Take example the person who fasts. In his fast he may perhaps abstain from many foods, yet he cannot abstain for one particular food, which he desires. What does such a person gain from his fast so long as he is weak and lacks the power to control himself at the point when he is being attached with the desire of food? Do we not say that if he abstains from this food in particular, he will be successful in his fast and in his spirituality? However, if he falls in this, then he has fallen in all. The Bible reminds us of this, saying: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2.10). What is the meaning of this statement by the apostle? How should we understand it? You will understand by answering the following question: Do you love God, so that nothing can keep you away from Him? If you find anything at al, then this is the problem in your life; it is your point of weakness.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity
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A lawyer or an accountant might lie and place that under the heading of necessities for the profession, although the profession is respectable and this is not actually part of its necessities. Sin does not like to be called by its true name, because this troubles a person.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
Obedience is rendered first to God, and from His love proceeds all other love. Obedience is rendered first to God, and from this obedience proceeds all other obedience. The Bible said about the obedience of parents: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6.1). It is thus an essential obedience, but “in the Lord.”
Jonathan did not obey his father Saul in his persecution of David but rather rebuked him, saying: “Why then do you sin against innocent blood, to put David to death without cause?” (1 Kingdoms 19.5). King Saul was a cause of stumbling to his son Jonathan, but Jonathan overcame this stumbling. In the same way King Solomon, even though he had a great respect for his mother Bathsheba, did not obey her in her intercession for Adonijah, his brother (3 Kingdoms 2.19-23).
The limit of obedience precludes stumbling. From your association with people and your experiences in life, you can realize the sources of stumbling for you. Benefit, then, from this experience by surrounding yourself with a pure atmosphere as much as you can. Those whom you cannot avoid physically, avoid with respect to your thoughts and direction of life.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
If a stumbling block comes to you from the person dearest to you, the one as dear to you as your eyes, or even if it comes from the person who helps you the most, who is like your right hand, stay away from him.
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The stumbling might come from your dearest relatives and loved ones. The majority of youth who become corrupt do so through the corruption of their very dear friends, who influence them.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
Many are the sins which are able to enter through the eye of a needle. The devil, for example, does not ask you not to pray, only to delay it. If he finds that you are accustomed to prayer, then when you wake up he will say to you, “Wait until you have washed your face.” Before you awaken, he has placed in your mind any thoughts to occupy you and make you forget, and many other things to delay you. As for you, do not give him a chance, but continue in your prayers, even while you are going to wash your face. Be very careful, then, and avoid the first step that leads you into negligence and laxity, or causes you to sin.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
Another little fox—self-righteousness—entered into Job. Job’s problem was that he was a blameless, upright man, and he knew himself to be blameless and upright. For this reason he fell into self-righteousness. He was, as the Bible says, “righteous in his own eyes” (Job 32.1). God kept purifying him through temptation until he said: “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Job 42.3). It is very easy for a small weak point to drag us to many problems.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
Previously, David’s life was different. He was pursued by Saul, escaping from one desert to the other. He lived in caves, fought by himself, and slept on the ground; he did not sin at that time. Later, however, he lived in luxury, in palaces with servants, attendants and slaves. He sent the army to fight, while he stayed in his house on his bed. He stood on the roof and looked at the people. He lacked the desire to be with his fighting army.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
Millions of people who are in hell wish for a few moments of life, which you have—just a few moments in which to repent—but cannot find them. They have lost the chance, and the door has been closed. How about you, my brother? You have all of this life, why do you not think about repentance, and grab the chance? As the apostle said: “Walk circumspectly….redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5.16).
Know that the postponement of repentance is one of the works of the devil, who does not want repentance. He knows that keeping you from repentance in a direct way is something your conscience will not accept. Therefore, he will never say to you, “Do not repent,” and yet every time your heart moves toward God, he will say to you, “That’s okay, but not now. We have many chances before us.” He then keeps leading you in a series of never-ending postponements until your life ends.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity
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The strong heart finds a hundred ways for the thing it wishes to do. The fathers said, “Virtue asks you to desire only it, and nothing else.” It is enough for you to desire. You will find that grace will open every door which closes before you. The Holy Spirit of God will strengthen you, and the spirits of the angels and the saints will surround you. Therefore do not let obstacles be an excuse, but think correctly about how to overcome them.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
But as for you, if grace visits you, do not be content merely with being convinced. For what benefit do you receive from being convinced your way is sinful, unless you overcome and change this way in practice? Do not let the visitation of grace work in your mind alone, or in your heart only; it must work in your will also, so that you will arise and act accordingly.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity
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