Be kind, merciful and bring joy for everyone else. Mercy is something much more beautiful and greater that any talent that can bring you joy in this life. If you don’t have money to give to the poor to buy their bread, just show them a smile. This is called the bread of the angels, therefore the smile of the angels. Spiritual personality means that you should know about you. You should know why people praise or criticise you. Don’t sell any secret for any reason. It’s better to be nothing than other people’s hero.

Mind your own business and the heavenly things! It’s better to bring the sky in small realities rather than consider yourself forgotten somewhere above.

Although others rightly consider themselves eagles, even if you have the power and the wings of a eagle as well, you should settle being a little merry lark flying upright heralding the dawn.

Don’t seek the reward of your good act and it will come on its own.

(Translated from Arhimandrit Arsenie Papacioc, Scrisori către fiii mei duhovnicești, Mănăstirea Dervent, Constanța, 2000, pp. 47-48)