Fr. Macarius (Dr. Atef Meshreky) talking to potential recruits on a boys retreat, August 2016:
"This is the last point I like to share with you and it is very important. Know about the manhood... manhood. I like to explain as much as I can with this delicate issue. I think we are in a generation with a special ailment.. special sickness.. special deficiency is all about the real fatherhood and motherhood. I know many many young men and young women who have been raised in q wonderful family, and their parents are really wonderful parents. But despite all this they have a lot of problems reflecting a lack of receiving the fullness of the fatherhood or motherhood. What is the problem then? The problem is that there's a la... it is not a problem of the parents, because they're doing their best. But the problem is about the proper understanding of this principle of manhood and fatherhood because they're so connected. And the other side also womanhood and God's motherhood. And this is very important principle like a treasure that was lost of the Church of God at some part of the centuries. Here's the understanding of the early Church. The early Church teaches that every person whether a male or a female, a man or woman, is born with a gift of the fatherhood, a dominant fath.. sorry.. I say this of something not yet released, hidden fatherhood or motherhood because of course this fatherhood or motherhood has its time to be released. What's the time? When they have kids, so that they can exercise their fatherhood or motherhood. And what happens usually? The parents will be exciting when they marry, waiting for the kids. And when the kids come they exercise their natural fatherhood and motherhood. And they give all they can give. All care, all love, all needs. Because they're reacting with the new gift, the kids with their natural hidden gift. Now trying to be released. But this does not work according to the teaching of the early church. Simply because it said no one can really have real fatherhood or motherhood. Only one who have the fatherhood and motherhood, God the father! Because of this the Bible speaks about God sometimes as a father and sometimes as a mother.." Dr. Atef Meshreky, 2nd talk [47], “Encounter with God” retreat, August 2016.
