I am attempting, in this article, to stress what the Greek Fathers have said about the primary, spiritual idea that distinguishes the Eastern Church from the Western Church. That idea, as many already know, is the idea of Theosis. While many of the Fathers did not actually use this term, the deification of the     human person in Christ is certainly a golden thread which may be traced throughout the writings of the Fathers. One of the fundamental criteria that the Fathers use to measure the likeness to Christ which is found in people, is love for our enemies. One later day Eastern saint, Silouan, says this:

Christ prayed for them that were crucifying him: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Stephen the Martyr, prayed for those who stoned him, that the Lord “lay not this sin to their charge.” And we, if we wish to preserve grace, must pray for our enemies.

Fathers of the first Six Ecumenical Councils

Herein lies the mystery of the divine “mode of being”, God’s very way of life: humility. Humility on the ascetic plane, is manifested as regarding one’s self as the worst of all sinners, while on the theological place, humility is revealed as love, which is given unconditionally, freely and completely.

I have found, after all the years of my priestly ministry, that this is one of the greatest of all the Christian challenges, namely to truly love our enemies and those who hate us. St Silouan, who was possessed of this divine love, humbly warns us to be watchful:

If you do not feel pity for the sinner it means that the grace of the Holy Spirit is not in you, but an evil spirit. While you are still alive, therefore, strive by repentance to free yourself from the spirit.

The struggle for Christ-like love for one’s enemies and humility, and against pride, is a very great one indeed; and that is why the saints, the true imitators of Christ and sharers in His love, are great indeed. Indeed one of the true characteristics of a saint is the person’s ability to love one’s enemies with true humility.

Where does this Christ-like love lead? It leads to a fuller life, a life wherein the persons experiences the fullness of life. When we make an attempt to love others, even our enemies, as ourselves, something happens to us. We begin to experience life in a different way and begin to understand that the true meaning and purpose of life is to help us become more Christ-like – to become a child of God.

What is the meaning of this earthly life?