REAL JOY AND FALSE JOY

By H.H Pope Shenouda III

The real joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit in the heart. The Bible says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace... "(Gal. 5:22) It is a joy in the Lord, as the Apostle said. But there are many examples of false joy: Jonahs joy with the plant that gave shade for his head and Solomon's joy with all his toil under the sun. He finally realized that all is vanity and grasping for the wind. And he also said, "The heart of fools is in the house of mirth."

(Eccl. 7:4)

Another example of the false joy is when the elder son said to his father, "You never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends." (Luke 15:29) There is another type of joy which is considered a sin: Solomon said, "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls." (Prov.

24:17) The Apostle, when talking about joy, said "Love does not rejoice in iniquity." (1 Cor. 13:6). The Lord Jesus rebuked his disciples when they were joyful that the devils were subject to them. He said to them, "...do not rejoice in this... but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20). The real joy then is the holy joy in the Lord...

It is also the joy of spiritual life with all the means of grace...The Psalmist says, "I was glad when they said to me 'Let us go into the house of the Lord'" (Ps. 122: 1) He also says, "I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure" (Ps. 119:162) and also says, "I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness." (Ps.63:4,5) Therefore, he sees his joy in whatever draws him to God. Man also rejoices in repentance as it is reconciliation with God... Heaven also shares in this joy with salvation, "there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance... " (Luke 15:7)

Hope is also another source of joy, "Rejoicing in hope." (Rom. 12:12)

Nevertheless, tribulations themselves, make the faithful rejoice, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." (James 1:2)

The greatest joy is meeting God in His Kingdom, when the Lord says to the faithful, "Enter into the joy of your Lord.

Today’s Synaxarium: 11 Tute1728

v     Martyrdom of St.Wasilides

Today we will read chapter 30 from the book of Job at 10:00 PM, May God bless.

+ سنكسار اليوم:11  توت  1728

v     استشهاد القديس واسيليدس الوزير في عهد الملك نوماريوس قيصر

v     استشهاد الثلاثة فلاحين بإسنا (سورس ، أنطوكيون ،مشهوري)

آية اليوم:  فيزيدك الرب الهك خيرا في كل عمل يدك في ثمرة بطنك و ثمرة بهائمك و ثمرة ارضك لان الرب يرجع ليفرح لك بالخير كما فرح لابائك (تث 30 : 9 )

حكمة اليوم: ‫إذا تعارض ما يجب عليك فعله ...مع ما تحب أن تفعل !!!فأترك ما تحب ...وإفعل ما يجب !!!

أقوال الآباء: قال الأب يوحنا القصير: «إذا أراد ملكٌ أن يأخذَ مدينةَ الأعداءِ فقبل كلَّ شيءٍ يقطعُ عنها الشرابَ والطعامَ، وبذلك يُذلُّون فيخضعون. هكذا أوجاعُ الجسدِ، إذا ضيَّق الإنسانُ على نفسِه بالجوع والعطش إزاءها فإنها تضعف وتذلَّل له».