He wondered about humanity and love, I answered him, “Yes, love that feels for the sufferings and sorrows of others, shares their happiness, and which one can know its characteristics from the works of mercy is the title of humanity! I stopped a little then I said, “I recall a picture of a young man who married a little younger woman that looked so weak and feeble. Under the picture some words were written saying it was of a person who decided to marry his sick fiancé diagnosed with cancer after the doctors had mentioned that she would not live long as the disease had controlled her weak body! Then the young man immediately decided to do something to please the girl before she was to be absent from the world: the young man invited his family and friends so that the hospital would witness their wedding ceremony!! He wanted to offer some happiness to his beloved for whom a great share of love was in his heart for her, while he as aching deep inside. It came to pass that the marriage ceremony was held and the girl expressed her great happiness and abandoned life after less than twenty hours!! The young man’s attitude towards his girls, his desire to give her a smile before her departure, stopped me strongly not to mention his persistence in giving.
He said, “It may be a kind of compassion some of us feel in during some of life situations.” I interrupted him saying: “Humanity, my friend, is not about feelings that can be increased at any time, and are diminished at another. It is a life principle that one lives accordingly. So your life, thoughts and accordingly your actions cannot be full of positive human traits at a time and be in conflict with at another! One can’t love and hate at the same time!” He stopped a little, then said: It seems not easy!” I answered: “On the contrary, it is simple and clear, but it needs to make a decision and bear the responsibility: what goal do you want to achieve? then, which way do you want to go ?! He muttered a little, then asked: “What do you mean?” I answered: “I mean that when we are in the arena of life, we have to realize the real meaning of humanity, to be well aware of the great difference between love and possessive love, the first offers and gives, and the second takes and seeks ownership! Love sees man as a human being, while possessive love sees him as a thing.So both are two contradictory things.
When we recognize the difference, I believe, our attitudes towards others will change. This change will make humanity like a big connected family with similar traits so that all its actions will be honoring one’s dignity which is God’s gift. Hence, all people will be able to alter pain and misery to hope whose echoes heard on the paths of life. The forms of humanity are diverse and many people carry its great principles deep inside.
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
