“St John Chrysostom reminds us, however, that true wealth is that of the soul purified of the passions and filled with grace, and that the poorest person who is at peace in Christ is richer than an emperor troubled by the passions. Your common aspiration, regardless of the continent on which you live, for a better future finds its complete fulfilment only when that future includes communion with God.

“St John Chrysostom calls the family a little church, the place where prayer, forgiveness and self-sacrifice are learnt before they are lived out in society.

“St John Chrysostom calls the family a little church, the place where prayer, forgiveness and self-sacrifice are learnt before they are lived out in society.

“St. Nazaria, he said, shows that pure prayer isn’t a utopia. St. Olimpiada, he continued, shows that taking on external cares and administrative or leadership responsibilities doesn’t stop a person from reaching God—rather, when such service is undertaken in God’s name, it becomes a pure offering to the Holy Trinity. St. Elisabeta, he added, shows those who fulfilled the Lord’s word to the rich young man in the Gospel: “Go, sell your possessions, give to the poor, then come and follow Me.”

“St John of Rila, who called on Christians to preserve unity, avoid divisions, and resist greed

St John of Rila ›

Reported

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.