Church teaches us to dominate ourselves
There is a kind of mutiny taking place deep down in every soul. It’s one thing, though, having your issues and being sad about them, or being painfully humble about them but making no trouble for other people, and it is totally another using tricks and having insolence and rebelliousness in your heart, without realizing. This rebellious spirit is the worst; be aware of that. This is why being taught in Church is important.
The soul which truly obeys and receives spiritual “schooling” will be saved no matter what, as long as all its shortcomings do not hinder it from attending to the teachings of the Church or obeying. As long as its shortcomings do not nurture a rebellious spirit.
Man can never be hurt by love, when it is a healthy love. What hurts man is the effort to dominate over him.
Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos (†)
