SO GOOD QUOTES

Category: JUDGMENT

  • The demons of anger, strife, stubbornness and pride, all stand totally bewildered before the person who possesses the virtue of self-reproach, not knowing how to conquer him, but gnashing their teeth in vexation, defeated before this person who never justifies himself, never gets angry with anyone, who neither contends nor shouts, but with a soft answer and a kind word together with reproaching himself, solves every strife and disperses every anger. Such a person lives meekly, gently and peaceably, and is loved by all. He does not contend with anyone, neither does he permit himself to be angry with anyone, however much he is in the right.

    For he reproaches himself, saying, “If I become angry with this person and enraged at him, I will lose the virtue of meekness and the virtue of endurance, the virtue of love and the virtue of being at peace with people. And then I will be at fault”.

    Thus he reproaches himself – not for sins which he has committed – but for sins which he warns himself from falling into. Consequently, he becomes watchful and on his guard, and his soul advances towards perfection.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • He who reproaches himself is able to live in continual peace with others. Even if a misunderstanding were to arise, through his self-reproaching, reconciliation is easily attained. Strife worsens when each party persists in his own stand, each justifying himself that he is in the right, and the other in the wrong.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • Undoubtedly, the humble person who reproaches himself feels compassion for others. He knows too well the weakness of the human soul before Satan’s attacks and wiles, cunningness and enticements. Thence he gives excuses to whoever falls, and is never cruel in his judgement whatsoever, remembering the words of Saint Paul the Apostle, “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them… since you yourselves are in the body also” (Heb. 13:3). One of the lovely matters in the spiritual life is that you become severe with yourself, reproaching yourself for every fault, but in contrast increase in compassion for sinners, trying to give them excuses as much as you are able.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • Regarding this, I would like to make a painful observation, which is that many say that they are sinners when deep inside they do not believe it. Such a person might use the word ‘sinner’ about himself, merely with his lips, in order to appear humble, but inside he is not convinced that he is a sinner. If you say to him, “You have sinned”, he will become enraged with you and vehemently defend himself.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • For some, confession turns into complaining about others! They may complain about their circumstances at home or at work or in the church, like the wife, for example, who sits with the father confessor to confess. She narrates to him her husband’s ill-treatment, and so confesses her husband’s sins, and not her own. Or she may confess the difficulties and troubles in her life, but regarding herself, she says nothing because before going to confession, she did not reproach herself.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • “It is befitting that I keep silent, seeing that God has covered me. If God permitted that I be uncovered, would I be able to utter a word?”

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • A person blames and condemns others in order to justify himself. He does not want to blame himself nor to be blamed by others, so he affixes his sin onto someone else, that he might be justified!

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • The person who reproaches himself is preoccupied with rectifying himself. In his shame over his errors, he does not look at the sins of others. Regarding this the saints said, “He who is preoccupied with his own sins has no time to condemn his brother’s sins”

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • Jonah was one sinner on the ship, yet the whole ship was about to sink because of that one person. Someone might say, “It is perhaps because of my sins that problems are happening everywhere.”

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge

  • Beware of tranquilising words such as, “Oh! God is kind! Don’t trouble yourself! The least thing will do, the least word will take you there”. No- talk not so; these words are desensitizing. They are said to people to make them feel happy and not disturbed- but the truth is the truth, and that is that we shall stand before the Just Judge.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge