Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim): Glory in Quality

Arabic original here. For the twelfth anniversary of his repose on December 5, 2012.

Glory in Quality

I believe that we Christians have not understood and have not completely realized that a Christian creates a world that is different from-- indeed, that contradicts-- the world in which everyone lives. The world in which there is God's strength is the basis, and not any other strength in the world. It seems that much of the time we seek to be strong in the world, as though we did not really believe that the cross is strength and that Christ is with us at all times.

I will dare to say that much of the time we are swept away in the world and we betray our Lord and make something other than Him our lord.

Christianity is not an empire. Christianity is not an army or a weapon and it is not glories in the way people understand them. Christianity is profundity, quality, authenticity and purity. Someone who is afraid for his glory to be in his quality and his purity is someone who will have a difficult time being a Christian.
The home, the home, the world begins in the home. In your home, what do you do? The Lord Jesus did not form an army when He came into the world. Rather, He chose a pure group, no more than a dozen people, and through them He spread faith and salvation into he world.  Why doesn't every lady and every father in his humble home make an effort to spread the name of God and the name of the Lord Jesus, and so be points in the world, points that are blessed and holy. The world will not be all holiness. That won't happen. The Bible tells us that on the day of Christ's second coming to judge the living and the dead evil will practically dominate every person. Faith will not be strong in the world. Just the opposite-- it will be weak. So let us be content to work in our homes, in ourselves, in our children, where we can make a house for the Lord.