Below is a photograph of Saint John with his wife Matushka Elizaveta, and the other photo is of Saint John with his sisters beside him, their names are Anna and Darius.
“Watch your vices, above all at home, where they appear freely, like moles in a safe place. Outside our own home, some of our vices are usually screened by other more decorous ones, whilst at home there is no possibility of concealing these black moles that undermine the integrity of the Soul.”
“Avoid by every means occasions, causes and words that produce enmity, and avail yourself of every opportunity and occasion to show holy and sincere love.”
“A wise Elder asked his disciples, “Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?” His disciples thought for a while, one of them said, “Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.” “But, why do you shout when the other person is just next to you?” asked the Elder, “Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?” The disciples continued to give some other answers but none satisfied the Elder. Finally he explained, “When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.” Then the Elder asked, “What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small…” The Elder continued, “When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other. When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return! Love calms and agreeably expands the heart and vivifies it, whilst hatred painfully contracts and disturbs it. Those who hate others torture and tyrannise themselves… What is sweeter than love? And yet there is not much love in us! Lord! Thou, Whose love to us infinitely surpasses the love of every father, of every mother, of the tenderest wife, have mercy upon us!””
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