Love is not proud, therefore it does not leave people because of envy, pride or vainglory, which is a highlight of distance and isolation from other people. The proud distance themselves from other people as the Pharisee did in the evangelical parable saying “God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are!” He thought he was in a privileged position, a special one because he kept saying how other people were : “extortions, unjust, adulterers” thanking God he was not like the publican  who, ignoring the people around, was desperately praying and asking forgiveness for his sins. The Pharisee hated this publican because he was proud. And true love “is not proud.”

(Translation from Archimandrite Teofil Părăian, Iubirea de aproapele – ajutor pentru bucuria vieții, Editura Doxologia, Iași, 2014, pp. 13-14)