On Sunday, January 25, 2026, His Eminence Mor Dionysius John Kawak celebrated the Holy Liturgy at the Virgin Mary Syriac Orthodox Church in Cairo, Egypt assisted by Very Rev. Fr. Philipos Issa in the presence of Rev. Fr. Gabriel Hanna.
His Eminence reflected his sermon on the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, a respected religious leader who possessed deep knowledge of the Law but had not yet experienced spiritual rebirth. He mentioned that coming to Jesus at night symbolizes an inner darkness and a sincere search for truth.
He reminded the faithful that Jesus teaches that entering the Kingdom of God requires being “born from above.” This rebirth is not optional but essential. It is not a physical birth, but a spiritual one “of water and the Spirit” pointing to baptism and the renewing work of the Holy Spirit.
“Nicodemus struggles to understand because he thinks in earthly terms, while Christ speaks of heavenly realities. Jesus makes clear that Christianity is not about repairing the old self but becoming a new creation. True faith involves a transformation of the heart, not merely religious knowledge or moral improvement.
His Eminence mentioned also that the Holy Spirit is compared to the wind: unseen, yet clearly known by its effects. A person born of the Spirit is revealed through a changed life marked by love, forgiveness, peace, and humility.
The passage concluded by reminding the faithful that knowledge alone does not save. Salvation comes through a lived faith and a genuine rebirth in Christ.
