Nothing More Precious

Οὐδὲν οὕτως Θεῷ περισπούδαστον, ὡς ἀγάπη· δι' ἥν καὶ ἄνθρωπος γέγονε, καὶ μέχρι θανάτου ὑπήκοος. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ πρώτη κλῆσις τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἀδελφοὶ δύο γεγόνασιν, ἐνδειξαμένου διά τῶν προοιμίων εὐθὺς τοῦ πανσόφου Σωτῆρος, ὅτι πάντας τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἀδελφικῶς συνάπτεσθαι βούλεται. Ἀγάπης τοίνυν μηδὲν ἡγώμεθα προτιμότερον, ἥπερ συνδεῖ πάντα, καὶ ἐν ὀμονοίᾳ συμφερούσῃ φυλάττει. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ Ι' Εὐσεβιῳ Πρεσβυτερῳ Source: Migne PG 78.185b-c

Nothing is so precious before God as love, because of which He was made man and was obedient to death. 1 And this is also the reason why two sets of brothers were the first to be called by Him. 2 Whence immediately, in the beginning, the most wise Saviour shows that He wishes all His disciples to be joined together like brothers. 3 Therefore let us not put anything before love, so that it rules over everything, and preserves that harmony which unites. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 10, To the Priest Eusebius 1 Philipp 2.7-8 2 Mt 4.18-22, Mk 1.16-20 3 Jn 13.35