HH Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, officiated Holy Mass on Sunday morning at the St. Mary’s Church in Geneva, Switzerland, joined by His Grace Bishop Luke and His Grace Bishop Gabriel, and the priests of our church in Geneva, along with volumes of the Coptic masses in Geneva. His Holiness also baptized two children, Julia and Maximus. His Holiness delivered a sermon at the Mass about “eternal life and how to prepare for it.”
In it:
“Every person who has a job on earth revises his work to see if it’s achieved the desired outcome or not. Here on earth we must keep ourselves in check. Shall we earn a portion in heaven? Do we deserve the eternal crown? Therefore, my beloved, our topic today is eternal life and how to prepare for it.”
First: Eternal Life
Christ, Glory to His Name, told His Disciples: “I go to prepare a place for you.” This is a place for which we all long, each having his/her place in heaven. This place was prepared from the day of your baptism, for a child who is baptized earns the Sacrament of Baptism, the Chrism and the Eucharist. During the Eucharist, s/he hears for the first time, “It is given on our behalf for salvation, pardoning of sins and eternal life for all who partake of it.” It is the seed of eternal life sowed in each of us. This seed must be watered and nurtured to bear fruit. What might happen should we neglect this seed?
Therefore, all of us who have been baptized and received this seed of eternity must live such an eternity, being vigilant and preparing for it, each asking himself/herself whether eternal life is present in his/her life.
Second: How to prepare for the hereafter
1- Penitent Life
The first thing to prepare us for the hereafter is penitence. This means purity of heart, to have a pure, transparent heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Heaven is precious, my dears. So we must prepare for it with penitence, delighting heaven that rejoices in one repentant sinner more than 99 righteous people who have no need of repentance. So I tell you to beware the tiny foxes, that is, minor sins, for if they usurp the heart of a human, they expand and spread, spoiling the heart. So repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.
2- Life of Prayer & Praise:
Our church is rich in enriched prayers and praise, including:
– Short prayers like Kyrie Elaison
– One-liners like: “Lord Jesus, Son of God, show mercy to me the sinner.”
– Prayers in parts, such as praying with the Psalms [Book of Hours, Agpeya]
Prayers set to music, like hymnals, hymns and praises
Prayers set to motions, like prostrations, such as “Holy, Holy is God.”
So, beloved, pray at all times, for each time you stand up to pray, you are training to stand before Christ, the Judge at the end of days.
3- Life of Commandments
Do you read the Holy Bible? The Bible is the Christian Heaven Directory on Earth. No Christian home should let a day pass without reading the Bible, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” In the Book of Revelation, we find the Spirit telling us: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Lucky is the household in which members gather to read the Holy Scriptures.
4- Holy Sacraments
Never delay the Eucharist, for in it is eternal life.
5- Labor of Love
Spread love in every place, offer a service, offer a smile, offer a phone call, visit a person in hardship, share a joyous person’s success. Make your faith work through love.
God bless your lives.
