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Quote 325
Gerondissa Makrina (Vassopoulou)
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Quote 325 - Форум
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Quote 325
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| readeralexey | Дата: Пятница, 31.10.2025, 01:21 | Сообщение # 1 |
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| Every person needs to cultivate his inner world, to discipline himself, to become soft like cotton. Amongst ourselves, our word should be spoken like honey, our touch should be soft like cotton.... Saint Nektarios said this! Since everyone wants love, and since we seek to be respected and to be spoken to with love, we should behave likewise towards others.
Gerondissa Makrina (Vassopoulou)
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| davydenkololita | Дата: Суббота, 01.11.2025, 11:51 | Сообщение # 2 |
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| It is a beautiful statement; I imagined cotton balls while reading. It is true that we should seek to be kind to each other, although being kind sometimes does not appear same as being soft or speaking like honey. Kindness is sometimes harsh and love is sometimes strict, especially when we say "no" to others. However, it continues to be love, and a "tender-of-our-prochains" one.
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| mariafokina99 | Дата: Суббота, 01.11.2025, 22:20 | Сообщение # 3 |
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| This statement seems to me like an ideal to strive for, though a very difficult one to achieve. Arrogance, passions, and fears often stand in our way. If people are unkind to themselves, they won`t be able to treat others with love. It's important to value yourself in a healthy way. When we value ourselves, we find the strength to do good sincerely, from the heart. We should remember the words of Gerondissa Makrina and follow it when we can, but not out of guilt. Because even love can be evil. It's hard to be soft like cotton when you have little life experience and don't fully understand yourself or others.
I agree that everyone wants to be loved, and we should love and care for others in return. However, it's crucial not to lose yourself in the process or to act without heart, just pretending. Love is difficult, and it isn't always sweet or soft. It requires patience and the ability to stay silent, which can often be challenging.
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| claudholloway | Дата: Понедельник, 10.11.2025, 23:22 | Сообщение # 4 |
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| Firstly, i love the metaphors about honey and cotton and i think that they illustrate the quote perfectly. I agree with this quote, because love is the central part of the Christian faith. Sadly we forget about it very often. We think that everyone should respect and love us, but we forget to show love and kindness in return. Human nature is very selfish, and sometimes it's very hard for us to humble our arrogance and be kind to others.
Мария П.
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| runovasveta2005 | Дата: Вторник, 11.11.2025, 11:11 | Сообщение # 5 |
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| I think, I see this point and I agree with it. The main thing Christianity teaches is love for our neighbor. It seems to me the simplest thing common person can do to be saved.
I mean, God is unknowable, His world is unknowable and a lot of His truth are just difficult for human understanding. Because of our imperfection, we don’t see many things, we can’t recognize the true essence of them. Understanding how to live, how to pray, understanding what God is and what the world is – all such things are available only to a few people, only to those who achieved holiness and spiritual perfection (if we can use this word in relation to people). But we, who are far from it, always make mistakes and always lose our way even if we try to find it. And to generalize my words and to bring them to the point, the first of Christ’s commandments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind", is just not keepable for us in its fullness, because we don't know how to love God, we don't recognize what He is because of imperfection of our mind, nature and soul.
But at least we can recognize what love for our neighbor is and such kind of love is much more comprehensible and closer for us, people. We all understand that "everyone wants love" and "we seek to be respected and to be spoken to with love", and this understanding makes love for our neighbor more comprehensible. And this, in my opinion, is God's great mercy that through this a bit selfish want we can recognize what love is and cultivate our inner world and transform our soul in such way.
So, if we are too spiritually weak and are not able to love God in the proper way, we are still able to love our neighbors and we should put all our efforts into learning how to do it.
Сообщение отредактировал runovasveta2005 - Пятница, 21.11.2025, 22:01 |
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| busiginaliza00 | Дата: Вторник, 11.11.2025, 23:39 | Сообщение # 6 |
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| Saint Nektarios teaches that spiritual life is an inner garden we must tend. Its most beautiful fruit is a heart that has become soft and gentle like cotton. From such a heart words are no longer weapons but gifts, sweet like honey. I see the profound truth in this, as harsh words have caused pain in my life. Conversely, a single soft word can disarm conflict and bring peace. This idea is not new, but it deepens my understanding of Christian asceticism. Its practical application for me is to pause before I speak. I should ask myself if my words are like honey, offering healing and grace.
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| sophianesterenok | Дата: Понедельник, 24.11.2025, 22:37 | Сообщение # 7 |
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| These words are important to remember. They bring to mind the prophecy about Christ: "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out" (Isaiah 42:3, Matthew 12:20). This verse reflects Christ's, and Christian, character: we are not supposed to break people with our speech and touch, but heal them.
I believe that strictness and even harshness may be healing only when the listener is ready to hear it. This inner disposition of the person is hidden from most of us, which is why I believe soft and gentle words to be kinder in most cases. At our weakest moments, we need grace more than ever.
I also appreciate that the quote speaks of "disciplining oneself" to become soft. It takes strength of character to learn softness, at least for me, because I have to lose my defensiveness and be completely vulnerable. However, it is this vulnerability and thinking over my words more carefully that protects me from regretting what I have said later on. As one quote I saw online (attributed to several pastors) said, "Make my words as sweet as honey, because tomorrow I may have to eat them".
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
Сообщение отредактировал sophianesterenok - Понедельник, 24.11.2025, 22:38 |
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