62- Tears and cheerfulness

One may try to acquire the virtue of tears, so you never see him except in much tears; which gives a distorted picture about being religious.

While for the integral man, there is time for tears, usually before God, in his bedroom, in his solitude or before the Altar of God. Nevertheless, you find him cheerful and gentle in his life with people, gaining the love of all. He places before himself the two rules together:

“Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4). And also :

“By a sad countenance the heart is made better” (Eccles 7:3).

He uses each of them at the suitable time and in a spiritual manner.

Talk and silence

The Spiritual Man Books by H. H. Pope Shenouda III

Mercy and justice