St. Paisios on Parental Love and Honoring God
The post shares a teaching from St. Paisios the Athonite responding to the claim that some children feel hurt by their parents' love. The elder states that no one is harmed by the love of parents. Whoever feels hurt by it is foolish, because he ought to thank God for the love and tenderness of his parents.
St. Paisios then connects the duty toward parents to the duty toward God: if someone does not honor and love his parents, he cannot possibly love, honor, and fear God. The teaching presents parental love as a gift from God that demands gratitude, and the honor given to parents as a necessary foundation for a right relationship with God.
Main points
- St. Paisios rejects the idea that parental love can harm children
- Those who feel hurt by parental love are called foolish
- Children should thank God for parental love and tenderness
- Honoring and loving parents is a prerequisite to loving, honoring, and fearing God
- The teaching comes from St. Paisios the Athonite, a recognized Orthodox saint
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