I congratulate our Muslim brothers in Egypt and the Arab world with the beginning of the fast of Ramadan, I also congratulate all the Egyptians with Sinai Liberation Day and we ask God to bless our country Egypt and protect it with security, goodness, and peace.
We talked about the speech of Joe Wright in the previous articles and itsevidence from Christianity and Islam. Then we referred to the pandemic that the whole world is witnessing today which is considered a Godly message to all humans. Moreover we said that this pandemic was mentioned in each of Christianity and Islam; confirming that it is a message to return to God and asking: Is there any hope?! Who can distinguish between good and evil?!Is there anyone who learns the lesson and preaches himself before preaching the other?! But; Is there a man?!!
Yes, there is hope: when a man truly repents, extracting all evils from his life because these are God’s promises to those who go along the path with an honest heart:
Deliver You from the Snare of the Fowler
The greatest hope that a man has, is trusting God, His power, and His keeping safe those who follow Him with an honest heart. In Christianity: “I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.” And in Islam: (And upon Allah let the believers rely.)
The only return to God is through true repentance: for those who left evil, and did good. As a start I would like to demonstrate a clear example mentioned in Christianity and Islam about the consequences of rejecting repentance and continuity of evil: as in the story of Noah the Prophet, we find a clear link between the flood and the evil of man. In Christianity: “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”
And in Islam: ([So it was], until when Our command came and the oven overflowed, We said, “Load upon the ship of each [creature] two mates and your family, except those about whom the word has preceded, and [include] whoever has believed.” But none had believed with him, except a few.)
The chance of repentance was very clear before the flood; as God gave it to humans and was prolonged to tens of long years during building the Arch but they rejected and held to their wicked paths, yet they ridiculed and mocked Noah!!
The Sincere Repentance
God calls all souls for repentance on their sins and to return to Him. This is clarified in Christianity and Islam, as in Christianity: “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes” and: “Return to Me,and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.” The only hope to the world is that all humans return from their wickedness and reform their paths and actions. God doesn’t wish the wicked to die but to return and live: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” In Christianity we pray to God: “Destroy me not with my iniquities. Be not angry forever, by reserving my evils against me…”
And in Islam: (Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those – I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.)Also: (Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.) And: (But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allah will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.)
Repentance must be sincere, notbecause man wants to pushevil from himselfand then returns again to what he was!! God-Glory to His name- knows the heart of humans, their intentions, and the extent of the sincerity of their feelings. Furthermore; a man must be serious in his repentance as he should cut off all the wicked paths and means from his life with a strong desire and persistence.
Therefore it is a must that we should care for repentance and return to the origins that we received from all the teachings of religions by helping those in need, invoking God tospare the world from death, scarcity, pestilence, devastation, the sword of the enemy, and to return peace, save humanity, have mercy on those who died, and comfort their loved ones, gives wisdom to the presidents and those in charge for taking convenient decisions to protect their people from the consequences of that pandemic and its deadly repercussions…
Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
