“Man is worthy of being loved just because he’s in the image of God. It doesn’t matter at all if he’s good or bad, moral or sinful. Man is worthy of being loved for what he is. Christ loved and sacrificed Himself for sinful, corrupt people. ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Matthew 9:13).
“We should be the same way: we should love everyone without making any distinctions. Just like the sun rises on everyone, intelligent and unintelligent, good and evil, beautiful and ugly, our love should be like the love of God – love that’s like the sun and shines on His whole creation without making distinctions.”
+Saint Paisios
(Quoted in The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios by Dionysios Farasiotis.)
Gladsome Lights 
Amen! This also brings to mind that when I’m praying for the easy-to-love (my family) I have to remember that He loves them more than I’ll ever know how to while on this earth. I sometimes find myself praying as if I love them more than He does. I’m so clueless sometimes, ha ha. Thinking of how much He loves the UN-lovely can sometimes blow my mind. It’s good to be reminded.
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Okay! Okay, I get it! I have had to be reminded of that just today.
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Oh yes! Thank you for that beautiful reminder, Gretchen.
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We are so loved and because of this we can love, too. Thank you, sweet friend ❤️
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I used to think that passage from Matthew was conditional: IF we repent, THEN . . .
Now I have a less rigid view, Thankyouvery much Paiisios, And I am grateful, Gretchen, for all the good readings you pass on to us.
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