We once used to live in paradise, but with the fall of Adam and Eve we turned our backs to God.
Now the union with Christ has to take place here, on earth. Earth is an exile, and life here is a struggle, but that’s how we prepare for paradise and eternal life.
That’s why Christ suffered whatever he suffered, so that by suffering whatever we suffer in this life, we may finally extricate ourselves from all our supports, stay alone with Christ only, get united with Him, and eventually get united with God, the Father.
Our communion with God is spiritual work done
by the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Man is saved when he has Christ in Him, not by
simply performing some external tasks.
Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos (†)
From the book: Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos, “SPIRITUAL MESSAGES” Panorama Thessaloniki, 2017
