Arabic original here.
Apostolicity, Again and Again
On the Sunday of Thomas, Jesus said to the disciples, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:22-23).
"The Holy Spirit is light and life... Spirit of Wisdom, Spirit of understanding..."
Understanding comes from the Spirit. Not from the mind alone and not from knowledge alone, but from the Spirit of holiness.
The saint searches first for wellness of soul. He desires purity and humility. The Gospel is wellness of soul.
The Gospel is translated into action. It is translated into witness and martyrdom.
In the Creed we say, "I believe in one, holy catholic and apostolic Church."
Our Church is apostolic because she preserves the teachings of the Apostles.
The Apostle Paul says, "You are... fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:19-20).
The message of the Apostles is a message of meekness, kindness and giving.
They do not desire fighting and domination. They have a message of love before all else.
They do not say, "I am so-and-so's son and you are so-and-so's son." Influence and partisanship divide people.
It says in the Acts of the Apostles about the disciples of Christ, "They continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers... all who believed were together, and had all things in common" (Acts 2:42 and 44).
They had the power of love.
Not the power of money, the power of authority or the power of lust.
Apostolicity is based first of all on the faith of the Apostles, the true faith of the Gospel without any innovation. It is also based on an apostolic way of acting, a life resembling the life of the Apostles.
The love they had was for all.
+Ephrem
Metropolitan of Tripoli, al-Koura and their Dependencies
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