`Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10: 37)`
The entire Gospel teaches that we must leave the insignificant ones for the sake of the more significant ones, the ephemeral things for the sake of the eternal ones, the bad things for the sake of the good, the worthless things for the sake of the priceless ones.
Because if the Holy Gospel would not promise us the most precious things, who would leave those of a lower value? If the Gospel would not show us the brightness of the eternal riches, who would leave the glittering and vanishing ones? Who would give up on these honey and milk, if he did not find something sweeter?
Who would leave his father and mother if he did not find a much closer and dearer relative? Who would sacrifice even his life in pains and death if he did not see in this way that he gains eternity?
Christ, our Lord, is sweeter than milk and honey. He is a much closer relative to us than our own parents, dearer to us than our children and friends, richer than all the visible riches, more precious than life, because He is the giver of the blessed eternity. In comparison with Him everything in the world is inferior, vulgar, bitter, weak, worthless and ephemeral. Anyone who receives Christ will easily leave everything else, because he received what is best of all, the One Who is Himself the supreme goodness.
O, Lord, Jesus Christ, the treasury of all the eternal goods, help us to detsch ourselves of everything and get close to You, Who are our Goodness and Live. For all the Glory and Gratefulness is Yours. Amen.
Excerpt from the Prologues from Ohrid– Saint Nicholas Velimirovitch, Egumeniţa.
