The second thing that you need to do,
if you desire to obtain His Kingdom, is to prepare yourself with diligence,
knowing the value and the greatness of this goal. And knowing that whatever is great and
valuable in this world it is at the same time difficult, you have to demonstrate
bravery and magnanimity towards all the sorrows that you will face for the sake
of His Kingdom. You have to withstand them with patience and gratitude towards
the Lord, keeping in mind that this treasure – the most valuable pearl (Matthew
13:45-46) – that you work hard for, is so valuable and expensive, that deserves
not only the toil and the care you put forward but even more than this, because
it was bought by all the Holy Martyrs and Saints who know very well how
necessary it was. And they paid by many hardships and efforts and sacrifices of
their own blood. However, it was not only the Saints, but also the First of the
Martyrs, our Lord Christ, who could enjoy without any toil the Kingdom, because
it belongs to Him as the Son and Heir of our God. He preferred to withstand
much pain and hardships, with a painful and humiliating death, in order to give
us the example that we cannot obtain His Kingdom without temptations and
sorrows, without efforts and tribulations.
From the book Salvation of the
Sinners by Monk Agapios Landos of the 17th century
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