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“Is not that which is best, above all, and surpassing all, and that which by preference is most worthy of our love, the Very Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ Who created us, adorned us with blessings, Who gives life to all, sustains everything, and nurtures and loves all?…Should we not then love God above everything and desire Him more than anything?…Let us at least promise ourselves that from this day and from this very hour we will strive to love God more than anything else and labor to fulfill His Holy will…”

The wise Catherine, an earthly princess, became a martyr for Christ. Foolish Maxentius offered her life: If she would consent to become his wife! The holy Catherine, pure as gold, replied to the emperor thus: “My betrothed is the Risen Christ, and I desire not the love of a corrupt man. You seek my body; the rotten seeks corruption, even as the incorrupt spirit seeks immortality. The physical covering must wither away, the true man takes care for his immortal soul. Do what you wish, and torture me – burn me in the fire, turn me on a wheel; I cannot renounce my own soul, nor worship any but Christ as God. Remember, O Emperor, soon you will die, for you dare wage war against Christ, Who is mightier than death. You stand under the Rock, and He will crush you.”

Holy Catherine, Christ’s virgin, you despised the throne for eternal truth’s sake; and thus now reign in the Kingdom without end, and sing with the angels, in the midst of sweet Paradise.
(St. Nikolai Velimirovich)

People were not created merely to live here on earth like animals that disappear after their death, but to live with God and in God, and to live not for a hundred years or a thousand years, but to live eternally. But only Christians can live with God; that is to say, those who rightly believe in Jesus Christ. Everyone, whoever he may be, desires and seeks prosperity and happiness. To desire what is good for oneself and to seek prosperity or happiness is a part of man’s nature, and therefore it is not a sin or vice. But we need to know that here on earth there has not been, and is not, and never will be true and perfect happiness and prosperity; for all our prosperity and happiness is only in God. No one will ever find true happiness and perfect prosperity without God or outside God.
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Fr. Sophrony had an “allergy” against rules. He said, “Christ liberated us from all rules, why enslave ourselves to rules that we make ourselves.” We follow one rule that the Fathers of the Golden Age of Monasticism gave: we do our best, what we can, and we leave the rest to God. And therein lies humility. (We Shall See Him as He is, pg. 220.)

Even if this activity, [living the rule of St. Silouan, 'keep thy mind in hell and do not despair'] is not for everyone, we still try a little dose, in order to maintain a humble spirit before God, and we say ‘Lord, I thank Thee for all the things that Thou has done for me, of which I know and of which I know not, whether manifest or hid, I thank Thee… though I am unworthy.’ And this is a very light form of the same thing, but if we continue giving thanks to God in this way, remembering that He always treats us with goodness, even though we are unworthy, slowly, slowly, grace will accumulate in our soul, it will heal our spirit, and then, perhaps, we shall even be able to practice the Way revealed to St. Silouan. (We Shall See Him as He is, pg. 219.)