A Kid with a Strong Personality
                                          
A lady came to me complaining from her son who entered the day care center. "For the last few days," she told me, "I have been patiently scolding him for doing something wrong, saying, “Don't do that.” But he kept answering me, “No, I will do it.”
"I would tell him gently, 'Honey, that's wrong.'
"But he insisted, "I will do this. I will do it."
I was surprised to hear this because I know this kid to be a very gentle boy. He loves me and we get along well together. I ignored the situation (so that he would not get used to having violent arguments with me or with others) and left the place pretending to be smiling. The next day, as I was joking around with him, I asked him, "What's your opinion about what you were doing yesterday?" He answered, "Hmm. . .I know that what I did was wrong." I asked him, "Then why did you insist on doing it even though you knew that it was wrong?" He answered immediately, "I had to do this, otherwise my personality would be weak! Whatever I want to do, I'll do, even if it's wrong!" I was surprised at his answer because this was a kid who wasn't even six years old. "How could he consider listening to my advice-and I am his beloved mother- to be a sign of weakness of personality?" asked his mother. "What can I do," she asked, "to correct his misconception without losing him?"
Since I found that the lady was confused, I said to her, "I advise you to do something wrong in front of him, on purpose. If it happens that he says to you, 'This is wrong,' say to him, 'You are right,' and correct the fault. Then after one or two days, ask him, 'What do you think about my listening to you? Do you think that I have a weak personality?"
Dear youths, many times we have the same attitude as this kid. So, we think that to have a strong
personality is to insist on our own opinion without listening to the opinions of others, especially those who love us like our parents. The strong personality is that which doesn't take the stubbornness of the children without getting the benefit of the experience of the fully grown. It was said about our Lord Jesus Christ that he was "subject to them" (Luke 2:51). That is, to St. Mary and St. Joseph. And he is not only their Creator, but is the Wisdom of God Himself!
Adhere to the Lord so that you may carry the spirit of humbleness which will support your will power in Him and grant you a right personality, allowing you to learn how to deal with everybody, and how to benefit from the experience of many!
 
Today’s Synaxarium: 26 Bashans 1729
§  Martyrdom of St. Thomas, the Apostle
+ سنكسار اليوم: 26 بشنس  1729
§       استشهاد توما الرسول
كتاب لماذا القيامة - البابا شنودة الثالث
بالقيامة يلتقى هذا الصديقان – الروح والجسد – اللذان عاشا في عشرة عجيبة طوال العمر الأرضى ليكملا عشرتهما معًا في العالم الآخر، مشتركين في دينونة واحدة. وفى القيامة سيتحول هذا الجسد المادى إلى جسد روحى (1 كو 15) ويتجلى في طبيعته، ويسلك كما يليق بسكان السماء.
مبارك هو الرب الحكيم في خلقه للإنسان، العادل في معاملته له جسدًا وروحًا، الذي يستخدم الكل للخير.
أعود فأكرر تلك الآية الجميلة "مجدوا الله في أجسادكم وفي أرواحكم التي هي لله" (1 كو 6: 19).. نعم لقد خلق الله الجسد لكى يكون له: ينفذ مشيئته على الأرض، ويقوم لينال مكأفأته في السماء.
وانتهز فرصة هذا العيد، لأطلب أن يعيده الله علينا كل عام بالخير والبركة، وأن يقدسنا الله جسدًا وروحا، وأن يجعل السلام يسود منطقة الشرق الأوسط، هذه التي شهدت أول قيامة ممجدة.. نطلب من الله القادر على كل شيء، أن يعيد إليها الهدوء والسلام وكل عام وجميعكم بخير.