Man, be always zealous and ardent in spirit, run away from sadness and indifference so that they don’t say thus about you: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3, 15-16).

Therefore, you need to be diligent and watchful, don’t waste in vain the time of your life, because it is a gift in raising the soul towards the achievement of the eternal goods. Bear in mind and watch so that a single day doesn’t pass in vain, because you will lose it and nobody can guarantee that you will have another one. If the day has passed, it is gone, and time once you’ve lost it you cannot bring it back. In order to do this, bear in mind to don’t waste in vain the days of your life, but perfect yourself in taking advantage of the flow of time. This life was given to you with a purpose, in order for you to pick the fruits of your daily works, to fulfil the braveries of virtue and thus never to find yourself in vanity.

This life is not peace, it’s a war, a trade, a school, a journey on unsteady waters. There cannot be peace in the middle of war, quietness in school or in a market, or rest on a journey by sea. How many of those who travel by sea feel no fear or sadness? How many of those who are at war fear not? How many times is a school or a market completely quiet? None of them.  Therefore, be diligent in the work of God, don’t lose your courage and work hard. For you, this is the time of reaping, this is the market, this is the profit of the trades – ripe so that your hands are not empty, a foreign to God’s grace, object of the terrible damnation. The one who received a talent and lost it not, but also didn’t make profit of it was said: “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury” (Matthew 25:26-27). And you, not only that you didn’t make use of the talent but out of careless and laziness you lost it all. What will your answer be in the day of Judgement, when all your works will be examined? Therefore, keep you mind alert and be watchful!

(Translated from Sfântul Dimitrie al Rostovului, Călăuziri către veșnicele locașuri, Editura Sophia, București, 2013, p. 72)