“Everything bad in a person is accidental. You young people, do not be disgusted by people who are drunk, fighting, swearing in obscene words (which are increasing day by day) since they have an image of God in them, so they probably do not know it. The enemy tarnishes them and covers them with dirt, like an icon that is covered with dust, but, if it’s in good hands, it’s cleansed, and begins to shine. Of course, it is difficult to see the image of God in those people who mistreat you and curse you, who have the image of a beast on their face rather than a human, but they should be pitied even more because their souls are distorted, perhaps even beyond repair, and condemned to eternal torment and torment. How hard it is to love your enemy. How hard it is to spend your whole life learning how to love someone who insults you… But you need to know that with such love you become like Christ crucified.”
Saint Gabriel of Georgia
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