Βy quiet and gentle love we approach and heal the being of man. We never harp on to someone about his weaknesses and failings. We speak only well of others. While we see their faults, we keep silent and simply love. For when we behave towards a harsh and callous person as he “deserves,” we only make him worse. When, on the other hand, we treat him with consideration and love, we are able to make him better. A Christian does not detest anyone. What does he do? He only loves. He loves even his enemies. When St. Stephen the Protomartyr was being stoned, he gave no thought to the physical pain, but rather how to forgive his torturers. That is why he said: “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” It is astounding to contemplate how far the love of a believer can go. This is a distinctive love, which brings you freedom and calmness. It enables the Light of the Resurrection to spring forth within you; it opens unto you spiritual horizons, causing you to participate in heavenly things while still on earth.
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This may be so if the other person is a stranger, a neighbor, a friend, or a relative. If the person that causes problems is a person in power, however, things are different. At first, you would try to point out calmly and with love that what he/she is doing is wrong. In all likelihood, he/she will ignore you and will continue to do his/her wrongdoing, e.g., favors to himself/herself or to his/her friends, while treating unjustly and unlawfully others. In such cases, which constitute the rule rather than the exception in today's society, continuing to play a lovely person is a rediculous stance. You must refer the situation to the authorities. Jesus Christ Himself did NOT behave "nicely" to the Pharisees, but called them hypocrites, snakes, children of the Devil, etc. Therefore, we must be careful with the above advice. As the late Bishop of Florina Augustine Kantiotis has said, «ἡ ἀγάπη χωρίς τήν Ἀλήθεια εἶναι ἀπάτη»!
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This may be so if the other person is a stranger, a neighbor, a friend, or a relative. If the person that causes problems is a person in power, however, things are different. At first, you would try to point out calmly and with love that what he/she is doing is wrong. In all likelihood, he/she will ignore you and will continue to do his/her wrongdoing, e.g., favors to himself/herself or to his/her friends, while treating unjustly and unlawfully others. In such cases, which constitute the rule rather than the exception in today's society, continuing to play a lovely person is a rediculous stance. You must refer the situation to the authorities. Jesus Christ Himself did NOT behave "nicely" to the Pharisees, but called them hypocrites, snakes, children of the Devil, etc. Therefore, we must be careful with the above advice. As the late Bishop of Florina Augustine Kantiotis has said, «ἡ ἀγάπη χωρίς τήν Ἀλήθεια εἶναι ἀπάτη»!
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