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(see also: Love for one's neighbor). Work with patient constancy in the lot of blessed Martha, who was honored to prepare and supply food for the Savior, expect with faith a reward from the Lord. He will say to those who served the brethren at His Last Judgment: “Amen I say to you, since you have made one the least of these brothers of mine, you have made them for me” (Matthew 25:40). And the Lord leads the brethren who diligently served into eternal peace and pleasure of paradise. Remember that a cup of cold water will not lose its reward in Heaven, and do not miss opportunities to increase your reward. Have the thought that you serve not men, but angels, and your service will delight you. Show love and service to your neighbors for the sake of God, and not out of heartfelt feeling, attraction, election, much less partiality, and your service will be cleansed of impurity - it will be a sacrifice acceptable to God. Based on your disposition and trust in me, a sinner, I tell you: your true obedience especially contributes to your salvation according to your natural properties. Succeed, take courage in this ministry, believe in finding the salvation of your soul through it. Beware of hurting your neighbor! The Monk Anthony the Great said: “Our life and death come from our neighbors: if we give rest to our brother, we give rest to God. And if we offend our brother, then we sin against Christ Himself.” And so be afraid to offend the brethren! Both the service and the insult done to his neighbor are accepted by Christ, as if they were done to Him - the Lord. When you must refuse something to your brother, refuse with quietness and at the same time firmness, explaining the impossibility of fulfilling his desire. If, when you get carried away and sin in some way due to the weakness inherent in all people, do not give in to despondency. On the contrary, immediately run to the Lord with repentance, pray to Him to forgive you, and He will forgive you. Christ is with you. Pray for me, who loves you a lot in the Lord. 107. According to the Fathers, those people who demand from their neighbors the complete elimination of shortcomings have a false concept about this subject. We also find this opinion of the Fathers among the Apostles. One of them (John the Theologian) says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Another (Apostle Paul): “Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). What can give rise to the reproach of a neighbor's infirmities, this is shown in Scripture over men who are the highest in virtues. Who is holier than the apostles? But we read in Acts that there was discord between the apostles Barnabas and Paul, and because of the discord, separation. Without any doubt, this circumstance is told to us by Scripture for the purpose that we, the weak, should be careful, not be carried away by imaginary jealousy, but bear each other’s burdens. So fulfill the law of Christ! Bear my infirmities, and I will try to bear yours, as I have tried before. Of course, you cannot say that you are without infirmities. My weaknesses are more severe for you than for me, and yours are more painful for me than for you. If burdens were without burdens, then wearing them would have no value, there would be no reason to command it. But the price of mutual bearing of infirmities is so great that Scripture concluded in it the fulfillment of the law of Christ, Who bore upon Himself the sins of the whole world. 127. Regarding your neighbors, be guided by the following instruction of St. Isaac of Syria: “Let them better recognize you as ignorant, because of the inability of your mind to argue, and not as wise because of your shamelessness and insolence. Be poor for humility, but be rich for boldness.” “By the power of your virtues, and not by your argumentation of words, rebuke those who oppose you. With the meekness and quietness of your lips, stop the lips and silence the shamelessness of the disobedient. Reprove those who are incontinent with the nobility of your life, and those who are allowed to feel by the modesty of your eyes,” the Divine word teaches, and Divine silence also teaches. 129. You might be interested in: