For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matt. 6:14–15). What a simple and handy means of salvation! Your trespasses are forgiven under the condition that you forgive the trespasses of your neighbour against you. This means that you are in your own hands. Force yourself to pass from agitated feelings toward your brother to truly peaceful feelings—and that is all. Forgiveness day—what a great heavenly day of God this is! If all of us used it as we ought, this day would make Christian societies into heavenly societies, and the earth would merge with heaven.
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
by St. Theophan the Recluse
Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher, King of Serbia Stephen Nemanya was the Great Zhupan of Serbia, and lived during the twelfth century. The saint toiled much for his fatherland: he united a large portion of the Serbian lands, and strove for the political independence of his country from the Byzantine Empire. In his zeal for the Orthodox Church, he defended his nation against heresy and false teaching.
Here are the words of the Epistle reading for the great feast of the Baptism of the Lord, to which I would like to draw your attention for a moment, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. Here it speaks of the manifestation of grace, which, according to the teaching of Apostle Paul, makes us chaste, righteous, and pious; that is, holy. What is this grace of which the apostle speaks here, as a means for acquiring the holy and salvific life? According to the teaching of St. John Cassian, we must distinguish two types of grace: grace in the external sense, through which the Lord acts throughout the whole world whether directly, or by means of angels, people, and even visible nature; and grace as an inner Divine strength. Precisely this latter grace we must understand in the given words of the holy apostle. 
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Since the Most Holy Virgin was brought into the temple to be instructed in the Lord, let us talk now about the benefit and necessity of going to the church of God as the house of God and place where we are raised for the Heavenly Fatherland. We are called Christians, and we are all called by Jesus Christ to the Heavenly Fatherland, to be heavenly citizens, Divine inheritors, co-inheritors with Christ. Our calling is very high, our duties are also just as important; our spirit should be very exalted, holy, meek, and humble.
Do you know what a great gift it is that God gave us the right to speak to Him every hour and moment, wherever we are? He always listens to us. This is the greatest honor we have. For this reason we must love God.