From the Galactic Calendar

Two great passions dominate people today—the flesh and money. Their carnal passions drag them even lower than animals. They make them filth, mud, stench, dark slime full of worms... I don't know how else to describe it. But money... makes them hard as steel.

A sexually immoral person is more likely to repent. At some point, he feels the filth, the disgust for his actions, the distortion, the wounds that torment his soul, and he decides to clean up the pigsty. He disinfects the stable of his life—how? With the river of tears of his repentance. A single hot tear kills all the germs of sin. Then comes confession, and the wound is completely healed. A little effort later, and even the bad images fade from the mind. Everything becomes clear!

Forgive me for saying this. Some prostitutes have done unspeakable things to their bodies... And yet, when confronted with human suffering, they break down. During the Occupation of Athens, they gave their earnings to feed hungry children! God greatly appreciated this. Some of them received Grace because of their generosity; they wept and repented. But the rich remain unchanged—even when their neighbor dies before their eyes! Often, not even their own family moves them—let alone a stranger... a stranger. Manure can be washed away with water, as in a stable. No matter how hard you hit it, even with a sledgehammer, nothing happens. Not even a crack. It doesn't soften...

The miser becomes harder and harder. Not even the blows of life can correct him. He sees everything in terms of money. He remains alone, finds no joy in anything, lives in hell even in this life, and easily blames even God when things go wrong financially! How can he experience paradise when paradise is faith and devotion to God, love, good thoughts towards others, and self-sacrifice for others? Hell is the failure of love, of true love.

Confession

"We must take care to leave this life in order, ready to enter the Light of the Holy Trinity. There, everything is revealed as it is. The Light brings everything to the surface, before the angels and people: thoughts, sins, everything. Whatever we leave behind here through proper confession will not be visible there. It will have disappeared from us. It will have been erased. Confession renews the soul. We must humble ourselves here before a man, a spiritual father, rather than be eternally ashamed there before the entire kingdom of heaven.

Humility

Without humility, no one can walk according to the will of Christ. Instead, they follow their own will and suffer in this temporary life from trials that are meant to restore order. Anyone who has encountered the greatness of God through humility then seeks trials so as not to lose that greatness..."

About gossip

"There is nothing more enjoyable for people than gossip—especially when it is driven by hatred... As if we were sinners, we condemn one another. Gossip is a disease that clings to the body of love. If you guard your heart from these evils, God's mercy will come in abundance. But if your heart is hard toward your neighbor, God will never remember you..."

The Christian life

"The true Christian life is defined by the Gospel—to follow Christ with love. This love drives out fear. No change frightens us. The love of Christ prevents us from feeling insecure, weak, or unprotected. Sickness, old age, and problems no longer frighten us. A good Christian forgets his poverty and places his hope in the riches of Christ. With the power of His love, those who love others share their goods and blessings. Pride comes before a fall. Where there is no love, sow love—and you will find love. Sow love and you will reap love—and perhaps even in abundance.

About death

We fear eternal life because we don't know what it's like. Those who have experienced it have an irresistible desire in their souls to go there... The righteous are bathed in the ABUNDANT LIGHT of the Holy Trinity! They don't change in any way. They retain their character completely, remember everything from this life, and care about us... There, they have other kinds of knowledge. They know countless things, but only God is truly omniscient. To go there, we must be crucified here... We must die to sin. Earthly pleasures bring pain—that is inevitable. But the pains of repentance and asceticism bring spiritual pleasures—paradise for the soul, even in this.