There are things which it is better for man not to know or to experience. About such things the Scriptures said, “he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Eccel 1: 18).
Satan said to Eve, “in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened.”, and it would have been better for them had they not have their eyes opened to that kind of knowledge.
It is much better for man to know only good. He would live in happiness and would love the others because he sees only the good in them.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
Category: KNOWLEDGE
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Fair criticism is innocent and objective. It seeks only the truth, judges things soundly and mentions the good points before other points which he rejects, thus giving everyone his right. He does not search people’s intentions and inner purposes, which God alone knows.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
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A person with a chaste tongue is always objective in his arguments and never broaches personal matters. His speech is reasonable and logical. He does not ascribe ignorance or lack of understanding to the other party, nor expose these qualities in him, but he rather concentrates on the issue subject of discussion.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
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Good relations can easily be established with the gentle person. Anybody can be on good terms with him.
He does not get excited nor offended in agreements. Whoever argues with him feels at ease, even though different in opinion with him, being sure he will not get angry or count faults for him.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
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7. The first thing which kindles ardour in learning is the greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother of God? What more glorious than she whom Glory Itself chose? What more chaste than she who bore a body without contact with another body? For why should I speak of her other virtues? She was a virgin not only in body but also in mind, who stained the sincerity of its disposition by no guile, who was humble in heart, grave in speech, prudent in mind, sparing of words, studious in reading, resting her hope not on uncertain riches, but on the prayer of the poor, intent on work, modest in discourse; wont to seek not man but God as the judge of her thoughts, to injure no one, to have goodwill towards all, to rise up before her elders, not to envy her equals, to avoid boastfulness, to follow reason, to love virtue. When did she pain her parents even by a look? When did she disagree with her neighbours? When did she despise the lowly? When did she avoid the needy? Being wont only to go to such gatherings of men as mercy would not blush at, nor modesty pass by. There was nothing gloomy in her eyes, nothing forward in her words, nothing unseemly in her acts, there was not a silly movement, nor unrestrained step, nor was her voice petulant, that the very appearance of her outward being might be the image of her soul, the representation of what is approved. For a well-ordered house ought to be recognized on the very threshold, and should show at the very first entrance that no darkness is hidden within, as our soul hindered by no restraints of the body may shine abroad like a lamp placed within.
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Clement possessed all the characteristics of the talented master: a flashing intellect, a fiery enthusiasm, and an ever youthful soul. He believed that teaching was a divine mission, and gave himself wholeheartedly to it. He went as far as opening his School to all who came, regardless of age and sex. And the people from all walks of life crowded to hear him: the rich and learned aristocrats; the women of high rank, powdered and perfumed; young “ne’er-do-wells,” coming from sheer curiosity, philosophers and rhetoricians. A medley of a crowd, if ever there was one. A cynic, looking at such a crowd, might well have declared that it was void of all good.
THE STORY OF THE COPTS
THE TRUE STORY OF THE CHRISTIANS OF EGYPT WHO HAVE LIVED THE BIBLE FOR 2,000 YEARSBY IRIS HABIB EL MASRI
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Your glory is in your personality, not in your position or authority or outer appearance. Your glory is in your essence, in your spirituality, in your nature, in your sense, in your wisdom, in all that is found within your heart of virtues and good qualities.
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In Ecclesiastes, he says:
I have seen everything in my days of vanity: there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness. Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp this, and also not remove your hand from the other; for he who fears God will escape them all.
Here, by the statement “Do not be overly righteous,” he means that you should accept yourself, with your weakness and helplessness, and do not let the ideal self reject the true self, appearing to be a righteous self at all time, and do not use worldly, self-centered wisdom, with which you deceive yourself and believe that you are overly righteous.
—H.E. Metropolitan Youssef, How to Develop Your Personality
SO GOOD QUOTES 