I would like to felicitate you today on the glorious Feast of Resurrection, which is celebrated today by the Copts of Egypt and the Christians of the East, praying to God to bless our country, Egypt and its people, with goodness, blessings and peace.
Celebrating the “resurrection,” we remember God’s great power that no mind can fully comprehend. On the Day of Resurrection, the bodies of all human beings, from Adam to the end of generations, will rise when human beings hear the voice of God: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” And also it is said, “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works”
The voice of God is able to revive all human beings from the slumber of death, and to restore life to them, as God – blessed be His name – is life itself, and its source and bestower to human beings.
Also, God’s exalted omnipotence is manifested on the Day of Judgment when all peoples gather before the throne of His glory, in order for every person to be held accountable for what he has done in his life, if it was good, then for eternal life, and if it was evil, then for death and eternal destruction, as St. John the Apostle mentions in the Book of Revelations: “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before [c]God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” It is God’s wondrous omnipotence that will judge the world.
The Resurrection is one of God’s miracles that all mankind will experience on the just fearful day. Our life in this world is nothing but a short dream, or as St. James the Apostle mentioned: “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away”. Therefore, as we celebrate the resurrection of Lord Christ today, we have to pause a bit and reflect on our lives, our deeds, and what we have prepared today for the resurrection of tomorrow.
Happy feast to all of you
The General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
العربية
