In this episode of Living Incense, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the teachings of the Desert Fathers on the inner spiritual life. He discusses why true spirituality naturally leads to humility rather than superiority by likening it to washing away visible and hidden sins gradually. Fr. Matthias explains the difference between humility and low self-esteem, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging one’s true self and relying on faith in God to avoid despair. He also highlights the challenge of stillness and solitude, drawing from monastic experiences to show how being alone with God fosters spiritual growth. The talk addresses spiritual hunger and the discipline required for prayer, even when it feels dry or difficult. Fr. Matthias connects loving God with loving one’s neighbor and examines Christian love as a willing self-sacrifice, not coercion or victimhood. Finally, he reflects on the call to become “dead” to both praise and criticism through self-awareness and faith, following Christ’s example. #DesertFathers #SpiritualHumility #ChristianPrayer #InnerLife #FrMatthiasShehad #MonasticWisdom #StPaulHouston #Coptic #FrMatthias Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org