"Self-coercion is undoubtedly a rebellion against pampering the soul, or it is a war waged against the ego. We all know that if a person gives way to his desires and passions, enjoying slothfulness and indolence, he will no doubt lose his soul"

+ Pope Shenouda +

[From 'The Fear of God and Self-Coercion']

"Along every path man walks, he needs to ask himself with precision and honesty: where does this path lead to?"

+ Pope Shenouda +

"The body which sins is the body which rebels against the spirit, or it is the body which controls the spirit and subjects her to its pleasures. The spirit is consequently defiled with the body and loses her Divine image, falling with the body under condemnation in that fearful Day"

+ Pope Shenouda +

"The most important thing that you must leave for God is your self, your ego. For many, their self is their centre; their ego is everything to them; it is the centre of their thoughts and the pivot of their thinking"
+ Pope Shenouda +

"The spiritual man does not only put God first and before all, but his relationship with God is all and everything to him in life, and he says with the apostle, 'For to me, to live is Christ' (Phil.1:21), and also, ''It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me' (Gal.2:20)"
+ Pope Shenouda +

"Through prayer, you feel that you are not alone"

+ Pope Shenouda +

"Look not to the shut doors, but to the key in the Hand of God"
+ Pope Shenouda +

"Prayer is the opening of the heart to God that He may enter it and purify it"
+ Pope Shenouda +

"As God commanded us to do good in secret, He likewise does good for us in secret"
+ Pope Shenouda +

"It is preferable for you when you pray that you have a heart without words, rather than having words without a heart"
+ Pope Shenouda +

"The fear of God leads to repentance, and to obeying the commandments"

+ Pope Shenouda +

"Satan's game is to find something that will make a person happy other than God"

+ Pope Shenouda +