Comments

8 responses to “The Journey towards Love”

1. 

   morninggrace

   March 9, 2011

   All day I’ve been struggling with temptation – then suddenly the light dawns on me – and I’m not struggling with temptation, but learning to love in a way I have not loved before.

   This is so apt right now. Thank you for posting. Thanks be to God for His all loving, gentle way.

2. 

   Pr. Lovett

   March 9, 2011

   Lent is about love, ending with the Passion of our Lord. If you fast day and night but have not love, you are a clanging symbol. If you give great alms and attend all the services of the Church, but have not love, you gain nothing. Now we know one another in part, seeing dimly as through stained windows, but then we shall know one another fully even as we are fully know. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God. But the one that does not love does not know God for God is love. Beloved, let love one another.

   Great post, Fr. Stephen.

3. 

   Steve L

   March 9, 2011

   Very encouraged.

4. 

   Dn Nicholas

   March 10, 2011

   Thank you, Father. I think that this can also be applied to ourselves. How easy it can be to beat ourselves up over our bad days, when we’re overly irritable or otherwise fall short in a way that hurts others — but that just makes it worse. But St. Symeon’s perspective, applied to us, should remind us that we can’t fix the problem ourselves, but that we should merely run to God to heal us, and give the problem up to Him — and then things get better.

5. 

   Darlene

   March 10, 2011

   If we practice what St. Symeon has said here we would have no difficulty in forgiving our brother/sister 70 x 7 – or in other words, over and over and over again.

6. 

   Jesse

   March 10, 2011

   Something I often wonder when reading NT letters is when to consider “all” or “brothers” as all of mankind, or just fellow Christians. It seems that this quote from St. Symeon quite clearly means just other Christians (“all the faithful”), but shouldn’t the sentiments expressed be extended to all mankind?

7. 

   mike

   March 11, 2011

   …Outstanding Post…..i wonder if unconditional love..which by the way..covers a multitude of sins..is perhaps the more intended gospel of Christ..in which case im a very poor example………….

8. 

   XC China

   March 11, 2011

   Christ is in our midst!

   Jesse, I think the phrase “both and” is apt here.

   “For it is incumbent upon us neither to say, nor think of any person as evil, but we must look upon everyone as good.”

   There is the story of a monk who prayed, fasted and struggled more than all the rest. Seeing his own sinfulness he despaired for his salvation and all those around him. He wept bitter tears of repentance for himself and everyone about him. Until one God sent him a dream. In this dream he saw a great room without end filled with an almost infinite number of ladders rising to heaven. He saw that God had uniquely fashioned a ladder for each and every soul.

   Our love should be a light onto all of God,s creation so that not only ourselves but others can find the way, especially those that we would judge otherwise.

   Father, Thank You and please correct and clarify as needed