The Bible tells us: "For what will it
profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"
(Mark 8:36) That is how precious the human soul is. It is more precious than
the whole earth with all its treasures and blessings. However, it’s frightening
to think how little we understand our soul’s worth. From morning to night, we
direct all our thoughts to the body, the housing for worms, this fallen coffin,
and on God’s most precious and beloved creation, on His image of glory and
majesty, we hardly spare one thought in a week. We spend the most flourishing
years of our life in serving our body, and only the last minutes of our
decrepit old age, toward eternal salvation. Daily, the body indulges itself
with full cups and sumptuous dishes, as though at a rich man’s feast, while the
soul barely gathers crumbs of God’s words on His doorstep. The insignificant
body is washed, dressed, cleaned, adorned with all types of treasures from
nature and the sciences, while the priceless soul, the bride of Jesus Christ,
inheritor of Heaven, wanders with exhausted steps, donned in clothing of a poor
wanderer that is without charity.
The body doesn’t tolerate one blemish on its face,
any dirt on its hands, not one patch on its clothing, while the soul, from head
to toe, covered with filth, that goes from one sinful quagmire to another, and
its yearly confessional which is often hypocritical, only increases its patches
rather than rejuvenating it. The body demands various forms of diversions and
gratifications; it frequently ravages whole families, for its sake people
sometimes are willing to exert all types of efforts while the soul - has barely
one hour on Sundays to partake in the Divine Liturgy, scarcely minutes for morning
and evening prayers, reluctantly collects a handful of copper coins for charity
and when thinking about death, expresses its satisfaction with a cold sigh. For
the sake of health and welfare of the body, the atmosphere and habitat is
substituted, foremost and distant physicians are summoned, there is abstinence
from food and drink, the most bitter medicines are consumed, the body is
allowed to be burned and dissected, yet for the health of the soul, for the
avoidance of temptations, for distancing away from sinful infection, they take
not one step but remain in the same atmosphere, in the same iniquitous society,
in the same corrupt house, not seeking any spiritual physician, or else
selecting one that is unfamiliar and inexperienced, hiding from him that which
is already known to Heaven and hell, and about which they themselves boast
among their circles. When the body is dying, you hear lamentations and despair,
but often no thought is given when the soul is dying from mortal sin.
Like Adam and Eve, we don’t know the value of our
soul and give it away for a seemingly rich yield.
At least why don’t we cry like Adam and Eve?
Unfortunately, in the main, our concerns are for acquiring earthly benefits and
not Heavenly ones. We forget that earthly gains soon pass and cannot be
retained, while Heavenly gains are eternal, endless and cannot be taken away.
Most gracious Lord! Help us to despise everything transient and concern
ourselves only with the needs to save our souls.
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