The Main Teachings: Principles of

Continued 👇🏾 The Main Teachings: Principles of Christian Life and Spiritual Service 1. Serving First by Action, Then by Word ✍🏾 If you know how to serve before teaching, you are blessed. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ taught the Gospel first by action and then by word. He did not begin by speaking alone; He began by doing, so that His disciples would clearly understand His teaching. Throughout His life, He showed before He spoke. In the same way, true spiritual service begins with practice, not with speech. ✍🏾 Our Lord : He taught baptism by being baptized 👉🏾He taught fasting by fasting 👉🏾He taught prayer by praying 👉🏾He taught victory over temptation by overcoming the devil 👉🏾He taught service by serving 👉🏾He taught humility by humbling Himself 👉🏾He taught love by loving to the end He washed the feet of His disciples and then commanded them to wash one another’s feet. First, He showed them through His works; then, He taught them through His words. By this, He taught us that Christian ministry begins with living Christianity, and only afterward preaching the life we have lived. ✍🏾 In the same Gospel, our Lord said: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”(John 13:35) This teaches us that the true sign of Christianity is not words, titles, or knowledge, but love lived in action. He also said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”(Matthew 5:16) Visible good works are essential to spiritual service, because they lead others to glorify God. Saint John the Evangelist confirms this teaching, saying: 👉🏾“My children, let us not love in word or speech, but in deed and in truth.”(1 John 3:18)Christianity is therefore a practical life, not a spoken theory. ✍🏾 Those who understand that spiritual service is the preaching of a life lived in practice, and who preach both by life and by word, are honorable.However, those who preach a life they do not live must first correct themselves. Saint Paul speaks strongly about this, saying: “You who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ do you commit adultery? … The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”(Romans 2:21–24)This teaches us that self-discipline and obedience must come first . ✍🏾Blessed are you if you know how to serve with humility and do so in obedience. ✍🏾 If you know how to serve with humility and practice it, you are blessed.Humility is a great and essential principle of spiritual service. Service that lacks humility is not true spiritual service. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ carried out all His saving work in humility. He was not born of kings, but of a humble Virgin.He was not born in a palace, but in a stable. He was raised in simplicity and obedience.He accepted baptism in humility.He taught and served with humility throughout His ministry.On Holy Thursday, although He was Lord and Teacher, He humbled Himself and washed the feet of His disciples. One of the Fathers, Felix, called this act “the mystery of perfect humility.” Through this, our Lord revealed to us the true meaning of humility. Humility Is the Secret of True Greatness. Continues 👇🏾