If the dogma of faith seems at times to you to be tough food

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If the dogma of faith seems at times to you to be tough food, you must first try to fulfil Christian moral dogma, and then the understanding of the dogma of faith will be revealed to you. The inquisitive examination of high things, without the effort to rectify one's life, is of no use whatever. At one time, a group of Egyptian monks was considering Melchisedek, and being unable to come to any clarity about the mysterious personality of this ancient king and high priest, they invited Abba Copres to their place of assembly and questioned him concerning Melchisedek. Hearing this, Copres smote himself on the mouth three times and said:' Woe to you, Copres! You have set aside that which God ordained for you to do, and you investigate that which God does not require of you.' The monks were filled with shame, and dispersed. Chrysostom writes: 'If we hold true dogma and give no thought to our conduct, we shall find this of no use; and also if we give thought to our conduct and neglect true dogma, we shall receive nothing useful to our salvation. If we wish to be delivered from Gehenna and obtain the Kingdom, we must be adorned from both sides: with both true faith and uprightness of life.'

Bp. Nicholai Velemirovich, The Prologue From Ochrid, January 14th, p59

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Homily - on the vision of the unseen world.

'We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen' ( 2 Cor. 4:18 )

We see this material and transitory world, but we look to that spiritual and immortal world.
We see earthly joy, often cut short by tears and sighing, finally and inevitably ending in death, but we look to spiritual joy among the angels and saints of God in heaven, to unbroken and eternal joy.
We see the sufferings and failures of the righteous in this life,
but we look to their glory and triumph in the other world.
We see much success, glory and honour for the unrighteous in this life, but we look to their defeat, condemnation and unspeaka-. ble torment in eternity.
We see the Church of God often humiliated and persecuted in this world, but we look to her victory over all her enemies and adversaries, visible and invisible.
We see, my brethren, tyrants and abductors, often as the rulers and the rich in this age, and the saints as nobodies, distressed and forgotten, but we look to another kingdom, in which the saints will reign, with not one tyrant or abductor: the Kingdom of God, eternally sinless and immortal.

O long-suffering and most merciful Lord, open our spiritual eyes that we may see that which awaits us after this brief life , that we may strive to fulfil Thy commandments. To Thee be glory and praise for ever. Amen.