We talked about some of the dangerous pandemics that spread throughout the world. Then we talked about Corona virus that spread with acceleration throughout the world, even that some of the countries declared curfew and closed airports; in addition to all worship places around the world. As for the pandemic that reached its peak and strong effect that carries a message within to the whole world due to all the afflicted evil. In general we know that God cannot be tempted by evil but he allows evil to occur which is a consequent to the evil deeds of man, as the Holy Bible mentioned: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
Last week I received this message:
In Kansas City in the U.S, in the opening of the Senate’s meeting, Joe Wright the minister was asked to give a speech, and everyone anticipated something regular; but he only said some words in which:
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance.
We know your Word says, ‘Woe on those who call evil good,’ but that’s exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.
We ridiculed the absolute truth of your Word and called it pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen.”
His words were rooting to what came in Christianity and Islam; as man’s loss for his spiritual values could be through denying everything spiritual, as in Christianity: “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.” Or he still believes but seemingly without real faith like those that the Holy Bible said about: “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
In Islam a believer must have a true godliness: “O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared.”
But disregarding the word of God and his commandments is the contrary of God’s commandment as what came in Christianity: “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
In Islam: “And, [moreover], this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.”
Worshipping idols and deviation are two things that God totally rejects, as in Christianity: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God”
In Islam: “Say, “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him.”
Also God commanded good to the poor: as in Christianity: “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath will become hot…”
In Islam: “And do not approach the orphan’s property except in a way that is best until he reaches maturity…”
To be continued…
Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!
General Bishop,
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
