Athanasios Katigas: On the value of the soul

Once someone purchased an exotic bird and placed it in a beautiful cage with toys, beads, mirrors, swings, and even a bath. It chirped so beautifully that the whole neighborhood really enjoyed it. Its owner took care of it with much joy and cleaned the cage on a daily basis. One day, however, he was careless and left the little door open, and the bird flew away. When he saw the cage empty, he got very distressed and threw it in the storage room. Without the beautiful bird, its most elaborate cage was worthless. See what we do for the cage, our mortal body, whereas for our immortal soul we hardly do anything!
+Athanasios Katigas, from Tears of Repentance, true experiences in a Greek taxi cab, Chapter 1 Repentance, Confession & Holy Communion, On Being People Pleasers

Elder Gabriel Dionysiatis: Care of the Soul

The one thing that is most needed, most indispensable, is the care of the soul. Yet, we take tender care of the body and neglect the soul to the point of insensibility. If we fall slightly sick or the idea enters into our mind that something is wrong in our body, we hasten to doctors, X-rays, hot-spring spas, sparing neither effort, nor time, nor expense, until we are informed that we are well. And all this for the mortal body. But for the immortal soul no positive care, not diagnosis, no visits to the spiritual clinic, while our Lord and God invites us with affection, saying: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28).
+Elder Gabriel Dionysiatis, from Modern Orthodox Saints #13 by Constantine Cavarnos, Selected texts from his writings