The Motherhood of the Church (2) (Pope Tawadros II, 2020)

Since a mother gives life, she holds an excellent state in people’s life as in the history of salvation. This was Adam’s intention in naming his wife “Eve,” that is to say “The mother of the living” (Gen 3:20).

The Church is what Christ entrusted to His Disciples and Apostles when He told St. Peter the Apostle, in the presence of the Disciples, “And on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:18-19). Lest anyone thinks this was directed to only St. Peter the Apostle—his eager and quick response made the Lord Jesus respond to him directly, even though the Lord said this while the Disciples were present—this exact phrase was also said to all the Disciples in Matthew 18:18: “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Thus, Christ addresses the Church as a possessive noun, “My Church” (Mt 16:18). Therefore, we call her the Bride of Christ, the Church of Christ, the House of God, the House of Angels, the House of Saints…etc. This was reflected in the song that was composed by one of our children, “My Church, my Church, my Church is my home, my mother, and the secret behind joy in my life.” This is a significant expression to the importance and the position of the Church in the life of a Copt; she is a home, a mother and a joy.

First: she is a home since because there is fatherhood in her (i.e. Sacrament of Priesthood), as well as rest and healing (i.e. Sacrament of the Unction of Sick).

Second: she is a mother because my family was established in her (i.e. Sacrament of Matrimony), I was born in her (i.e. Sacrament of Baptism), and I was confirmed as member in her (i.e. Sacrament of the Chrismation of Myron).

Third: she is a joy because I repent in her bosom (i.e. Sacrament of Confession), and from whose table I eat and be filled (i.e. Sacrament of Communion), and become joyful.

Thus, the motherhood of the Church exists through her seven holy sacraments that are practiced by her fathers, the bishops and priests, from generation to generation.

The motherhood of the Church exists always because she joyfully gives birth to sons and daughters since a woman rejoices when she becomes mother just as Eve became happy when she first gave birth (Genesis 4:1); Isaac also reminds us of his mother, Sarah, laughing when she first heard of his conception (Gen 21:6), and rejoiced when he was born. The Ten Commandments declare that a mother is to be respected as much as a father: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Ex 20:12), and in case of any negligence of this right towards a mother or a father, a cruel punishment is the result: “And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death” (Ex 21:17), and “Everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him” (Lv 20:9), as well as it is written in Leviticus 21:18-21. It is also written in the book of Proverbs, saying, “Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness” (Prov 20:20).

These commandments do not only concern biological motherhood or fatherhood, but it is relevant to the spiritual motherhood also, that is the motherhood of the Church, and the spiritual fatherhood that is found in the Church’s fathers. There is great danger to those who break these commandments and neglect them as our Lord Jesus explains to the crowds, saying, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (Mt 15:10-11). Then He gave the well-known parable of “if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch” (Matthew 15:14). Then He concludes, saying, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man” (Mt 15:18).

Truly, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Mt 12:34-37).

I write this in the spirit of the true motherhood of the Church, and out of my great fear for those who underestimate the effect of the large amount of writings and articles without not knowing what they are doing. O beloved, what will your response be before the righteous Judge on Judgement Day?! Do not think that you are a reformer or a scholar or a teacher, for all these are ruses from the devils. You will be exalted greatly and become famous, thinking that these are listening to you without knowing that “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov 16:18).

These are the sayings of God, do you believe them? Beware to not take advantage of God’s benevolence.

The Church, and her flowing motherhood towards you, bears burdens, endures, and is patient, and prays for all those who stray, even those who are of her children whom she waits on to return, to repent, and to purify his or her tongue; she awaits that they may become alert to the Devil’s deception and listen to the crucial words of St. Paul the Apostle as he calls upon them, and says, “‘Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.’ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:14, 15-16).

Please, reread the previous words carefully; they are for you that you may not live in vain, and in the negligence of life, death may come. Arise now and do not delay to tomorrow. Abandon your ill past and your evil pen, and know that “Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness” (Prov 20:20).