I entreat you, my child, compel yourself to show brotherly love. A monk without love is spiritually dead. Do not judge anyone; do not say things that are unnecessary, useless, harmful, and unbecoming for monks.
Why did you leave the world, my child? Wasn’t it to become holy? Wasn’t it to have genuine godly love? When you complain and judge your seniors, can you possibly be fulfilling the goal for which you have withdrawn from the world? How long will the devil laugh, and when will you start repenting and correcting yourself? Time is passing and the end draws near. We must compel ourselves now; now everything can be rectified—later we will bang our heads against the wall to no avail.
subm. no. 9
paragraphs: 11-14 from pages 247-248
From the book
Councels from the Holy mountain
Selected from the letters and homilies of Elder Efraim of Arizona
Selection of passages from the book by Silviu Podariu
