His Holiness Pope Tawadros II delivered his weekly sermon at the Wednesday meeting this evening, from the Church of St. Mark in Azbakeya. The sermon was broadcast on Christian satellite channels and the C.O.C channel of the Church’s Media Center on the Internet.

H.G.Raphael, the General Bishop of the churches of the Central Cairo, delivered a speech in which he welcomed the visit of His Holiness to the church, commending the idea of His Holiness’ visits to churches and delivering a sermon on Wednesday in them, which are considered visits of His Holiness to his children, in which they enjoy closeness to His Holiness and listen to his teachings.

His Holiness continued the series of “Strong, short prayers from the Liturgy” and addressed part of the Third Epistle of St John the Apostle, verses (1-4), and referred to a short prayer of the prayers that the Church makes in the Gregorian Mass, which is: “Success for the students”. H.H. explained the concept of “success” as a word applied to all stages of life, such as success in studies or success in the spiritual path, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise;” (Micah‬ ‭7‬:‭8)‬ ‭

H.H. explained the characteristics of success through:

1- It is the basis of life, “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭3)

2- Comprehensive of human life, as the example of Joseph, “and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.”
‭‭(Genesis‬ ‭39‬:‭23)‬ ‭

3- It is an aid that God gives to the person who asks for a special blessing. “So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build.”
‭‭(Nehemiah‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬)
4- Renovating energy
“He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him…. The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.”
‭‭(II Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭5‬-‭7)

His Holiness addressed the “keys to success” through

1- Organisation , success requires strict organisation
2- Effort, success requires effort, sacrifice and tears
3- Faith, success requires confidence and belief that the effort expended will not be wasted.
4-Love or harvest. Success requires a person to love what he does, or to harvest all the effort he has made.

Setting the steps on the path to success, through:
1- Man’s honesty in everything, whether in work or service.

2- Obedience to the spiritual commandment,

“And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn;”
‭‭(I Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬)

3- Continuous prayers and spiritual life, “Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son.”
‭‭(Hosea‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬)

4- Perseverance, steadfastness, and defying difficulties.
“Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.”
‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭3‬)

5- Encouragement, because encouragement leads to release of energies and discovering talents, like Pope Alexandros No. 19, who discovered the child who later became Saint Athanasius, Pope No. 20, through encouragement.

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