The purpose of our life is to become perfect and holy, to be God’s children and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Fasting, vigil (service) and prayers do not bring themselves the desired fruits, because they are not the purpose for our life, and they represent the means only for achieving the goal. Decorate your lights with the virtues. Strive to discard the passions of the soul. Purify your heart from any impurity in order for God to come and dwell within you. So that the Holy Spirit will fill you with the Divine gifts …
Seek God daily, but seek him in your heart, not outside it. And when you find Him, stand with fear and trembling, like the Cherubim and the Seraphim, for your heart has become a throne of God.
But, in order to find God become humble as dust before the Lord, for the Lord abhors the proud, where as He visits those that are humble in heart, wherefore he says: “To whom will I look: but to him that is meek and humble in heart and to whom that trembles before my Eternal Word”? (Is. 66,2).
You fight the good fight and God will strengthen you. In the struggle, we will encounter weaknesses, shortcomings and our mistakes. The struggle is a mirror of our spiritual state. He who does not struggle, he doesn’t know himself.
Beware of the smallest mistakes. If any sin happens from carelessness, don’t lose hope, but you get up and worship God who has power to raise you. The excessive sadness and grief hide pride in itself.
The excessive sadness and hopelessness are harmful and dangerous and often under the influence of evil they soar to break the progress of one who fights. You can’t overcome the weaknesses and passions and deeply rooted defects with too much sorrow and grief but with patience, courage, effort and attention.
The road which leads to perfection is really long. Pray to God to encourage you. Watch out and pray that you don’t fall into despair.
Do not despair if you fall often into the same sins. Many passions are strong by nature and by habit, but in time they are defeated.
English translate: Violeta Nedanovska
