Acquire the Spirit of Peace

“Acquire the Spirit of Peace and a thousand souls around you will be saved.” – St. Seraphim of Sarov

Hope

True hope seeks the one Realm of God and is sure that everything necessary for this mortal life will surely be given. The heart cannot have peace until it acquires this hope. This hope pacifies it fully and brings joy to it. The most holy lips of the Saviour spoke about this very hope: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Mercy

It is necessary to be merciful to those wretched and wandering. The great lightgivers of the Church took great care concerning this. In relation to this virtue we must try by all means to fulfill the following law of God: “Be merciful, just as God is merciful” (Luke 6:36). The wise heed these saving words, but the foolish do not heed them. For this reason the reward is also different, as is said: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Non-Judgment and the Forgiveness of Offenses

It is not right to judge anyone, even if you have seen someone sinning with your own eyes, as is said in the word of God: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Mt. 7:1). Someone busy trying to understand oneself has no time to notice the shortcomings of others. Judge yourself and you will stop judging others. It can happen that someone might appear to be doing something bad to us, but in reality, because of the doer’s good intentions, it is a good deed. Besides, the door of penitence is always open, and it is not known who will enter it sooner — you, “the judge,” or the one judged by you.

Troparion of St. Seraphim

You loved Christ from youth, O blessed one, and longing to work for Him alone you struggled in the wilderness with constant prayer and labor. With penitent heart and great love for Christ you were favored by the Mother of God. Wherefore we cry to you: Save us by your prayers, O Seraphim, our righteous Father.

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