||    Pope Shenouda    ||    Father Matta    ||    Bishop Mattaous    ||    Fr. Tadros Malaty    ||    Bishop Moussa    ||    Bishop Alexander    ||    Habib Gerguis    ||    Bishop Angealos    ||    Metropolitan Bishoy    ||

 

"You are the light of the world."

Matthew 5:14

 

Father Matta El-Meskeen (Matthew the Poor)


 

 

AS RECORDED BY THE APOSTLE JOHN, Christ was described by the Spirit as

the ‘The Word.’1 He added that he was the true light that was coming into the

world. 2 Christ truly was a source of light everywhere he went, but the sons of darkness

rejected him, raged against him, tried many times to stone him, and yet he would walk

away right through the middle of them.3 When Christ ascended and sat at the right hand of his Father, the light of the Word   appeared in the mouths of his Apostles and disciples, in a way that, even out of

stubbornness, cannot be rejected. Yet persecution from the sons of darkness continued

to be a source of stumbling for those who served. Nonetheless, what catches our

attention is that the Word spread, reached out and grew stronger in every region of the

world. The reason is that the Word itself is light. It works powerfully in hearts. It

reaches out and has an impact in every environment. So the one appointed by God to be

a servant of the Word does not need extra effort or great learning, because the Word

comes out of his mouth, and by its own strength it does its work in the hearts of all who

hear, for the Word of Christ is always supported by the Holy Spirit. Know, dear reader,

servant of the Word of the Lord, the Word itself is a penetrating light in hearts by the

power of the Holy Spirit. So the servant of the Word is a servant of light, that is, he

radiates the light of Christ everywhere he goes.

 

 

What is then the Light of the Word?

 

The light of the Word is ongoing revelation of the divine truth. So the servant of the

Word is a source of truth, and the truth is the revelation of all Christ’s mysteries. Christ

said, ‘I am the truth,’ which means that someone is needed to provide spiritual clarity to

what is done within all matters of this world and to solve all its problems on the basis of

Christ’s commands and teachings. In this way the servant of the Word is a source of

knowledge, truth and light passing from person to person and group to group. This was

Christ’s final command to his disciples before he ascended, “go and make disciples of

all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am

with you always, to the very end of the age.” Amen.4

 

Here, the reader and the servant should take note that the Word of Christ does not do

its work by itself, rather, Christ himself promises he will be with each servant and each

word spoken, because the servant of the Word is a companion of Christ. He does not

preach or speak by himself, but with each word is power, support, light and truth. So the

statement, ‘I am with you’ causes the servant to be helped by divine and exalted power

and kept by the hand of the Lord. He is not burdened with worry along the way nor

anxiety about his enemies and those who would trip him up. His night is light so he does

not stumble, and not matter how narrow and distressed the way may be the exalted hand

supports him from above, and the voice of the Lord strengthens him. The servant sees

the support with his own eyes as it comes at the right time. Before he calls Christ hears

him. Christ’s hand is always extended to help, and we must not forget Christ said, ‘I am

the way.’5

August 5, 2005

4 Matt 28:19-20.

5 John 14:6.

 

 

1 John 1:1.

2 John 1:9.

3 John 8:59, Luke 4:29-30.

 

 

 

 

 

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