Quote by Father Thomas Hopko on Love and Truth

You can have truth without love, and there is probably no greater weapon that can hurt a person than when you tell them the truth and it really is the truth, but you don't love them, you don't care about them, you want to dismiss them, you feel ech... that will kill them. So you can have truth without love, but you can't have love without truth. You cannot have love without truth. You got to be in reality.

Father Thomas Hopko


source of quote around 11 minute mark of audio:

http://ancientfaith.com/specials/episodes/spiritual_practice_orthodox_christian_faith_and_homosexual_attraction_and_b

Comment:

When we teach or correct we have to teach and correct with both truth and love. When someone confesses their life, their problems, we have to instruct with love and truth. If we only instruct with truth but there is no love, then we have failed love and truth and Christ. Our scorn attached to truth may make a point, but in the end, it cannot bring people together unless love, real love and compassion are present. The truth hurts but it is love that makes the truth life-changing, spiritually life changing. Thanks, Father Hopko. A very profound lesson is stated here. It is one that Christ lived in the world and changed and continues to change the world today.