One should be our goal: the love for God, for the Church, for our neighbour. Love, serving God, longing, the union with Christ and the Church is a paradise on earth. The love for Christ is love for the neighbour, towards all, and towards the enemies. The Christian suffers for all, wants everyone to be saved, everyone to taste the Kingdom of God. That is Christianity. Through love for our brother we will succeed to love God. If we wish that, if we seek that, and if we are worthy, then the grace of God comes through our brother. When we love our brother, we love the Church, that is, we love Christ. We are in the Church, too, and that means when we love the Church we love ourselves.
Venerable Porphyrios of Kavsokalivia
