In the previous article, we spoke about the importance of the pursuit of universal peace by all human beings, as the future of the entire world depends on it: it represents either steps towards life, or a hastening towards the abyss of death in case it is lost! This peace starts from the life of man to others around him; it begins by people stretching their hands of goodness among each other in the journey of life. Someone asked me: “What about the evil that pervades the world everywhere, as if nobody could escape it?!
Hearing his question, I remembered what I read a few days ago in an interesting book dealing with the life after death, which author is a Neurosurgeon “Eben Alexander”, who didn’t believe in the existence of soul or life after death, until he suffered a sudden coma lasted for seven days, doctors discovered that he had acute meningitis that would end only in his death, or at the best case scenario he would remain in a coma: that meant he would be “the absent present”: present with his body and absent from life! But it ended up with a miracle bringing him back to life, then he record his journey in a book called “Proof of Heaven” where he wrote: “The existence of evil on earth is necessary; without which man’s free will would be a kind of impossibility. Without free will, man can neither grow nor move forward; there will be no chance for us to become what God wants us to be …”
Yes, the existence of evil is life’s real test for man’s will and choices: he would either do good and righteousness, or walk in the path of evil, envy and hatred; this is the most important decision a man shall make in the journey of his life as it would be the basis upon which man builds his life and other decisions. It is not an easy task, but at the same time it is not impossible.
Alexander says that man shall make the right decisions, i.e. acts of charity and love, with his own free will, in resisting evil and injustice on earth; and that will not cause him much trouble, especially when he remembers that wonderful beauty awaiting him in Heaven. Indeed, the law of Heaven is good, justice, love and honesty. However, that requires bearing a great responsibility and trust: responsibility of your path, and trusting God’s justice and love. In the journey man walks through, he needs a lot of strength, perseverance and steadfastness in the face of frustrations, pitfalls and evils, and in the midst of all this, he grows, getting increasingly mature and fulfilling the mission for which he was created.
Simply, life is a journey in which man chooses neither the dates of his birth nor his death nor his family, yet he chooses the steps he is to take, what he wishes to be, and what he rejects.
It is a journey towards eternity.
The General Bishop
Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
