Love is the “weakness” of God. His love can be frustrating, even maddening, when we long for our will to be made dominant. In the face of human suffering, Christ suffers. This is not the answer we desire from our gods. In our culture, love is understood to be a desire, or a passionate mark of brand loyalty. We want to possess the other.

Be certain also that the infinite love of the crucified and resurrected Lord will welcome you and transform you, removing the weight that burdens you! He himself said, “Come to Me all ye that are heavy laden and I will grant you rest.”

“Never confuse the person, formed in the image of God, with the evil that is in him: because evil is but a chance misfortune, an illness, a devilish reverie. But the very essence of the person is the image of God, and this remains in him despite every disfigurement.” St John of Kronstadt

Only in the God-man and through the God-man can each human individual become truly human, completely human. Only with the God-man and his Church, and through his Church “with all the Saints,” is it possible to achieve “complete personhood, as measured by the stature and fullness of Christ” (Eph. 3:18,4: ll-16).

Venerable Justin (Popovic) of Chelije in Serbia

Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ p.99