Last article tackled “Nativity and Peace”: that peace for humanity, realized through the birth of Lord Christ, the King of Peace. Christ blessed the peacemakers as commandments hold: “Seek peace and pursue it”, and “Be at peace among yourselves”. When we talk about peace, we denote love as well. He who seeks peace shall keep love, which is the true basis for accepting and coexisting with others in kindness and respect, realizing that a life void of love has no peace. Love does not call a person to give up his beliefs or principles for the sake of others, but rather it calls a person to live in kindness, sympathy and respect for the humanity of all human beings, to strive for good, harboring nothing evil or harmful to any person, to give a hand to those in need through times of distress and pain, since we are all human beings who need to support each other.
Love is one of Lord Christ’s commandments: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”; when He was asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Rather, He commanded us to love even our enemies: “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Thus, love has extended to overshadow human lives and give them strength to make peace. He who realizes true sacrificial love that strives for the good of others, making strong peace, can never be shaken by tribulations, disturbances, or slanders; as it was said: “Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised.”
Love also preserves the dignity of the other, as it realizes that man is the most important among God’s creatures; he is created in the image and according to the likeness of God in terms of justice, mercy, love, and … etc., although it is limited in man, no matter how great it becomes, not absolute as it exists in the unlimited nature of God. It is mentioned in the Bible: “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness… So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Also, the Quran declared that man is God’s successor on earth, as it is said: “And when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.” They said, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?” He said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.”
Thus, through love, peace prevails among human beings embodied in their respect for each other, in the realization of individual responsibility towards the one human family; the human community common features of the human family are more than differences. Life, security, food, health, dignity, justice, benevolence, wisdom, cooperation, tolerance and coexistence are all common human rights, values and principles, so we respect each other because we all bear the characteristics of humanity on which God created us: God- blessed be His name- created us with deep human feelings to direct towards each other; Hence, our respect for each other is respect for God’s work and His creation, regardless of the differences between them. All of this is to reflect positively on societies and on the renaissance and advancement of nations.
With love, we can have the peace that drives us to the ability to coexist and work together, and when we have that driving force, we will realize the secret of success and achieve achievements. Today, we are in much need to seek peace in our society, acceptance of the other, and the ability to coexist together! We strive hard for the country’s progress and stability, and to achieve what we aspire to in terms of a prosperous future and a country that occupies its place and position in the leadership among countries, and… Stories about beautiful Egypt never end!
The General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
