"Sometimes The cross is a mental one,
confusing the individual with sinful thoughts. But the person is not at fault
if he doesn’t accede to them. The Starets cited an example: ‘Once a female
ascetic was agitated for a long period over having unchaste thoughts. When
Christ appeared and drove them away from her, she cried out to Him: ‘Sweet
Jesus, where were You up to this time?’ Christ replied: ‘I was in your heart.’
She said: ‘How can that be? But my heart was filled with unchaste thoughts.’
And Christ said to her: ‘Therefore understand that I was in your heart, and
that you had no disposition toward those unclean thoughts but more so,
endeavoured to liberate yourself from them. Not being able to do so, you
suffered over them, thereby preparing a place for me in your heart.’
"Sometimes, suffering is sent to an innocent
person, so that he, as with the example of Christ, suffers for others. Christ
Himself suffered for people. Likewise, His Apostles were tortured for the
Church and people. To have absolute love means to suffer for your close
ones."
