Agape

There is nothing better in the world than to love God and your neighbor#orthodox_timeshttps://t.co/s0tVCR7C4x

— Orthodox Times (@orthodox_times) May 28, 2021

Now if only Christians would live this...

Yes, But Pure Agape Requires a Lifetime of Ascesis

“St. John of the Cross believed that a small act of pure love is more useful to the Church than all the other works combined.”

— Pope Francis at this morning’s general audience 🇻🇦https://t.co/p9k2LqRVPW

— Luke Coppen (@LukeCoppen) May 5, 2021

A Saint Said It

Does that mean he is right? This could be used as a prooftext for Christian meekness or even pacificism. How does gentleness relate to mercy and benevolence? And is it always warranted? There is Jeremiah 11:19, but Christ had already decided to surrender Himself. Is this surrender always warranted?

“Call often to mind that our Saviour redeemed us by bearing and suffering, and in like manner we must seek our own salvation amid sufferings and afflictions; bearing insults, contradictions and troubles with all the gentleness we can possibly command.” — St. Francis de Sales

— C.C. Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 6, 2020

There Is a Place for Hope in the Christian Life

And considering the Last Things frequently. But is the eschaton our primary motivation or God in the present? Focusing too much on our subjective beatitude instead of objective beatitude (God) can lead to that sort of piety which focuses on the accumulation of good works and merit, rather than God. Purification of one's self so that one can focus on God is what is important; everything else will be taken care of accordingly.

I think we need more homilies on heaven. Fixing the mind and heart on the good things to come helps to bear well and patiently the sufferings and sorrows of the present. To live for heaven is neither escapist nor cowardly: it's Christian. https://t.co/isHX4A26QQ

— Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP (@PatrickMaryOP) December 5, 2020

The Moral Meaning of the Parable of the Good Samaritan

The Lord Has Bound Us to One Another By the Thread of Holy Love | Homily on today's Gospel reading by Metropolitan Hilarion, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. https://t.co/MQKvsTNa0I pic.twitter.com/8EmFmfqrpv

— Pravmir.com (@Pravmir_English) November 29, 2020

Pravmir

How is this different from what Pope Francis did in his last encylical letter? Metropolitan Hilarion probably acknowledges that the Christological meaning is primary, and the moral meaning is first determined by that. Also, Metropolitan Hilarion does not use the parable to lay out a simplistic moral theology regarding immigration, refugees, etc.

John of the Cross: Desire, Transformation, and Selfhood

Published today! It is desire that unites John of the Cross's writing - and it is an understanding of desire that may help us think more theologically about desire today. @OUPReligion pic.twitter.com/pkq40JjOwm

— Sam Hole (@Sam_Hole) November 19, 2020

OUP

The Problem with Snippets

Is that they are too short and if they are valid, they must be understood within orthodoxy. One could read this from a Pelagian view, or from an orthodoxy synergist view.

Blessed Sunday☦️

"Think nothing and do nothing without a purpose directed to God. For to journey without direction is wasted effort."
-St. Mark the Ascetic pic.twitter.com/CacZ6K7ahX

— Ortho.Bro ☦️ (@bro_ortho) November 8, 2020

Love for Christ

"Love for Christ is something else. It is without end, without satiety. It gives life; it gives strength; it gives health; it gives, gives, and gives." +St. Porphyrios

— Saint Porphyrios (@saintporphyrios) October 26, 2020

Agape

"Christ is life, the source of life, the source of joy, the source of the true light, everything. Whoever loves Christ and other people truly lives life. Life without Christ is death; it is hell, not life." +St. Porphyrios

— Saint Porphyrios (@saintporphyrios) October 9, 2020