Part 2 Chapter 11: Secondly, One Should Carry the Cross

[尼古拉前执事]

Part 2 Chapter 11: Secondly, One Should Carry the Cross in the Hope of Reward

[Reader Benjamin]

Stavrophila: From today on the cross shall be sweet for me, the work pleasant, the sorrow beloved; the Heavenly Kingdom sells for such minor inconveniences. And what price do we give? Only a copper coin for recieving eternal treasures; a copper coins' worth of toil for inexpressible tranquillity (Blessed Augustine, On Psalm 93)

How true, how many of the Saints have told us this in verying ways, in varying examples! What we go through here and now is nothing compared to the Eternal. If all the suffering were gathered together into one person for 100 years, this would be infantismal in comparison to the suffering in Gehena for a moment, and that will be eternal. And all the pleasures of the world gathered together would be infantismal compared to Eternaty in the joy of the Lord. Let us purchase the eternal treasures.

I guess I am begining to get excited about this book.