73. Listen to the words of those who have been granted perfect love: ‘What can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written, “For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded as sheep for slaughtering (Ps. 44:22). But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Rom. 8:35-39). Those who speak and act thus with regard to divine love are all saints.

St. Maximus the Confessor Four Hundred Centuries on Love: #73

The saints, having attained perfect love, demonstrate an unshakable commitment to God. Quoting St. Paul, Maximus the Confessor reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ—not affliction, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword.

Imagine a tree with deep roots standing firm against the fiercest storm. The saints are like this tree, their love for God unwavering despite the trials they face. Their lives are a testament to the power of divine love, which remains steadfast through all circumstances.

This unshakable love is not based on external conditions but on a deep, internal connection with God. It draws strength from the assurance that God’s love is constant and unchanging, providing a firm foundation in the face of life’s challenges.

By emulating the saints, we can strive to cultivate a love that is resilient and enduring. This love, grounded in faith and trust in God, enables us to face adversity with courage and grace, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.