From your neighbor - life and deathtranslated

“Love for one’s neighbor is the path leading to love for God: because Christ deigned to mysteriously clothe himself with each of our neighbors,” wrote Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov). Every day we have to communicate with many people - relatives, colleagues, with those whom we meet by chance in transport, in a store, and so on. And what to hide is that this communication is not always pleasant... How can we learn to treat everyone in a Christian way, exactly as we treat our neighbors? We are talking about this today with Metropolitan Longin of Simbirsk and Novospassky.

—Vladyka, please explain how we need to understand the patristic words: “From one’s neighbor is life and death”?

—This means that through our relationships with our neighbors, with those people whom we encounter throughout our lives, our attitude towards God is also manifested. The Apostle John the Theologian, who is called the apostle of love, has wonderful words: He who says: “I love God,” but hates his brother, is a liar: for he who does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see? (1 John 4:20). The expression “From one’s neighbor is life and death” refers to the eternal destiny of man. If a person is with God, if he loves God, lives according to the commandments...