Christ does not call us to love suffering itself, but to love God and our neighbor, explains PS Paisie Sinaittranslated

"The cross is not the search for suffering, but the assumption of love. Christ does not call us to love suffering itself, but to truly love God and neighbor," explained Patriarchal Vicar Bishop Paisie Sinait at the Chapel of the National Cathedral on Sunday.

Starting from the exhortation of the Savior, "To deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me", the hierarch highlighted the contrast between the Gospel perspective and the contemporary mentality.

"This is true freedom. Not to do our will, but to live in harmony with God's will," said the hierarch.

"The precepts of today's world always tell us: live for yourself, your happiness matters above all, assert yourself at any cost. But the Gospel shows us something else: it is not self-centeredness that brings happiness, but communion, sacrifice, the ability to put others above myself."

"What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world?" The Reverend Father Paisie showed the relativity of success and material accumulations in relation to the eternal life to which man is called: "We can have everything and still have nothing, if we lack God."

"Today's world is looking for success,…