You cannot be too gentle, or too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives. All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other. We condemn other only because we shun knowing ourselves. When we gaze at our own failings, we see such a swamp that nothing in another can equal it. That is why we turn away, and make much of the faults of others. Instead of condemning others, strive to reach inner peace. Keep silent, refrain from judgment. This will raise you above the deadly arrows of slander, insult and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evil.
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
Drink water from the spring where horses drink. The horse will never drink bad water. Lay your bed where the cat sleeps. Eat the fruit that has been touched by a worm. Boldly pick the mushroom on which the insects sit. Plant the tree where the mole digs. Build your house where the snake sits to warm itself. Dig your fountain where the birds hide from heat. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time with the birds – you will reap all of the days golden grains. Eat more green – you will have strong legs and a resistant heart, like the beings of the forest. Swim often and you will feel on earth like the fish in the water. Look at the sky as often as possible and your thoughts will become light and clear. Be quiet a lot, speak little – and silence will come in your heart, and your spirit will be calm and full of peace.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
Saint Seraphim is a beloved Russian Orthodox Saint who was a great source of kindness and humility. He cared deeply about people, nature and animals. Although he served as a priest in a monastery, he also spent time living in the forest in solitude.
Saint Seraphim had a very close bond with Mother Mary who had saved him from a deadly illness in his childhood. She appeared to him a total of 12 times over the course of his lifetime. One of the last times he saw her was at the monastery where he served. He saw her walking around the property, realizing that she was there to protect the monastery. He spent years after with the other monks digging a canal where she had walked so that visitors could follow her footsteps and be blessed. Saint Seraphim reposed in the Lord a few days after the canal was completed. There are many accounts of miracles through his prayers, since his repose.
Learning about a saint: St. seraphim of sarov. Learning About a Saint: St. Seraphim of Sarov | Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese. (n.d.). Retrieved March 12, 2022, from http://ww1.antiochian.org/learning-about-saint-st-seraphim-sarov
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