LORD JESUS CHRIST’S EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING, GOD WANTED US, HIS CHILDREN TO INHERIT HIS KINGDOM-THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN!

WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

WHERE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

DOES EVERY PERSON HAVE THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WITHIN THEM?

HOW TO INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

HEAVEN AND HELL

THE FINAL JUDGEMENT

WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Lord Jesus Christ often talked about the Kingdom of Heaven. It was one of His main messages. He always spoke about the Kingdom of God.

In fact, most of His parables began with “The Kingdom of Heaven is like,” and then He would tell a parable to help people understand the Kingdom.

When you really study the life and teachings of Christ, you see that His goal was not to bring a new religion.

In the Orthodox faith, the Kingdom of God is not simply a future hope or a religious institution, but the mystical and spiritual reign of God that is already present in the world through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Christ did not come to establish a new religion, but to bring the Kingdom – God’s eternal and holy reign breaking into human history.

He didn’t talk about the religion of Heaven, but the Kingdom of Heaven and when people would ask Him who is He, He let them know: “I am a King and I build something new here, God’s Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven”.

And we can see how the Bible is not really just about the religion, but about the relationship between the King of Kings and His people, who have the opportunity of being citizens of His Kingdom.

When Lord Jesus Christ said: ”Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” Matthew 4:17, He was calling for a transformation of heart – a metanoia – inviting all to enter into communion with God and participate in His divine life.

This Kingdom is experienced most fully in the Church, which is the visible manifestation of God’s Kingdom on Earth. Through the sacraments, prayer, and holy living, the faithful participate in the life of the Kingdom here and now, while awaiting its fullness when Christ returns.

Lord Jesus Christ spoke about His Kingdom in two phases.

The first phase concerns our reality, as we are not yet living in the Kingdom of God and as we are inhabitants of the Earth in this age.

The second phase that Lord Jesus Christ often spoke of was how the Kingdom would be when He returns. And when He returns, He is going to bring His physical throne to this Earth. There will be no other government on the Earth, there will be no other sovereign, His name will be the only name every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, He will be the only Lord and people will have an immortal body.

We have to understand, exactly, how Kings operate.

There are 3 Kingdoms:

1. The Kingdoms of men, which govern earthly affairs.

2. The Kingdom of Darkness, ruled by Satan.

3. The Kingdom of Heaven – the Kingdom of God, ruled by Christ.

World Kingdoms are kingdoms of men.
Both, Kingdoms of the World and the Kingdom of Darkness are ruled by Satan.
It is for this reason Satan was able to offer Lord Jesus Christ all the Kingdoms of the World when tempting Him because he rules them – they are Satan’s.

“Again, the Devil took Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed Him all the Kingdoms of the World, and the glory of them. And said unto Him, “All these things will I give thee if You will fall down and worship me”. Mt 4:8-9

No person offers what is not theirs. Satan offered the Lord Jesus Christ what is his – the Kingdoms of the World. Satan cannot offer any person the Kingdom of Darkness. He lies to many that they will have part of his Kingdom only to die and realize he was lying when in Hell with him.

Satan holds influence over the kingdoms of this world, which is why he was able to offer all their kingdoms to Christ during His temptation (Matthew 4:8-9). However, his authority is temporary and limited, as the victory of Christ will ultimately cast out the prince of darkness (John 12:31).

The Holy Prophet Daniel revealed the succession of major earthly empires – Babylon, Medes and Persians, Greece, and Rome – that ruled until Christ established His eternal Kingdom. While these kingdoms have shaped history, they are passing and cannot compare to the everlasting Kingdom of God.

“In whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2Cor 4:4

“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”John 12:31

Though Christ created the earth, His visible reign over it is not yet fully realized. At His Second Coming, He will bring the fullness of His Kingdom, and every knee will bow before Him, every tongue confessing that He is Lord.

Until then, we live as citizens of the Kingdom, called to holiness, repentance, and love. Through grace, we bear witness to God’s reign in the world, participating in the Kingdom that is already present yet awaits its completion.

Christ is the eternal King, whose Kingdom brings salvation, peace, and eternal life to all who enter into communion with Him.

WHERE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

WHERE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

In human terms, a kingdom is where a king reigns. The presence of the king signifies the presence of his rule and authority.

In the spiritual reality revealed to us through Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven is not a geographic location or political system, but the reign of God over all creation.

It is where Christ, the King of Glory, is present and reigning.

WHERE IS LORD JESUS CHRIST?

The Gospel proclaims the great mystery of our salvation: that the Son of God became man, dwelt among us (John 1:1–14), was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven.

“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God.” – Mark 16:19

“And when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” – Acts 1:9

The King of the Kingdom of Heaven, Lord Jesus Christ, is in Heaven. Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is in Heaven.

Though Christ ascended bodily into Heaven, He did not abandon us. He is “everywhere present and fills all things” through the Holy Spirit. As He Himself promised:

“Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20

In Orthodox teaching, the Kingdom of Heaven is already present – in the Church, in the sacraments, and in the hearts of those who live in communion with Christ. It is experienced most fully in the Divine Liturgy, where heaven and earth are united in worship, and where Christ is mystically present in the Eucharist.

As the Lord said:

“The Kingdom of God is within you.” – Luke 17:21

Thus, the Kingdom of Heaven is where Christ reigns – in glory at the right hand of the Father, and mystically in His Body, the Church.

But here is something unique! Apart from Heaven, there is somewhere else The King of the Kingdom of Heaven dwells. Lord Jesus Christ dwells in vessels built with no human hands.

“However, the Highest does not dwell in houses made by human hands”. Acts 7:48

Our bodies (human body) are temples of Lord Jesus Christ.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you.” 1 Cor 6:19

SEE, OUR BODIES ARE TEMPLES OF GOD AND GOD DOES NOT DWELL IN BUILDINGS.

When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ, the King comes down and dwells in us, thus the Kingdom of Heaven dwells in us.

This information is in the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loves Me, He will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our home with him.” John 14:23

Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is found in people because the King Lord Jesus Christ dwells in them and has made a home within them.

DOES EVERY PERSON HAVE THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WITHIN THEM

DOES EVERY PERSON HAVE THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WITHIN THEM?

Not every person has the Kingdom of Heaven dwelling within them, even among those who may outwardly claim it.

The presence of the Kingdom is not proven merely by words, but by a transformed life rooted in Christ.

The Lord said,

“The Kingdom of God is within you.” – Luke 17:21

But this does not mean that the Kingdom automatically resides in every heart. In the Orthodox Church, we understand this to mean that the Kingdom can dwell in the heart, but only where Christ the King is enthroned through faith, repentance, and love.

Where the Holy Spirit abides, there the Kingdom is present. The fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23) – are signs of that indwelling. A heart that has surrendered to Christ and is being purified by grace will show the fruits of the Kingdom.

However, these virtues are not things we can produce on our own. They are gifts of God, cultivated through humility, repentance, prayer, and participation in the sacramental life of the Church. A person may struggle with sin and weakness, yet still have the Kingdom dwelling within if they are sincerely seeking God and being conformed to Christ.

As St. Macarius the Great wrote:

“The heart is but a small vessel; yet dragons are there, and lions; and there are poisonous beasts and all the treasures of wickedness; but there too is God, the angels, the life and the Kingdom, the light and the apostles, the heavenly cities and the treasures of grace.”

Thus, the Kingdom is found in those who, by the grace of God, have made room for Christ to dwell in their hearts. Though they live in a fallen world, and even within systems ruled by the powers of darkness, they are not of this world. They are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Such people love Christ purely and unconditionally, not only in times of comfort but even amid trials. Their hearts have become temples of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16), and through them, the light of the Kingdom shines in the darkness.

The Kingdom of Heaven is not earned by perfection, but is received by grace and grown through cooperation with that grace. It is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ. Each one of us is called to examine our hearts – not just for outward signs of religion, but to ask:
Is Christ truly the King of my heart?

If He is, then His Kingdom is there also.

HOW TO INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Participating in the Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven is not only a future hope – it is a present reality offered to us by God through Jesus Christ. In the Orthodox Church, we are taught that the Kingdom is not merely a place, but the very reign of God, made accessible to humanity through the Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gift of the Kingdom Through Christ’s Death

Many people wonder: Why did Christ have to die?

There are profound reasons found in the mystery of our salvation. Christ died as a sacrifice for our sins, as the Great High Priest, and also so that we could inherit the Kingdom of God. Scripture tells us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and yet God, in His great mercy, took on flesh to defeat death by death.

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” – Colossians 1:15

God is eternal and cannot die. But in His immeasurable love, He took on human flesh through the Holy Blessed Virgin Mary. In Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God became man. He allowed His human body to suffer and die so that we, who are fallen and mortal, might receive life and the inheritance of His Kingdom.

Christ’s death was not the end – it was the victory. His divine Spirit raised His body from the dead. Through this resurrection, all who belong to Christ receive the promise of the Kingdom.

“When you see Me, you have seen the Father.” – John 14:9

Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect image of the Father. In Him, God’s love is revealed – not as mere words, but through humility, suffering, and self-sacrifice. As sinners who have broken our relationship with God time and again, we are still loved with a pure and unconditional love. He bore our sins, so that we might live with Him forever.

How Do We Participate in the Kingdom of Heaven?

Though the Kingdom will be fully revealed at Christ’s Second Coming, we are already invited to experience it here and now – through the life of the Church, the sacraments, repentance, and love.

1. The Church as the Presence of the Kingdom

The Church is not just an earthly institution. It is the Body of Christ, the Ark of Salvation, and the very place where heaven and earth meet. In every Divine Liturgy, we do not simply remember the Kingdom – we mystically enter into it.

“Let us who mystically represent the Cherubim… now lay aside all earthly cares.”

– Cherubic Hymn, Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

In worship, the angels, the saints, the Mother of God, and the faithful on earth are united in glorifying the King. The Divine Liturgy is the foretaste of the heavenly banquet.

2. The Holy Mysteries (Sacraments)

Through the Holy Mysteries (sacraments), we are joined to Christ and nourished by divine grace.

• In Baptism, we die to sin and are reborn into the Kingdom.

• In Chrismation, we receive the Holy Spirit, the power of the Kingdom.

• In the Holy Eucharist, we receive the true Body and Blood of Christ – the King Himself.

These are not symbols. They are real, living encounters with the Risen Lord.

3. Repentance and the Inner Life

Christ began His public ministry with the words:

“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17

Repentance (metanoia) is a change of heart, a turning away from sin and toward God. It is the foundation of the Christian life. Through prayer, fasting, confession, and love, we open our hearts to the rule of Christ.

As St. Isaac the Syrian said:

“This life was given to you for repentance. Do not waste it on vain pursuits.”

4. Living the Kingdom Daily

To live in the Kingdom means to live as Christ lived – with mercy, humility, forgiveness, and sacrificial love. We are called to love our enemies, to forgive from the heart, to serve the poor, and to live in peace.

Every small act of faith and every moment of trust in God is a step into His Kingdom.

God loved us so much that He allowed His own body to experience suffering, humility and death through the Lord Jesus Christ so that we could inherit His Kingdom. That’s the pure and unconditional love God has for us the sinners who failed many times in our relationship with Him.

Love your God with all your Heart, Mind, Body and Soul and you will be an inhabitant of God’s Kingdom!

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

Lord Jesus Christ instructed us to preach saying: “And as ye go, preach” “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 10:7).

The Kingdom of Heaven may be close, but it is not yet here!

Some people say the Kingdom of Heaven is here – and though it dwells in a few individuals, it is not yet established on Earth. The world is still Satan’s.

When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will descend from Heaven in the same way He ascended. He will execute judgment, and He will establish His Kingdom here on Earth. The Kingdom of Heaven will then be among humanity, with the Lord Jesus Christ as King.
In the process of establishing His Kingdom on Earth, the Lord Jesus Christ will destroy all the kingdoms of the world, breaking them into pieces and consuming them, as prophesied by the Prophet Daniel:

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Dan 2:44

There will be a New Earth and New Heaven – for these defiled ones will cease to exist. 

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Rev 21:1-3

When the King of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ, reigns, there shall be no more night, no lamp, no sun, for He will be the Light. There will be no more pain, tears, sorrow, crying, nor death (Revelation 21–22) – for it will be as it is in Heaven.

Because the Kingdom of Heaven is not yet here, the Lord Jesus Christ taught us to pray, saying, “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10).
You are not called to pray for the world, but to pray for the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven and for the brethren in the world. The world itself is under Satan’s power, and praying for it is in vain.

The Kingdom of Heaven is for the poor in spirit:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3

The King Is Coming

Jesus Is Coming
Repent! Repent! Repent!
Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

To gain the heritage of the New Jerusalem is the true meaning of life – the very purpose for which man was created by God.

“He who conquers shall have this heritage.” – Revelation 21:7

As Saint Paul has written,

“We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” – Romans 8:37

“For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38–39

For this reason,

“I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:14–19

To be “filled with all the fullness of God” – this, and this alone, is what true spirituality is about.

HEAVEN AND HELL

HEAVEN AND HELL

The Kingdom of Heaven is already in the midst of those who live the spiritual life. What the spiritual person knows in the Holy Spirit, in Christ, and in the Church will come with power and glory for all men to behold at the end of the ages.

The final coming of Christ will be the judgment of all men. His very Presence will be the judgment. No one can live without the love of Christ in their lives; they cannot exist as if there were no God, no Christ, no Spirit, no Church, and no spiritual life. At the end of the ages, this will no longer be possible. All men will have to behold the face of Him who “for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate… who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried” (Nicene Creed).

All will have to look upon Him whom they have crucified by their sins – Him “who was dead and is alive again” (Revelation 1:17–18).

For those who love the Lord, His Presence will be infinite joy, Paradise, and eternal life.

For those who hate the Lord, the same Presence will be infinite torment, Hell, and eternal death.

The reality for both the saved and the damned will be the same when Christ “comes in glory, and all the angels with Him,” so that “God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). 

Those who have God as their “all” in this life will finally experience divine fulfillment and eternal life. But for those whose “all” is themselves and this world, the “all” of God will become their torment, their punishment, and their death – and theirs will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12, et al.).

“The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.” – Matthew 13:41–43

According to the Saints, the “fire” that will consume sinners at the coming of the Kingdom of God is the same “fire” that will shine with splendor in the Saints. It is the fire of God’s love – the fire of God Himself, who is Love.

“For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), who “dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16).

For those who love God, and who love all creation in Him, the “consuming fire” of God will be radiant bliss and unspeakable delight.
For those who do not love God, and who do not love at all, this same “consuming fire” will be the cause of their weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Thus, it is the Church’s spiritual teaching that God does not punish man with some material fire or physical torment. Rather, God simply reveals Himself – as the risen Lord Jesus – in such a glorious way that no one can fail to behold His Glory. It is the very Presence of God’s splendid Glory and Love that becomes the scourge of those who reject His radiant Power and Light.

“Those who find themselves in Hell will be chastised by the scourge of love. How cruel and bitter this torment of love will be! For those who understand that they have sinned against love undergo no greater suffering than that produced by the most fearful tortures. The sorrow which takes hold of the heart that has sinned against love is more piercing than any other pain. It is not right to say that the sinners in Hell are deprived of the love of God… But love acts in two ways – as suffering for the reproved, and as joy for the blessed.” – Saint Isaac of Syria, Mystic Treatises

At the end of the ages, God’s glorious Love will be revealed for all to behold in the face of Christ. Man’s eternal destiny – Heaven or Hell, salvation or damnation – depends solely on his response to that Love.

THE FINAL JUDGEMENT

THE FINAL JUDGEMENT

Every man will stand in judgment before God for his life in this world. Each person will be judged according to his words and his works.

“I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every idle word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:36–37

“For the Son of Man is to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay every man according to his works.” – Matthew 16:27; cf. Revelation 2:23

The Judge will be the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, for He is the One who, by His suffering and death, has received the power to judge. It is the Crucified One who will call men to account at the end of the ages. He has won this right as a Man through the perfection of His human life.

“For the Father… has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.” – John 5:27

Christ will judge all men exclusively on the basis of how they have served Him by serving others – especially “the least of the brethren.”

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And He will place the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at the left.”- Matthew 25:31–33

“Then the King will say to those at His right hand,

‘Come, O blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave Me food,
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed Me,
I was naked and you clothed Me,
I was sick and you visited Me,
I was in prison and you came to Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying,

‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee,
or thirsty and give Thee drink?
And when did we see Thee a stranger and welcome Thee,
or naked and clothe Thee?
And when did we see Thee sick or in prison and visit Thee?’

And the King will answer them,

‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Then He will say to those at His left hand,

‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave Me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me,
naked and you did not clothe Me,
sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

Then they also will answer, saying,

‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to Thee?’

Then He will answer them, saying,

‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to Me.’

And they will go away into eternal punishment,

but the righteous into eternal life.
– Matthew 25:31–46

All spiritual life is fulfilled in this one parable of Christ, for at its heart is love – love both for God and for man.

In commenting on this teaching about the Final Judgment, Saint Augustine said that Christ Himself is truly the One who is found in all of these conditions, just as He is the One who is the Savior in each of them.

He Himself was hungry – the One who is the “bread of life,” which, if a man eats of it, he will never hunger again (John 6:35).

He Himself was thirsty, crying out, “I thirst!” (John 19:28) – the One who gives the “living water,” which, if a man drinks of it, he will never thirst again (John 4:13; 6:35; 7:37).

He Himself was a stranger, having “no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58) – the One who “came to His own home, and His own people received Him not” (John 1:11), yet who brings all men home to the heavenly house of the Father (John 14:1–2).

He Himself was naked – in the manger at Bethlehem, in the streams of the Jordan, and on the Cross of Golgotha – the One who clothes all men with Himself (Galatians 3:27) and with the “robes of salvation” (Isaiah 61:10; Revelation 6:11).

He Himself was sick – “wounded for our transgressions” and “bruised for our iniquities,” left alone, hanging on the Cross (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 26:56) – the One who heals all the wounds of men, for “with His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

He Himself was in prison – arrested as a criminal and thrown into jail, forsaken by His disciples (Matthew 26:56; 27) – the One who proclaims “liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18), setting men free from everything that binds them and forgiving their crimes.

Since Christ has identified Himself wholly with every man, in every one of his sorrowful states, the person who “does it to the least of his brethren” does it to Christ Himself – not as if to Christ, but to Christ in reality, for Christ is truly within every man.
Every person bears within himself the image of Christ, “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

Saint Simeon the New Theologian gives the following teaching about the parable of the Final Judgment:

The Son of God has become the Son of Man to make us men sons of God, raising our nature by grace to what He is Himself by nature, granting us birth from above through the grace of the Holy Spirit and leading us straightway into the Kingdom of Heaven — or rather, granting us the Kingdom of Heaven within us…

A man is not saved by having once shown mercy to someone. For “I was hungry” and “I was thirsty” are not said of one occasion, nor of one day, but of the whole of life. In the same way, “you gave Me food,” “you gave Me drink,” “you clothed Me,” and so on, do not indicate a single incident or action, but a constant attitude toward everyone, always.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said that He Himself accepts such mercy in the persons of the needy. It is Him whom we feed in every beggar; it is Him whom we have left to die in our neglect.

Our Lord was pleased to assume the likeness of every poor man, so that no one who believes in Him should exalt himself over his brother, but, seeing his Lord in his brother, should consider himself beneath him – honoring him and being ready to exhaust all his means in helping him, just as our Lord exhausted His Blood for our salvation.

A man who is commanded to love his neighbor as himself must do so for his entire lifetime. A man who loves his neighbor as himself cannot allow himself to possess anything more than his neighbor; so that if he has more and does not distribute it without envy, he does not fulfill our Lord’s command completely.

If one who possesses much disdains even one who has nothing, he will still be regarded as one who has disdained Christ our Lord.
Christ’s words, “You have done it unto Me,” are not limited only to those we have wronged, harmed, or defrauded, but include also those whom we have disdained. This alone is sufficient for our condemnation, for in disdaining them, we have disdained Christ Himself.

All this may appear too hard for people, and they may think it right to say to themselves: “Who can strictly follow all this – satisfying and feeding everyone, leaving no one unsatisfied?”

Let them listen to Saint Paul:

“For the love of Christ compels us.” – 2 Corinthians 5:14

It is also the teaching of the spiritual masters that what must be given to all men is Christ Himself – the Bread of Life, the Living Water, the Home of the Father, the Robes of Salvation, the Healing of wounds, the Liberation and Forgiveness of all sins.

In this sense, every man – no matter how rich or how righteous – is poor, hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, sinful, and imprisoned by evil and death. Thus, to “do it to the least of the brethren” is to offer Christ to all men:
to give them the eternal and unending satisfaction of all their needs and desires –
bread which is never consumed, water which eternally satisfies,
a home which is never lost, garments which do not grow old,
healing which never suffers again, and liberation which can never revert to captivity.

Thus, “to do it to the least of the brethren” is to bring them the Kingdom of God. In doing this, one offers to all men – and so to Christ Himself – what already belongs to them from God, just as in the liturgy of the Church, we offer to God that which already is His. In every case, this offering is Christ Himself.

This, therefore, is Perfect Love – the Love of God and the love of man, the love for God and the love for man, becoming one and the same Love.
It is accomplished in Christ and is Christ.
To love with this Love is to love with the Love of Christ and to fulfill His new commandment:

“Love one another, even as I have loved you.”- John 13:34–35; 15:12

This is the whole of spiritual life. In this – and in this alone – man will be finally judged.
It is the crown of all virtue and prayer, the ultimate and most perfect fruit of God’s Spirit in man.

To love with this love is to love with the love of Christ and to fulfil His “new commandment” to “love one another even as I have loved you” (John 13.34–35, 15.12).

With love in the Lord,

Stella Kamenova