The Motherhood of the Church (1) (Pope Tawadros II, 2020)

The Motherhood of the Church

The Church over generations has always been a “mother” who cares for the well-being of Her children, paying attention to the physical, spiritual, and emotional aspects of their lives. Her seven sacraments are the foundation of Her faith and godliness over the years as witnessed by Her history.

The enemy of goodness is the one who, from time to time, instigates doubts in this orthodox faith by rumors, heresies, lies, and falsehoods. The Church, through Her fathers and congregation, has always stood in defense against any deviation of faith and doctrine, as She not only knows the faith, but lives this faith daily.The Church, being guided by the Holy Spirit, has to face the circumstances that change from time to time, and as some fathers said “The Church makes the Eucharist and the Eucharist makes the Church.” What is important is to offer the sacrament, whether in homes, caves, catacombs, fields, or churches. What is important is the sacrament.

The holy Body and Blood of Christ, i.e. the real non-metaphorical presence of Christ, do not transmit any disease as they are the Mystery of life, and far be it for anyone to say otherwise.

The methods of distributing the Sacrament have changed in form over the years, but the goal of offering the Sacrament of Holy Communion has always been the same, despite changes in the means and methods that are being used.

Christ’s call has been to “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He also said “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” (Matthew 12:7). Not all the Christian believers are strong in faith, but the duty of the Church is to shepherd, help and serve them. The Church does not only serve those who are strong in faith, but also those who have weak faith, those of little faith, and those of limited faith, as well as sinners of every kind. Christ did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, and He said “Those who are well [strong] have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Mark 2:17).

The Church listens to the call of the person who is crying out “help my unbelief” and She has to respond under the current circumstances.

Two methods of distributing the Mystery of Holy Communion have been settled upon in the Coptic Orthodox Church, and they are:

The first method: The conventional, customary, and well-known method in all of our churches where the prayers and rites of the Divine Liturgy are celebrated with the consecrated altar utensils.

The second method: The alternative method that is being used to administer Communion to those who are sick at homes or hospitals, and to the prisoners in prisons. This method may be used in church as an exception when there are large numbers of communicants with only one priest present. There are many documented references for this in the holy Euchologion book, and it is neither a heresy, nor a deviation, nor a degradation to the sanctity of the Mystery.

On the same scale, we, in practicing the Mystery, use stone altars consecrated with the Holy Myron Oil. We can also use any wooden or non-wooden table with a Holy Tablet that is consecrated with the Holy Myron Oil placed on it, as an exception until there is a permanent and consecrated altar. This does not belittle the Sacrament of Holy Communion at all.

At the time of the institution of the Mystery, there was no global pandemic that killed hundreds of thousands of people, and infected millions in most countries of the world. This is a time of disease and infection. This is a time that needs prevention and extreme caution.

In the temptation of the Lord Christ, the Devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.” While the Lord Christ could have done that, but He answered and said to him, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God” (Luke 4:12).

God is not ungrateful, cruel, or dulled. Far be it!

God is merciful, compassionate, and laments human condition and weakness. It is written: “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

+ This is a time of repentance and not a time of speeches or articles … “but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5).

+ This is a time of regret and preparation, and not a time of stubbornness and cruelty … “Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46).

+ This is a time for tears, and not a time for showing off and debate … “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30).

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” (Luke 9:25). What would be the benefit for anyone who writes and posts on social media and attacks the Church and Her fathers, and Her plans causing the people to be upset and to suffer? Most likely, repentance did not find its way to you. To you I say: Watch out! Death is at the door; “this night your soul will be required of you” and your eternal life is more important than anything (Luke 12:20).

In the Holy Bible, we see Saint Paul the Apostle becoming weak to win the souls of the weak. Consequently, the Church, as a mother, is applying the rules of love during this time of crisis of the pandemic’s global spread, and uses the method of giving Communion to the sick -as an exception- which is a method mentioned in the rituals according to the Euchologion of Fr. Abd al-Masih al-Masoudi al-Baramousi (1902) instead of the usual method, to which we will revert once normal conditions return. This is a suspension or a deferral of the usual way, not a cancellation or an omission. This is the voice of wisdom, especially since we do not live alone in this society. We must not be a cause of confusion for anyone or a stumble to the souls we love.

The call for preventive action as a result of the recent circumstances is not a deviation from the faith at all. We are seeing hundreds of deaths, thousands of infected, and a severe outbreak; The pandemic has exceeded the capacities of hospitals, doctors, and equipment.

There is nothing else for us to do other than to seek mercy from God that He may have compassion on all of us, on our country, on our Church and on our children.

Tawadros II

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