Lack of Love Is the Cause of all Sorrows
People who love someone will not want to receive anything from their partner but will give him everything they have. And, certainly, we are happier this way than if we would be to receive something. Lack of love is the cause of all sorrow.
No envy, no slander exists where there is love. Because not only that we do not judge our friends but we correct those who do. We are in peace, we are kind and there is no trace of envy. “Love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:10). There is nothing vile in it. Why? Because all these sins, avarice, envy, gossip, pride, lie all disappear when there is love. Why some people do swear? Because they want to achieve something. But people who love someone will not want to receive anything from their partner but will give him everything they have. And, certainly, we are happier this way than if we would be to receive something. (from „Omilia a VII-a la Epistola a II-a către Timotei”).
Lack of love is the cause of all sorrow (from „Omilia a V-a la Epistola a II-a către Tesaloniceni”).
(Translation from Saint John Chrysostom, Texte alese, vol. I, traducere de Preot Ioan Andrei Târlescu, ediție îngrijită de Ieromonah Porfirie Nichita, Editura Bunavestire, Bacău, 2012, p. 45)
