"All they that hate Me love death" (Proverbs 8:35).
Thus speaks the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, through His prophet. He who hates the wisdom of God, hates God, and he who hates God--what else is there for him to love except death? Is not everything outside of the Lord death? The sun and stars, the seas and mountains, animals and plants--what is all of this except dead dust formed and enlivened by the power of God, the word of God, the wisdom of God? He who does not love God not only does not love God, but also does not love anything that is from God: neither the beauty of the stars, nor the order of the seas and mountains, nor the living power that is in animals and plant life. He who does not love God removes and distances God from nature. What else then is left? Only dead, formless, dark dust--only death. Even that dust is created by God, and the blasphemer of God must return that dust to God, and that which is left over he can love. What is left over? Only that which does not touch God, i.e., death, sin and the devil. He who does not love God, in essence, loves death, sin and the devil. Every blasphemer of God is a toy of the devil, a fruit of sin, and a pawn of death.
If we despise You, O Loving Lord, we do not have anyone or anything to love. For that which we love on earth we love because of You, and the ability to love is from You. Foolish is he who loves the rays and despises the sun, and who loves a drop of water and despises the spring.
Inspire us with life-giving love for You, O our All-loving Lord.
To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
- From the Prologue of Ohrid
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