Meditation On the Love of God and Our Neighbor
an excerpt from St. Basil the Great, Bishop and Doctor

They who have removed themselves from the cares of this world should watch over their own heart with all carefulness, so that they may not at any time deprive it of the thought of God, or defile the remembrance of His wonders with the images of earthly vanities.  Rather, let the hallowed thought of God, impressed like a seal upon the soul, through the pure and continuous remembrance of Him, be ever borne about with us on the daily task of keeping the Lord’s commandments, and preserved in turn by them from failing or going astray.  He who is strongly possessed by an ardent desire to follow Christ, is no longer able to turn his mind to anything related to this life, not even to the love of parents and kindred, should this be in any way opposed to the precepts of the Lord.  That this is so, we know from the words:  If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, he cannot be my disciple (Lk. xiv. 26).
And this the holy Disciples of the Lord also teach us; James and John, who with one mind left their father Zebedeus, and even the boat on which their whole livelihood depended.  And Matthew also, leaving his booth, followed our Lord; and not only did he leave the profits of his calling, he also thought nothing of the dangers that threatened both him and his family, from the civil powers, for leaving without notice, the task given him by the public authorities.  To Paul also the whole world was crucified, and he to the world (Gal. vi. 14).  For when the love of God fills the soul it makes nothing of every kind of contest; and even should all men shoot their darts at it because of Him it loves, they would delight rather than torment it.  For if we have a natural affection and gratitude towards those who have been good to us, what words can fittingly describe the gifts of God?  So great is their number, we cannot count them; so great, so wondrous that even for one of them we should never cease to give thanks to our Benefactor.