Nothing is greater than pure heart, for such a heart becomes the throne of God. And what is most glorious than the throne of God? Nothing, of course.
God says for those who have a pure heart: “I will live with them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Corinthians 2:6-16)
Who are happier than these people? And from what good can they be deprived?
Are not all the goods and gifts of the Holy Spirit in their blessed souls? What more do they need? Nothing, really, nothing! For they have the greatest good in their heart: God Himself!
How much do people, who are looking for happiness away from themselves, wander in foreign lands and in journeys, in wealth and in glory, in great fortunes and delights, in pleasures and all luxuries and vanities that end up being bitter!
The erection of the tower of happiness outside our heart resembles the construction of a building on a terrain that is shaked by constant earthquakes. Soon, such a building will collapse.
My brothers! Happiness is within your own self, and blessed is the man who has understood it. Examine your heart and see its spiritual state.
Has it lost its outspokenness to God? Does conscience protest for breaking His commandments? Does it accuse you of injustices, lies, neglect of duties to God and your neighbour?
Investigate whether mischiefs and passions have filled your heart, lest it slipped into wrong and bumpy roads.
Unfortunately, he who has neglected his heart, has been deprived of all goods and has fallen into a multitude of evil. He has repelled joy and has been filled with bitterness, sadness and anguish. He repelled peace and has gained anxiety, agitation and terror. He repelled love and has accepted hatred. He eventually renounced all the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, which he received with baptism, and has come to terms with all those malicies that make man miserable and wretched.
My brothers! The Merciful God wants us all to be happy, both in this and in the other life. That’s why he founded His holy Church. To purify us from sin, to sanctify us, to make us reconcile with Him, to give us the blessings of heaven.
The Church has its arms open to welcome us. Let us, who carry a heavy weight on our conscience, run quickly.
Let us run and the Church is ready to lift our heavy burden, to give us outspokenness to God, to fill our heart with happiness and bliss.
Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis
*The article was originally published in Greek in ikivotos.gr