First of all, he says, love fosters in a Christian patience in enduring offenses. Only a person illumined by love is able to love people with all their shortcomings and infirmities; He recognizes them not only as his equals, but also as his brothers, and therefore generously forgives the offender, prays for him, sympathizes and grieves for his soul (2:332). In communication with each other, it is difficult for people not to offend each other with something: either by careless word, or deed, or in some other way. But a Christian should be the first to ask for forgiveness, even if he has been seriously offended in some way (2:359; 1:11, 170). Such behavior of a follower of Christ will contribute to the building of peace and the glorification of the One Who, by His feat on the cross and love, destroyed evil and established peace and joy among people. Contrary actions invariably lead to quarrels, enmity, hatred, and revenge (1:91). And "if everyone took revenge on each other, society would not be able to stand, for everyone would destroy each other" (2:362). A Christian must not only prevent anger or irritability from flaring up in his soul (1:163), but moreover, immediately cut off all thoughts that incite him against his neighbor. Although the feeling of anger is inherent in man, the Holy Father observes, it should be directed against sins, and not against man. This will testify to the great love in the heart of the angry, who seeks not his own, but the salvation of his neighbor (2:334). Guided by love, a Christian in this case only regrets the error of his neighbor and his ignorance. His heart will be painfully tormented until the sinner stops his sinful life and returns to the path of salvation. The sorrow of a true Christian does not give him peace even when he sees people who offend the greatness of God or His holy commandments by their sinful lives. And vice versa, he rejoices in the truth, harmony and peaceful life of those around him (1:163).

Envy, pride, and self-love are alien to true Christian love. It "loves all things," because in every person, no matter what nationality or moral constitution he may be, she sees the image of Almighty God, Who "shines His sun on the evil and the good, rains on the just and the unjust" (Matt. 5:45) (2:335). Such love is characterized by trust in every person, for "as she herself is simple-hearted, so she thinks of others; and just as she herself does not deceive anyone, so she thinks about others, and therefore believes everyone. For love is sincere, not deceitful, not flattering, and for the sake of what it is, so it hopes for others and has no suspicion" (2:335).

Of course, such perfection is not achieved by a person immediately, this requires a lifelong feat and the full exertion of all forces and abilities. The greatest service in this work is rendered by self-sacrifice and compulsion, by means of which a Christian will be able to achieve, with the help of God, the supreme gift of love not only for his well-wishers, but also for those who are maliciously disposed against him. "Whoever hates you," teaches St. Tikhon in one of his brief exhortations, "or is angry with you, conquer him with his love and strive to be reconciled with him, and even if he does not want peace, seek peace and be ready for peace; and here, although the heart does not will, the heart must be persuaded and inclined" (1:106).

A truly loving Christian is characterized by love for enemies (5:189); he is impelled to do this, firstly, by the calling of a disciple of Christ; and secondly, the commandment of the Saviour: "... love your enemies..." (Matt. 5:44). The loving heart of a Christian always seeks the salvation of each person, and the more a person is sick with sin, the more he is in the power of the devil, the more he regrets him and grieves. "If we wish to do the will of God and thus please God, then we must not take away our love from our enemies, and help them in their needs; for this shows more than a Christian and a God-pleasing person" (4:404).

If we think in human terms, it is very difficult to love someone who does evil. However, nothing is impossible for true faith and love (3:143). This is precisely the purpose of the Christian, to subdue the sinful nature to the spirit, to conquer evil with love. And if it is difficult for the old man, not enlightened by grace, to do this, then for the new, who has put on Christ, all things are possible (1:92). According to the Holy Father, a Christian who cultivates in himself love for his enemies grows spiritually from this, since the hostile attitude of ill-wishers leads him to the knowledge of infirmities, and this, in turn, contributes to the eradication of pride, vanity, self-conceit, etc. Consequently, for a person seeking salvation, reproach, sorrows and temptations are an invaluable blessing that elevates his soul to heaven (2:365-366).

But when a person in his sinfulness does not stand the test, that is, he repays offense for offense, responds to evil with evil and harbors hatred in his heart, then he yields victory to his adversary, the devil, who distances him from God and salvation (1:229). And vice versa, if the heart of a believer does not agree with evil and accepts it, then it is able, with the help of God, to overcome all that is contrary to God and to assimilate what faith and the commandments of Christ require (3:143).

As a living example of the acquisition of good habits in the soul, a Christian should look to the Chief Shepherd Christ, Whose life is an example for everyone who wants to be saved. "Christ Jesus our Saviour," says St. Tikhon, "by His meekness and patience teaches us to be meek and patient, and to overcome the malice of people by goodness, or at least by silence" (5:128). The holy apostles, martyrs, and a multitude of God's saints acted in the same way in their lives, who conquered malice through love, and through this led many with God's help to Christ (2:367).

High is the virtue of love. It is a gift of God (2:277), but in order to receive and assimilate this gift, a person must direct all his efforts to cleanse his soul from sinful defilement, for love, in the words of St. Tikhon, dwells in the heart, which "by true repentance, contrition and desire is defecated from evil addictions and sinful customs, and is purified and prepared to receive that heavenly gift" (4:354). Consequently, in order to acquire love, it is necessary to be cleansed of sinful corruption, to cease to be guided by one's limited mind, but to be guided in everything only by the light of the word of God, to renounce one's sinful will and to live and act according to the will of God, to completely captivate oneself into the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), in other words, it is necessary that all thoughts, feelings, intentions and all the activities of a Christian correspond to the will of God. "The love of God cannot be preserved otherwise" (2:267).

Since love is a grace-filled gift from above, a Christian must constantly pray to God, the Giver of all blessings, that He Himself kindle the spark of His love in the heart and help preserve and increase this precious treasure (2:24). This prayer in itself has the property of inducing a Christian to love, mercy and compassion. Praying to God for mercy and salvation, the believer is aware of the need to show mercy to his neighbors on his part. That is why he who prays to God and asks Him for mercy himself shows mercy and love to his neighbors, for he knows that everything he does in the name of God to his neighbor, he also does for himself (2:349).

Thus, love as a union of perfection is directly connected with the grace-filled organization of the spiritual life of man, with all the virtues, which, developing and perfecting, in turn, end in love. And a believer must devote his whole life to this kindling of the gift of love, and only thanks to this can he certainly unite with the Source of love and with Love Itself – Christ in grace-filled eternity.

3. Mercy

Christian mercy is a special feeling that has its source in God and which is expressed in kindness, benevolence, compassion for neighbors, in long-suffering towards sinners and forgiveness of offenses to enemies. This virtue invariably accompanies love, like warmth to fire (2:355). And if any Christian does not have mercy in himself, then he is not only devoid of love, but also of the Christian spirit (3:366), which means that he dwells in the darkness of sin (4:379). According to the thought of the Zadonsk ascetic, if love is above all virtues, and mercy is an expression of love, then it alone (mercy) intercedes before God and asks Him for mercy for the benefactor (5:181). God is more pleasing not to the person who exercises only in prayer, but to the one who has acquired mercy in his heart, because prayer without alms is like a voice crying in the wilderness, or a tree without fruit (5:121). And whatever mercy a Christian shows to his neighbor, the Lord accepts it as shown to Himself. This virtue will be of particular importance at the Last Judgment of Christ, when the fate of a person will be determined depending on whether he had mercy in his soul – this fruit of love – or not (2:343). If even the pagans, moved by the natural law, show mercy to the needy, then the Christian should be moved to this not only by natural kinship, since all have one forefather Adam, but also by spiritual kinship, and most of all by the Name of Christ (2:348). It is quite natural, the saint notes, that if someone wants to be loved, not offended, and helped in earthly life, then let him first fulfill all this himself. Then he will certainly be rewarded not only a hundredfold on earth, but also in heaven (1:57; 2:336). In this mood is the whole of "Christian Science. This is a fair amount of art. A student of this philosophy is a true lover of wisdom," and a Christian should study this science "from infancy to the end of life" (4:214).

Urging a follower of Christ to mercy, St. Tikhon reminds us that no one can take material values with him into eternal life: just as a person comes naked into this world, so he leaves it naked. On the contrary, works of mercy for Christ's sake are a pledge of eternal, endless blessings (2:349), and charity is useful and brings great good only when it is performed by a Christian throughout his life, and not only at the end of it. Naturally, the saint notes, none of the people will treat guests to the remnants of their meal, much less humiliating and even sinful to incline God to mercy with the remnants of their lives, besides, it is not known when the moment will come that opens eternity.

Therefore, it is necessary to put aside all thoughts that distract from love for one's neighbor and bind the heart with avarice and love of money (2:351), and strive to do good constantly and without sloth. How can a Christian turn to his Creator with the prayer: "Hear me, O Lord," when "he himself does not hear the poor, or even more so Christ Himself crying out in the poor?" "With what hope," says the saint, "will you stretch out your hands to your Creator, when you yourself turn away the one who stretches out his hand like himself? God is merciful, and bows down with natural mercy to prayer, but to the prayer of the merciful, for by such sacrifices, that is, by love of strangers and promises, God is pleased, saith the Apostle" (2:348).