During the funeral of our beloved father, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, one of the bishops read the following last words of a departed patriarch to all his children. These are words of comfort and encouragement to all of us.
I am your father and teacher. All of you my children, listen to my commandments.
- I ask you my beloved children; preserve and look after the faith of the Holy Trinity.
- I ask you my beloved children; love one another with a true love.
- I ask you my beloved children, do good with all humanity.
- I ask you my beloved children; do not let the world deceive you.
- I ask you my beloved children; do not fall short or “be not eager” in the service of the Lord.
- I pray for you my beloved children; pray without ceasing fervently.
- I pray for you my beloved children; preserve your tongues from causing any division.
- I pray for you my beloved children; preserve the Holy Baptism that was granted to you.
- I pray for you my beloved children; preserve your body pure for the Lord.
- I pray for you my beloved children; do not ever let your lamp weaken without light.
- I pray for you my beloved children; preserve the commandments that God gave to you.
- I pray for you my beloved children, that the fear of God be within you.
God is witness, my beloved children, that I did not keep any of God’s words away from you…that I never ever rested my children, and be blamed by any one of you.
If you preserve and keep what I have said to you, you will crush the head of the serpent.
If you preserve and keep what I have said to you, you will eat of the goodness of the earth.
If you preserve and keep what I have said to you, the shining Cherubim will guard you.
If you preserve and keep what I have said to you, you will never lack of the Heavenly gifts.I ask of you my beloved children, to ask of Christ for my soul, that it may have comfort before him, and do not count my shortfalls, unknowingly and unwillingly.
To the clergy, bishops and priests:
I ask for your love and I plead to your reverence, to absolve me, each and everyone of you. And now, I am far from you and have left you, and I cannot see your faces. And now I ask you all that you exhaust yourselves in prayers for me and remembrance in the Holy Liturgies, that my Master may accept me to Him, and forgive me.
And I ask Christ, the Great Shepherds of Shepherds, that he may raise for you a righteous shepherd according to His Will and Heart, that he may shepherd you and your matters and watch for the salvation of your souls.
