see. His voice echos with his predecessors.
THE MAN IS AMAZING! I AM IN AWE OF HIM!
He gives hope that any of us have the potential to be like him, in his emulation of the Lord Himself.
[quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=6380.msg84195#msg84195 date=1206065669]
Pope Shenouda is a walking miracle.
Our Church is indebted to Almighty God, beyond words and emotions, for what has been granted us through him.
Shall I make a list (let me count the numbers):
1. He is the successor to St. Mark. That is a miracle, because the Holy Spirit chose him for that postion.
2. He has endured persection--mental and physical anguish.
3. He has revitalized the monastic system, from which the nurture of the entire Church is derived.
4. The expansion of the Diaspora, and his personal, I mean full personal care, for everyone, every single parish, in the diaspora. Outside of St. Severus, in the times of the Chalcedonian persecutions, has there has been no recording of these extraordinary openings of churches, and priestly ordinations (in these numbers).
5. The erudition in his teaching and theology. We have no one, that I know of, in the Coptic Church with that caliber. To be a mouth for the Holy Spirit--amazing. His explanations are so fluid that they must be heavenly inspired--nothing else.
6. How about dignity with which he conducts himself in front of foreigners and the Egyptian Government. They are humbled in his presence. That is a gift that is granted him, that even his enemies have to bow to him.
7. How about the fatherly nature that he answers his children. He carries the patience of Job, despite the 'boils' that are put on him.
8. His courage to stand up and ask for our human rights.
9. His wit and quick thought.
10. His mastery of the Holy Scriptures by heart and not by rote.
11. He has a soft voice when pronouncing the Divine Liturgy, a heartfelt language with Our Divine Father.
If those are not miracles, I do not know what is.
Pope Shenouda is a miracle...a walking miracle...a presentor of miracles...and an inspiration for miracles.
I will not even put these matters in perspective to his age, that would be shameful. His deeds go beyond the ages that we will see. His voice echos with his predecessors.
THE MAN IS AMAZING! I AM IN AWE OF HIM!
He gives hope that any of us have the potential to be like him, in his emulation of the Lord Himself.
I have multiple residences, relative to work, and at each one I have an anthology of all his works in English. You can learn in one chapter what others try to explain in volumes. He is priceless. If he were an angel, one would explain it away that all of this is intrinsic in his nature, yet, because he is a man it is so much more an expression of the indelible possibilities.
When he was ill in the recent 1-2 years, I felt great pain and at times was overwhelmed with emotions to the point of tears that I would have the potential of not having him around. I pleaded with God for his health, not for his sake, but for all of our sakes. I know that God grants a proper shepherd for his church, but you cannot help being emotional about your father and grandfather. What a sweet smile and a twinkle in his eye.
Have you ever noticed when he smiles, and the outer corners of his eyes crinkle, there is such transfer of the Peaceful expression of God's Love to us.
I remember him with an interviewer when he was discussing the abductions of some of the Coptic girls in Egypt and he was choked in his words for the inhumanity of these abductions. There was no political aspirations, just a fervent emotion for his children. How difficult it must be to responsible before God for millions of souls? I barely have time to take care of myself some days.
Awesome, simply an awesome miraculous man.
Forever,
Coptic Servent