The Service and the Servant — Fr. Mikhail Ibrahim

[In the Name of the Father,] the Son, and the Holy Spirit — one God. Amen. Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the age of ages and eon of eons. Amen. 

Our good God, we are between Your hands, You are the good Teacher, because You are God and we believe that You are God. We beseech You, O Lord, to teach us [] so that we may be perfect as You are perfect and holy as You are holy. O Creator of the universe and Renewer of the times, renew our hearts. O Satisfier of all with good things at all times, show us Your salvation, O our good Savior. O Keeper of the covenant and mercy, do not cast us off forever. Have mercy on us. 

In the power of Your promise, O Lord, yes, in the power of Your promise, I open my mouth.

O beloved, if ours is the principle about which our teacher Paul the apostle said, “for me to live is Christ,”[1] we know with full certainty that if we serve, it is not we ourselves who serve, but [we serve] through Christ who is ours, in Whom is our life. No one has served Christ except the one who has loved Christ, and no one can love Christ except the one who has first experienced His love. And if we have loved and experienced the love of God and His support for us, we would begin to love one another, and this is the sign that we love Christ: “By this they will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”[2]

If we loved one another, we would feel the responsibility that is on the shoulder of each one of us toward his beloved and toward his brother. If we loved one another, we would feel the responsibility that is on each one of us toward his brother whom he loves, and here begins the responsibility that prompts us to the service. And if we feel a responsibility that prompts us to the service, we must know the purpose for which we serve one another. If we knew the purpose, we would not get lost, and our service would not be unfocused, but our service would have a known purpose [].

Do you know the purpose of the service? The purpose of our service to one another [] is not our service to one another first, but the primary purpose is that I serve for the salvation of my own soul first. And when I serve for the salvation of my soul, I have experienced salvation working within me and I have experienced the love of God, and thus I will declare it, as Christ said to the one whom He healed []: “Go and tell how much the Lord has done for you.”[3] Because if I have not experienced the work of God in me and the love of God in me, I cannot speak, and if I speak theoretically, there is no benefit. But if it is my life — if my tongue is silent and my life speaks — in this is the true benefit. 

You want to serve and you want to tell your brothers about your experience — first, we said we cannot serve unless we love the Lord, and we cannot love our Lord unless we experience His love and His benefactions. Therefore we must sit and contemplate every morning and every evening before we pray; before we praise God, sit and contemplate the benefactions of God toward us — what goodness He has shown us — one by one, not cumulatively, because when we know the benefactions of God one by one, we will give thanks, and naturally man is a servant of benefaction. When we contemplate the benefactions of God, love — the love of God — will begin to work in our hearts and we will be occupied with the One who does good to us. 

My beloved, if you want to serve, place your hand in the hand of everyone who unites with you in the purpose. The meaning now, the meaning of this word, is that you, O servant, let there be fellowship between you and your fellow servants in the one purpose, and everyone you see who serves for the right purpose, place your hand in his hand. 

And what is the right purpose? The one you see serving himself first, searching within his soul for its salvation, the one you see searching in his labors to find rest — put your hand in his hand and be assured of him, because as he strives for the salvation of his own soul, if he experiences this salvation and receives it from God, he will declare it to others and will share with you in the service of others.

This is the positive side, but there is also a negative side: do not interfere with the affairs of one who differs with you in the purpose, as this becomes a hinderance, because we want all people to fit our terms, and this is not right. Do not interfere in the affairs of the one you find differing with you in the purpose, but one thing only is upon you: that you pray for him. And when you pray for him, your prayer, emanating from a loving heart, will be answered and you will gain him, and then this difference will transform into agreement, and when we agree in the purpose, we place our hands in one other’s hands, and when we put our hands in one another’s hands, the work will succeed.

If you say, “I will pray for him” — I do not say to pray for only the one with whom you differed, but at the same time do not deprive him of your service. Serve all lest you lose the purpose. You intended the salvation of your soul — this is the purpose, part of the purpose — and the second part is the salvation of your brothers because you have loved them, and the one who loves guides his brothers, whom he loves, to that which he has tasted and found sweet and pleasant and in which he has found strength and joy and delight.

And do not have a purpose except the consecration of yourself first — your soul first — for its salvation. And when you consecrate your soul for its salvation, you will benefit your Church. You will begin to serve the Church because you will have reformed a member of the members of the Church.

And if we served our souls and if each one reformed himself — we are many members in the Church — necessarily the other members would take from us [] and would gain and profit. Know that if you desire to serve the Church — you have served yourself and were able to experience the love of God and experienced that He is able to change your weaknesses into strength and grant you victory so that you may have triumph. Have you experienced? — then you will begin to consecrate your life to the service of the Church. 

And consecrating your life to the service of the Church is not only for the small, but also for the great. Do not underestimate yourself [in teaching] an elder; I am not telling you to teach him with your tongue, but let him look to you and find you a good example. You, O small one, show him that you are not by yourself but by the power of God working in you, by Christ with whom you have fellowship, Christ [] who loved you and loves you. Christ loved you and loves you and loves all. 

Let the [soul] of the [elder] be consecrated to this purpose, that he begins to save his soul; he will take you as an [] example, and in truth he will not take you as an example, but he will take Christ who is in you so that He will be in him also. And at the same time, consecrate yourself to building the small souls: build [them] to love the Church, teach [them] the right principles, teach [them] the golden rules, and make [them] feel the effect of the Church rites. Teach him. Teach him! 

Beautiful is the name to which Sunday School was changed. I feel that the Holy Spirit was in this change of name, in their changing it to Ecclesial Discipline. Once we began to learn superficial teaching, we became weary, but when we were in the offices — and of course you do not know the offices [] of the masters and sages, in which was the strike of the [stick], the strike of the blind master, wondering where the strike would land, [and it would land] wherever it fell — once we stopped saying that we “learned the Arabic,” and long ago they would say “learned the Arabic” to mean “learned the Psalms.” Once we stopped memorizing the Psalms, and our psalms began to emerge from our own minds, in personal prayers, superficiality commenced. We desire, if we are to teach the young children, to teach them within the embrace of the Church. 

Hear, O my brothers: the Sunday School teacher is found in two states — a good condition and a bad condition, far be it from all of you. He is a living example of prayer, so if he consecrates himself and his service first to the service of his own soul, he will [] become an example of prayer, or, far be it from you, an example of deadly stumbling to evil, God forbid. 

You have a duty to follow the first example — in persevering in prayer and reading the Holy Bible daily, in the morning and the evening, not reading in order to teach people, but reading in order to teach us the way and guide our steps. Reading so as to act according to it, how to become an example of prayer. 

Also sacrifice! Sacrifice for the sake of the name of Christ by which you are called! As to the name of Christ by which you are called, we say to Him regarding this name: “Have mercy on us for the sake of Your name which is called upon us.”[4] Meaning we intercede by the name by which we are called! [] Sacrifice for the sake of this name which is a cause of your salvation, which is an intercessor for you. 

This is the positive side, and the other, which we do not want to do, is the negative side. Beware of that other side. 

Beware of stumbling! How do you beware of this issue? Persevere in repentance! And what is the meaning of repentance? The mystery. The mystery of repentance, which is the mystery of confession. Examine yourself at the end of the day and examine yourself in the morning for every small and great thing. Have regret, and ask God to grant you a desire for repentance, so that you might be saved and so that you do not stumble or cause anyone to stumble. Because we must ask of God: please, cast away from us the evil spirit of stumbling; do not let us stumble because of anyone and do not let us cause anyone to stumble, because both are sin and both are a net that may ensnare us and others. May God save us from it. 

Repent! If you feel defeated, repent! And if you feel weak, commune, because communion is placed on the altar to renew the strength of the believers, to renew the strength of those who approach and partake of it. The Fathers said that the Christian believer who does not commune for forty days becomes weak, and if he becomes weak, he is overcome, and if he is overcome, what will the result be? Joy? Of course not. But there will be grief. Approach! It happens that we do not approach unless we are worthy, but how are we worthy? We are worthy in that we know our sins, and we are worthy in being victors by repenting of [them] and forsaking [them], and so He grants us to approach the mystery so as to receive power, which grants us to walk in the procession of repentance; it grants us to walk, it supports us and helps us. 

Hear! Hear! The saintly fathers said that prayer is the mother of the virtues. Therefore Christ said, “Pray always and do not lose heart.”[5] Prayer is the ladder to heaven, lifting you from below to above. Prayer is food for the soul, because it is the food of angels, so it becomes food for us, to satisfy us. The joy of the saints! O how joyful it is when a person has a friend and sits to speak with him! How much more when we all desire to speak to our Heavenly Father. Prayer is a son in the presence of his Father, speaking with Him; it is joy for the children. If we are children of God, we must always speak to our Father. Do not neglect it. When we neglect it, we become weary.

Prayer also has an important point. Do not ask for matters to proceed and take place according to your desire — you must have a plan and faith that God knows more than you what is right for you. Can one know better than his father? 

Listen, I will not forget a story related in front of me about an Arab man. This Arab had a son, and God blessed this son so he gradually rose in governmental positions until he became a counselor. He came to visit his father, [] but when his father learned that the son had come, he did not rise to meet him outside, because he knew that he was a good son. The father rose to meet the lost son because he wanted to [restore him],[6] but this Arab knew that his son was polite. He did not rise to meet him outside. The son entered to greet his father, and all who were present with his father stood because he was a high-ranking counselor. He first held his father’s hand, bent down and kissed it, and then greeted those present, and his father told those present to be seated but did not tell him to be seated, so he remained standing and refused to sit, until his father told him: “Praise God for safety, go inside and greet the rest of the family.” 

My children, no matter how exalted the son becomes, he cannot rise above his father, and no matter how ignorant the father is, it is not possible for his son to boast over him in his knowledge. The eye cannot rise above the eyebrow ever. The eye is [prominent], and the eyebrow is barren, yet the eyebrow is above the eye.

No matter how the son rises in knowledge and has honors and baccalaureates, and whatever else of the current sciences — which I cannot pronounce [] — no matter what the son achieves, and no matter how ignorant the father is of [basic things], absolve me, no matter how ignorant the father is of [basic things], still the son does not rise above the father ever. 

Your Heavenly Father knows more than you, and knows what is best for you.[7] So do not ask for something according to your desire in prayer, but ask Him — express to Him your desire and thereafter place this desire before the will of God: “Let Your will and Your purpose be done, O God, our God, for You know what is best more than I do.” 

Do not neglect reading the Bible, for the words of God themselves said about it that it is a lamp,[8] and Christ said it is life: “Search the Scriptures, for in them is life.”[9] Whoever does not read the Bible, my brothers, is like a man walking in the wilderness without knowing the path, without a map and without a guide. The guide in our life [is] the word of God which points us to what is right, points us to what is good, and thus you can guide others. 

Do not read the Bible only to teach the children, or to teach others; read the Bible, the word of God, as a guide for yourself, as a teacher for yourself, as a mentor for yourself first. And when you read the word so that it guides you and teaches you, you will experience the power of the words working within you. And when you have experienced, you will hear the voice of Christ saying to you, “Go and tell how God worked in you.” With His word! It changed conditions, it changed the circumstances, and it can change and have an effective impact on the souls of others.

You also have another thing upon you, O Sunday School teacher, or teacher of the School of Ecclesial Discipline. He who knows his own faults is not repulsed by the faults of others. Do you know why we are repulsed by the faults of others? Because we do not know our own faults. Examine yourself! Know your fault! You will find that the faults of others are no longer faults before you, but what you will find before you will be your own fault, and you will want to strive to correct it. 

They presented the woman who was caught in that act to Christ because they had forgotten their sins and forgotten their faults, but they saw the fault of the poor, pitiable, defeated woman who was overcome by Satan, who was overcome by sin.[10] They presented her. They presented her in order to test Christ and try Him! But to those who came to test Him, He taught a useful lesson for their souls. He told them: “Carry out the Law, but whoever strikes her with the first stone should be without sin. Whoever among you is without sin, let him cast the first stone.”[11] And they began examining their own souls. Then the sin of the woman disappeared from before them, and one by one they quietly retreated. 

[] 

And also, if we contemplate our sins, we are not repulsed at the sins of others, nor do we become upset with them. We become preoccupied with correcting our own souls, and the primary purpose is restored: what are we doing? Dedicating our service to correcting ourselves first. 

Not only this, [but] if I know my sin, there is a benefit: I would not become repulsed at the sins of my brothers, and all my brothers will be beloved before my eyes as righteous people. But I will also hold myself accountable and judge myself regarding my sin, and whoever judges himself is never judged by anyone — even God does not judge the one who judges himself! 

Whoever judges himself says to Him, “I have sinned! Have mercy on me! I am not worthy of standing between your hands!” He says, “[] I will not hold you accountable because you confessed and asked forgiveness; I will not judge you.” But we do not judge ourselves; rather, we judge others. And while we judge others, we judge our own souls with [their] condemnation from the mouth of God! 

Know your sin and you will not be repulsed by the sin of others. Judge yourself so that you are not judged by others, even those whom you have wronged. When you say to him, “I have sinned, my brother, forgive me,” regardless of what may be in his heart from the effect of your wrong toward him, you will find him forgiving. 

Also, do not think of the old sin, as thinking about it renews it for you. Know that the old sin that has passed, and about which you have confessed, and which has ended, and which has gone far from you, if it is renewed, it is Satan renewing it to tire you; he renews it so that you fall into it. Therefore, do not think of it; think of the new continually, and leave the old behind. “Forget what is behind and push toward what is ahead.”[12]

Also, it is common for someone to insult you; think of your insulter — not that he is offensive; do not think he is offensive! Do not think that he casts words like stones, that wounded you or hurt you. No! — think of your insulter as having freed you from false glory, because false glory causes you to fall short of eternal glory. Whoever insults you and does not say a good word has prevented false glory from you. Therefore, you will attain perfect glory. The man came out to curse David the prophet, and David’s men were behind him. “An impolite man! Leave us to kill him!” “How? God has provided him to curse me! So that false glory does not affect me or deprive me of the perfect glory, the everlasting glory.”[13]

If you want to be a servant of the word of the Lord, serving for the salvation of your soul first and for the salvation of others, know that when you justify yourself, you fall into the most evil of vices. Therefore, Christ did not forget to open our minds to this matter. If you do all righteousness, do not say, “I am righteous.” If anything is attributed to you, do not say, “I am righteous.” But “if you do all righteousness, say, ‘I am an unprofitable servant.’”[14] Who among us is without sin, dear ones? Tell me. 

Leave aside the sins of times past; let us focus on the sins of today. And leave aside the sins from morning to evening; rather, let each of us merely contemplate how his thoughts were after eating, or while eating; how his thoughts were when he was sleeping a little at noon; how his thoughts were while he was coming to church now. If we think but a little, we will find that there were deviant thoughts. 

Do yourself a favor, do not justify yourself, because if you justify yourself, this is a great sin. But say, “there is no servant without sin, and no master without forgiveness. Forgive me, O Lord!”[15] Many times do we sin by our breaths: perhaps you might wonder how we might sin by our breaths. We see someone who bothered us a little, or did something which, according to my thought, is unpleasant, and we cannot talk, so we [scoff or huff]. Meaning we find even with our breaths [means of committing sin]. 

Sin is sinful.[16] It softens and solidifies. Flee from it, my beloved.

Do not hate trials. Do not think that life is easy. But rejoice in trials, because by your struggle against trials, and in trials, you draw near to God and worship [Him]. 

Many of us hate difficult circumstances and hardships, but hardships are exceedingly sweet! “Call me in trouble, and I will save you.”[17] You draw near to God in the hardship. The sailor does not know God except at the time of drowning. Here is drowning — hardships! Call Him! And there is a great difference between you and the sailor. The sailor guides a ship, but you guide your soul. The sailor guides the ship to the port, but you guide your soul to the harbor of salvation! There are many hardships, there are many waves, there are many whirlwinds, there is uncomfortable wind which causes you to hold the rudders of the ship and pull, there are many things. Rejoice at the existence of these hardships, and do not rejoice that these hardships will end. Look to God, and when you look to God, you will draw near to Him, and He is near to you.

Know that if you desire to be in holiness and desire to be in perfection, holiness does not spring up except from the ground of humility. If you desire to be a saint, like God, humble yourself like God. “Learn from me; I am gentle and lowly [in heart].”[18] What a wonder! The God of gods became the Son of Man so as to become poor, the King of kings who extends His hand so as to satisfy every living thing with goodness, had no place to lay His head. Glory to You!

Humble yourself, my beloved, and your holiness will appear, and you will be perfected in glory — the glory which will lift you up higher and higher, not only higher, not above the people, but there, to bring you to Heaven. Glory to You, Lord. Grant me! Grant me! 

Also, a point that one of the brethren mentioned to me on our way here. Do not hate the sinner, because if you hate the sinner, you will not pray for him, and if you pray for him, our Lord will not hear. The Lord says: “Do you ask for your brother while your heart is black toward him?” If you will hate, hate the sin that holds your brother captive! Ask our Lord for your eyes to become cleansed [toward] your brother. But if you hate the sinner, then here the matter becomes, forgive me, that I hate myself, because am I righteous? I am not righteous, and if I am not righteous, why do I hate the sinner? As I seek salvation for myself from sin, so I should seek for my brother salvation from sin.

Listen! Sometimes we have an opportunity to see people watching each other and criticizing each other. No, this is not love. O teacher of the schools of Ecclesial Discipline, it is not love to see two looking at each other and adding to each other’s sins, because you place your brother in a position of judgment and condemnation. And as you wish for your brother, so it will be for you. But rejoice when you see your brothers’ hearts changed, their thoughts aligned, their hands joined together as we said in the beginning. If you wish to serve, place your hand in the hand of everyone whose purpose aligns with your purpose. But whoever disagrees with you in purpose, leave him; do not interfere in his matters, only pray for him. [] 

If you have experienced the love of God, and if our Lord has supported you in times of difficulty, support others. Encourage with your prayers the righteous so he may increase in righteousness. As we say, “those who are upright, protect them.”[19] And should you only encourage the righteous? No, but also encourage the sinner with your prayers — “and those who are fallen, raise up.”[20] Do not say to the sinner, “your prayers are not accepted.” Let us pray to God! Tell him to pray, and if he says to you, “I am a sinner,” say to him: “Christ will rejoice to hear your voice, O sinner.” Tell him there is a popular song that says: “Come, O sinner, come, the door is open.” Yes, encourage him. Encourage him, and when you encourage him, he will open [his heart], you will [gain] him; he will not flee from you.

Encourage the weary so that he may find rest by your prayers. Encourage the weak in soul — if you see that you are able — according to your ability. There are many weak souls. The Bible says: “We who are strong ought to bear the scruples of the weak.”[21] Not to become repulsed; if we are strong, if we have the ability, but do not [belittle him] — all are weak. Encourage the weak; encourage the weak in soul and he will be strengthened. 

Do not cast behind you the one who is careless! Remind him of the Law of God! Encourage him to not be careless! []

Encourage the beginner, so that he may bear fruit. The one who begins anything is fearful. Many young people say: “[I] want to serve in Sunday School, but I am not able.” O, my son, you are not the one who serves, but God. For the sake of His children, He gives you the grace by which you can serve yourself and serve others.

If there is someone carrying hatred in his heart and wants to take revenge, encourage him [to forgive] with your love. Do not distance yourself from him. No! Embrace him. Encourage him with your love, and within himself, though his heart is bad, when he finds someone embracing him, he begins to forgive — even the one he hates.

O my brothers, the purpose of our service is the salvation of our souls and the salvation of others’ souls, because the Lord came not for the righteous but for sinners, the sinners “of whom I am chief.”[22] When we encourage the one who hates, [] the storm that came upon him will dissipate; because our heart is full of love [], he will become calm []. When you embrace the one who is vengeful, he will regret his sin. 

I heard a story long ago that one of the foreign missionary woman was in Ismailia, and she was serving in the clinics — the clinics of free treatment that serve the poor like me. Perhaps one is not poor because he has no money, and perhaps another is poor because his soul loves money, so he loves what is free. People always love what is free. [] She began to go to these people, kiss them, and [speak with them] — “What do you have?” And she would go to this one and that one, and to the rude one [], speak with her, embrace her, and kiss her, in order to [encourage them], saying to them, “May God heal you, may Christ heal you.” One woman said to her: “You are an English woman and you love filth?” She said to her: “[] I was like them, and He embraced me in His bosom! See His love!”

When you encourage the captive, he repents; he will find the goodness that is in your heart. The goodness that is in your heart will overwhelm him. They do not paint white beneath black, lest the black overwhelm the white. But you, when you draw near, oh white one, to the black one, God will grant your whiteness to affect the blackness and the blackness will lighten. Draw near and the power of God will work. 

Do not see someone upset and not smile toward him. Offer a smile to the one who is downcast and you will find that he will be overcome — but do not smile mockingly; smile with love and you will find that he will smile. [] Listen! One was sitting in a group and sneezed, and found that the rest also sneezed. Why? What is the secret? There is a secret. Souls desire to become like one another. Smile toward the one who is burdened, whose countenance is burdened, and encourage the fearful by your smile so that he knows that [] no matter how many fears surround a person, “If God is with us, who can be against us?”[23] These fears cannot affect us. He is protecting us, we are in His bosom. 

Encourage with your words — your words are important — your pleasant words toward the one who is in need of a word of compassion. [] Gladden the one who is depressed with a word of reassurance, that his is the gift of peace, the peace which cannot be granted by the world, but [which comes from] One alone: Jesus. []

And not only this — the matter is not only words and a smile — something theoretical — but we seek the practical matter: encourage everyone in need of service by working with him so as to win him; the issue is not only encouragement with words or a smile, or such things, but also with work. Stretch out your hand! 

Someone carrying a bag, who is tired and frazzled and for whom the bag is too heavy — extend your hand! The bag with two handles is carried by two. “May I help you in carrying this basket? May I help you in carrying this bag?” Do not be sparing. Labor with him and help him. [] Even if you do not know him. He will know that in you there is a secret. 

Do not flee from the one who seeks mercy from you. Draw near to him! [] If someone asks you for something, put your hand in your pocket, [] extend your hand with mercy! [] The Disciples shrunk back, they said to Him “there are only five loaves, but what can these do for this many people?” He said to them, “Do not be afraid; bring them.”[24] Give what you have, as much as you are able. When you give as much as you are able, give more than half an hour, give more and more. 

Encourage. Encourage with your work, your hand and your pocket. Encourage with your money. [] [See] your table, there are no less than seven types [of food]. You may say, “How are there seven types?” I will count them for you.  [] Is there a table without bread? There is bread. Is there a table without salt? There is salt! Is there a table without tomatoes, without water? There is water! Here are three which do not leave the table, even if you are not wealthy. [] One has four types [of food] and another cannot find [food to eat]. [] There are many who are poor and needy, encourage them with the things that God has granted you, and when you encourage him, you will gain him. 

Encourage from your heart every servant and those you serve. [] 

Lift your heart to God so that He may grant you the grace of service — the service of your own soul first. Lift your heart for the sake of your brother servants, so our Lord may grant them grace in the service of their own souls first,

[]

to save them, and of others also. 

To Him be glory. To Him be majesty. To Him be worship now and forever. 

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[1] Philippians 1:21

[2] John 13:35

[3] Mark 5:19

[4] See e.g., The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil: The Commemoration of the Saints

[5] Luke 18:1

[6] See Luke 15:20

[7] See Matthew 6:8

[8] See Psalm 119:105

[9] See John 5:39

[10] See John 8:1-11; This was a common theme in the teaching and guidance of Fr. Mikhail Ibrahim.

[11] John 8:7

[12] Philippians 3:13

[13] See 2 Samuel 16:5-14

[14] Luke 17:10

[15] See e.g., The Hymns of the Great Lent Season in the Coptic Orthodox Church

[16] See Romans 7:13

[17] Psalm 50:15

[18] Matthew 11:29

[19] See The Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory: The Litanies

[20] Ibid.

[21] Romans 15:1

[22] See 1 Timothy 1:15; The Agpeya: The Conclusion of Every Hour

[23] Romans 8:31

[24] See Matthew 14:18; John 6:9

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Fr. Mikhail Ibrahim, born Mikhail Ibrahim Youssef in 1899 in Qafr Abdou, Quisna, Egypt, was raised in a devout household and formed deeply by the Church from a young age. He worked for many years as a police clerk before being ordained to the priesthood in 1951 to serve his home church in Qafr Abdou, after the departure of its priest. His civic life was characterized by integrity, seriousness, and zealous service wherever he was stationed; even then he was known for establishing spiritual communities and leading a pious and active ecclesial life.  He was well known even as a layman to many saints of his day, including St. Pope Kyrillos VI and His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, who related at his funeral that while residing at the Church of Saint Mina in Old Cairo as a layman himself, he would see him come to that church, prostrate himself outside at the front of the church, and again several times between the front door of the church and its altar before standing to pray in deep prayer.  After his ordination, he served his village in all humility and dedication before being caused to depart to Cairo, where he was brought into the service of the Church of Saint Mark in Shubra by its shepherd, Father Morcos Dawoud, which parish he continued to serve until his repose on March 26, 1975. His ministry in Shubra was marked by continued fruitfulness and expanding spiritual influence — he shepherded his parish with all purity and selflessness, was granted countless disciples, whom he guided with profound humility and wisdom, and was known for his seriousness, depth of prayer, simplicity, and complete dependence on God. Whenever anyone brought a problem to him, he would say, “let us pray, my son,” and assign a saint to handle the concern, and when anyone complained to him of having been wronged by another, he would simply respond, “this is Satan, my son, this is Satan,” in view of redirecting the complainant to discerning that sin originates from the devil and not from the one who sins, who is rather a victim enslaved by him — a common theme in his teaching. He was not a man of much public teaching — in fact, the translated homily and the corresponding Arabic recording herein represent the only known recorded lecture for Fr. Mikhail, despite his renown as a wise teacher and trusted counselor to many, including several of the Church’s saints of the twentieth century, in personal discipleship and confession.  Upon his departure, Pope Shenouda III, who was his disciple and son in confession for many years — and who officiated his funeral, at which he delivered a deeply moving eulogy, in which he called him a “profound guide,” “loving heart,” and “immense power” — requested that he be buried beneath the altar of the Great Cathedral of St. Mark, because, in his own words, “he was a public man who belongs to no single church, whose children are in every place and every village and every city, who should not be reserved for one place, but who should be buried [in the Cathedral], in a public place,” and, as His Holiness publicly admitted, he also privately wanted his pure body to remain near, as a support to him.

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