CHURCH YOUTH DAILY E-MAIL ARCHIVE


IN SPITE OF...
(15/5/2001)


By H.H Pope Shenouda III

To do good in spite of obstacles in one's way, shows a deep fund of goodness in the heart and the triumph of the will to do good, and that has a great reward.

As examples of this we have:

The one who gives in spite of having needs of his own, likethe widow who gave her two small coins; (Mark 12:42)and the widow who gave the prophet Elijah food during the famine, and the poor man who paid his tithes in spite of being in need himself.

To enter by the wide gate and the broad road is easy, but theone who enters by the narrow gate in spite of its difficult path, he is the one who will receive a blessing from the Lord.

Likewise the one who is forgiving in spite of being deeply offended, and the one who forgives, though it is seventy times seven. ( Matt.18 : 22 )

And the one who succeeds in spite of the difficulty of the test, as our father Abraham did in his test to sacrifice his only son, the son promised by God.

And the one who sticks firmly to his faith or attains a firm faith despite doubts or struggles, like the thief who believedin the Lord when he was crucified beside Him and taunts and provocation's were all around them.

Likewise the one who retains his sincerity and devotion in the midst of difficulties, at a time when many stumble and fall, like the beloved John who followed his Master even to the cross, and like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus whowere not afraid to be joined in crucifixion, and Saint Julius El-Akfehas who took care of the bodies of the martyrs...

Anyone can do something good if it is easy to do, but to do good when one is surrounded by difficulties and dangers is real proof of righteousness and saintliness.