Category: DISCERNMENT

  • A lot of us get sucked in by all the noise and the loud voices and the rumors and “even Abouna said it”, even “so and so said it”, “the Pope said it”.

    Jesus, He didn’t react. How many of us – we listen to the loud people, we just follow the stream of everybody else.

    —Fr. Paul Girguis, Act Like Men: Act Like Christ

  • A wise person does not keep silent when he should speak and does not speak when he should keep silent.
    ….

    Wisdom is the deciding factor in the matter and through discernment you can determine which of the two ways is better. It is unreasonable to give one rule for all cases, we cannot say that you should keep silent when one word from you can solve a problem or when your silence can be misinterpreted for something other than what you intended.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Characteristics of the Spiritual Path

  • Wisdom is much broader than intelligence; intelligence is a mere fragment of wisdom. A person may possess extraordinary intelligence yet does not behave wisely.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Characteristics of the Spiritual Path

  • Saint Antony, at the beginning of his monastic life, sought counsel from the ascetics and was like the bee, sucking nectar from every flower. Many are those who seek wisdom from one person and become a carbon copy of them, but Saint Antony learned asceticism from one person, prayer from a second one, meekness from a third, cheerfulness from a fourth, knowledge from a fifth, etc.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Characteristics of the Spiritual Path

  • The practical person does not spend his life in the past, but he learns a lesson from it and works for the present and the future, with all his might…

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. 1

  • To cease talk on any subject:

    There are some subjects which are not your concern, therefore do not speak about them, especially matters relating to the secrets of others. Also abstain from talking on subjects which are not your speciality, such as pure scientific or artistic or political matters that surpass your knowledge.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. 1

  • One who loves his sick relative may hide from him the seriousness of his sickness and never gives him a chance to prepare for his eternity. This is also a non-spiritual and unwise love.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. 1

  • Pastoral care and service without discretion could complicate matters instead of settling them.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. 1

  • When St. Anthony was asked about the best of virtues he answered, “Discretion…”, as virtue without discretion might destroy its possessors.

    —Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. 1

  • Another person takes the advice of those who are close to him without examining or discussing this advice… Or he might follow the steps of others, once more without examining them…
    …

    The reasonable and wise person is the one who chooses the wise advice, without depending on one opinion.

    God gave man two ears: to hear the first opinion with one, and to listen to the opposite opinion with the other. The mind is in between, to weigh each opinion and choose the best…

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. 1