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welcome… me… just the sinner… a listener, an observer, a thinker, an admirer… I am an Orthodox Catholic Christian interested in computers, electronics, automation, soccer, music, freedom, life, love, Truth, Holy Tradition, the Holy Trinity, the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, the Holy Bible/Holy Scripture, ethics, morality, philosophy, religion, spirituality, asceticism, Creation, and pro-life.
The Orthodox Church in America - Archdiocese of Canada received me into membership by Holy Chrismation by priest/monk Fr. Rev. E.A. (Simeon) Weare, memory eternalMemory Eternal, in the parish St. Nicholas the Wonder-Maker in 1992.
—the unworthy servant and chief of sinners, th
“Assume the person you're listening to knows something you don't.” —Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
“I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.” —George Bernard Shaw
“Inequality is the price of civilization.” —George Orwell
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king, the palace becomes a circus.” —Turkish Proverb
“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” —George Orwell
“People will never come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.” —Aldous Huxley
“The best way to keep a prisoner from escaping is to make sure he never knows he's in prison.” —Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“Censorship reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself.” — Potter Stewart
“Those who forget the past, they lose an eye. Those who dwell on the past, they lose both eyes.” —Hungarian Proverb
“According to Hegel, man will be completely free only ‘by surrounding himself with a world entirely created by himself.’ But this is precisely what he has done, and man has never been so enchained, so much a slave as now.” —E. M. Cioran “Hard men make good times, good times make soft men, soft men make bad times.” —Alex Jones, Tucker on X, Ep. 46 “[Behold] I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” —J. Robert Oppenheimer (, the Bhagavad Gita, chapter 11 verse 32 of the Bhagavad Gita)
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” —John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear, and the blind can see.” —Mark Twain
“There's nothing that divides nations like a common language.” —George Bernard Shaw
“Democracy is the dictatorship of the ignorant masses.” —Plato
“Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to that arrogant oligarchy who merely happen to be walking around.” —G. K. Chesterton
“That the dead are as much a part of the present as the unborn is a fundamental conservative idea.” —Armin Mohler
“Having heard all of this, you may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know.” —William Wilberforce
“Who feareth to suffer suffereth already, because he feareth.” —Michel de Montaigne
“…the brain, in and of its physical self, does not think, any more than a musical instrument can give forth melody without the touch of the musician's hand. The brain is indeed the instrument of thinking, but the mind is the skillful player that makes it give forth the beautiful harmony of thought… … It is because of the disastrous results of fear thought not only on the individual but on the nation, that it becomes the duty of every sane man and woman to establish quarantine against fear. Fear is a psychic disease which is highly contagious and extraordinarily infectious. Fear though is most dangerous when it parades as forethought. Combat fear by replacing it with faith. Resist worry with confidence.” —William Samuel Sadler (1875-1969), M.D., F.A.C.S. Director of the Chicago Institute of Research and Diagnosis
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.” —Thomas Jefferson
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” —Albert Einstein
“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.” —Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
“Time is a violent torrent; no sooner is a thing brought to sight then it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away.” —Marcus Aurelius
“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.” —Marcus Aurelius
“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habbit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” —Lao Tzu
“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else. It is about your outlook towards life. You can either regret or rejoice.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Men are, unfortunately generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.” —William Penn
“The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.” —Fred Astaire
“Political correctness is tyranny with manners.” —Charlton Heston
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be ‘cured’ against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.” —C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology (Making of Modern Theology)
“All tyrannies rule through fraud and force, but once the fraud is exposed they must rely exclusively on force.” —George Orwell
“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.” —William Pitt the Younger
“In the time of heroes and tyrants, the true heroes are the small men.” —unknown
“Birds of a feather flock together.” —English Proverb
“Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.” —William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act 2, Scene 2
“You can want a women for her body, but you can only love her for her character.” —Spanish Proverb
“We must always takes sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” —Elie Wiesel
“The reason it is difficult is that we have been conditioned to laugh at conspiracy theories, and few people will risk public ridicule by advocating them. On the other hand, to endorse the accidental view is absurd. Almost all of history is an unbroken trail of one conspiracy after another. Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception.” —G. Edward Griffin
“Facts don't care about feelings.” —Ben Shapiro
“Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” —Edward Snowden
“[The best solution to offensive speech is] more speech, not enforced silence.” —Louis Brandeis, US Supreme Court Justice
“I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it.” —Voltaire
“The holocaust has to be thought as a chapter in the long history of man's inhumanity to man. One cannot ignore the discrimination inflicted on many people because of race, color, or creed. One cannot ignore slavery. One cannot ignore the burning of witches. One cannot ignore the killing of Christians in the Roman period. The holocaust perhaps is the culmination of the kind of horror that can occur when man loses his integrity, his belief in the sanctity of human life.” —Dr. Randolph Braham, Holocaust Survivor
“Do not judge by appearances; a rich heart may be under a poor coat.” —Scottish Proverb
“Don't talk to me of female beauty, rather virtues of her soul. A beautiful woman who has not decorated herself with virtue is like a painted coffin.” —St. John Chrysostom
“A wife is appealing not in the beauty of her body, rather for the virtues of her soul, neither in creams and cosmetics, nor gold and expensive clothes, rather chastity, meekness, and abiding awe before God.” —St. John Chrysostom
“The beauty of woman is the greatest snare. Or rather, not the beauty of woman, but unchastened gazing! For we should not accuse the objects, but ourselves, and our own carelessness. Nor should we say, ‘Let there be no women’, but ‘Let there be no adulteries’. We should not say, ‘Let there be no beauty’, but ‘Let there be no fornication’. We should not say, ‘Let there be no belly’, but ‘Let there be no gluttony’; for the belly makes not the gluttony, but our negligence. We should not say, that it is because of eating and drinking that all these evils exist; for it is not because of this, but because of our carelessness and insatiableness. Thus the devil neither ate nor drank, and yet he fell! Paul ate and drank, and ascended up to heaven!” —St. John Chrysostom, Homily 15 on the Statues, 10
“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” —Margaret Mead
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” —Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“The root of all wisdom is knowing what an asshole you are.” —Tucker Carlson, Tucker on X, Ep. 46
“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” —Alexander Pope
“It is through error that man tries and rises. It is through tragedy he learns. All the roads of learning begin in darkness and go out into the light.” —Hippocrates of Kos
“When the solution is simple, God is answering.” —Albert Einstein
“There's no mask for a treacherous heart like an honest face.” —Captain Kidd (1945)
“[S]he has an honest face even if it is the result of triumph of plastic surgery.” —The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964), s2e13
“Sometimes when you're troubled and hurt, you pour yourself into things that can't hurt back.” —Gentleman's Agreement (1947)
“At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusion, a point of pure truth, a point or spark which belongs entirely to God, which is never at our disposal, from which God disposes our lives, which is inaccessible to the fantasies of our own mind or the brutalities of our own will. This little point of nothingness and of absolute poverty is the pure glory of God in us… It is like a pure diamond, blazing with the invisible light of heaven. It is in everybody, and if we could see it we would see these billions of points of light coming together in the face and blaze of a sun that would make all the darkness and cruelty of life vanish completely…I have no program for this seeing. It is only given. But the gate of heaven is everywhere.” —Thomas Merton
“I myself am nothing; all that is good in me is accomplished by the grace of God.” —St. John of Kronstadt
“Humility collects the soul into a single point by the power of silence. A truly humble man has no desire to be known or admired by others, but wishes to plunge from himself into himself, to become nothing, as if he had never been born. When he is completely hidden to himself in himself, he is completely with God.” —St. Isaac the Syrian
“Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots.” —Frank A. Clark
“While the admission of a design for the universe ultimately raises the question of a Designer (a subject outside of science), the scientific method does not allow us to exclude data which lead to the conclusion that the universe, life and man are based on design. To be forced to believe only one conclusion--that everything in the universe happened by chance would violate the very objectivity of science itself.” —Werner Von Braun, Ph.D., the father of the NASA space program
“With me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man’s man's mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy.” —Charles Darwin
“Evolutionary naturalism implies that we should not take any of our convictions seriously, including the scientific world picture on which evolutionary naturalism depends.
That is, naturalism, and therefore atheism, undermines the foundations of the very rationality that is needed to construct or understand or believe in any kind of argument whatsoever, let alone a scientific one.” —Thomas Nagel, Mind and Cosmos
“Supposing there was no intelligence behind the universe, no creative mind. In that case, nobody designed my brain for the purpose of thinking. It is merely that when the atoms inside my skull happen, for physical or chemical reasons, to arrange themselves in a certain way, this gives me, as a by-product, the sensation I call thought. But, if so, how can I trust my own thinking to be true? It's like upsetting a milk jug and hoping that the way it splashes itself will give you a map of London. But if I can't trust my own thinking, of course I can't trust the arguments leading to Atheism, and therefore have no reason to be an Atheist, or anything else. Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so I can never use thought to disbelieve in God.” —C. S. Lewis
“Do not say, ‘this happened by chance, while this came to be of itself.’ In all that exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing indefinite, nothing without purpose, nothing by chance… … How many hairs are on your head? God will not forget one of them. Do you see how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes the gaze of God?” —St. Basil the Great
“There are no coincidences in life. All things are providential. They are allowed for our salvation, in correspondence with our inner state and needs.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina
“Relativity applies to physics, not ethics.” —Albert Einstein
“When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing – they believe in anything.” —G. K. Chesterton
“Those who stand for nothing, fall for everything.” —Alexander Hamilton
“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” —Rick Warren
“If everyone has his own truth, where is falsehood? Falsehood hides behind the guise of truth. They say to us: Every person has his own truth, we should respect everyone's opinion and have no right to express any opposition to his error because that would be ‘intolerant’. Then where is Truth? Have we erased it? God is absolute Truth.” —Archbishop Stephan (Kalaidjishvili) of Tsageri and Lentekhi, Georgia
“Tolerance of falsehood is intolerance to Truth.” —th
“Orthodox Christianity is not true because I believe It, I believe It because It is Truth.” —th
“Faithful copies of a counterfeit original yield only more counterfeits.” —unknown
“Faith is not the clinging to a shrine but an endless pilgrimage of the heart.” —Abraham Joshua Heschel
“For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.” —Malachi 1:11
“God tends the pagans too, but the Christian knows the donor.” —St. Tikhon of Voronezh
“We do not worship a created thing, but the Master of created things, the Word of God made flesh. Although the flesh itself, considered separately, is a part of created things, yet it has become the body of God. We do not worship this body after having separated it from the Word. Likewise, we do not separate the Word from the body when we wish to worship Him. But knowing that ‘the Word was made flesh,’ we recognise the Word existing in the flesh as God.” —St. Athanasius of Alexandriathe Great, Ep. ad Adelph., par. 3
“Take, in the next place, the subjection by which you subject the Son to the Father. What, you say, is He not now subject, or must He, if He is God, be subject to God? You are fashioning your argument as if it concerned some robber, or some hostile deity. But look at it in this manner: that as for my sake He was called a curse, who destroyed my curse; and sin, who taketh away the sin of the world; and became a new Adam to take the place of the old, just so He makes my disobedience His own as Head of the whole body.
“This I give you to share, and to defend all your life, the one Godhead and power, found in the three in unit, and comprising the three separately; not unequal, in substances or natures, neither increased nor diminished by superiorities nor inferiorities; in every respect equal, in every respect the same; just as the beauty and the greatness of the heavens is one; the infinite conjunction of three infinite ones, each God when considered in himself; as the Father, so the Son; as the Son, so the Holy Spirit; the three one God when contemplated together; each God because consubstantial; one God because of the monarchia. No sooner do I conceive of the one than I am illumined by the splendor of the three; no sooner do I distinguish them than I am carried back to the one. When I think of anyone of the three I think of him as the whole, and my eyes are filled, and the greater part of what I am thinking escapes me. I cannot grasp the greatness of that one so as to attribute a greater greatness to the rest. When I contemplate the three together, I see but one torch, and cannot divide or measure out the undivided light.” —St. Gregory the Theologian, Orations 40.41, as quoted by Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity, 378
“The power to bear Mysteries“God – who is truly none of the things that exist, which the humble man has receivedand who, which makes him perfect in every virtue without toilproperly speaking, this is all things, and at the very power which the blessed apostles received same time beyond them – is present in the form logos of fire. For its sake each thing in itself, and in all the Saviour commanded them not to leave Jerusalem until they should receive power from on highlogoi together, that is according to say, the Paraclete, whichall things exist… God is whole in all things commonly, and in each being interpretedparticularly, is the Spirit of consolation. And this is without separation or being subject to division…but on the Spirit of divine visions. Concerning this it contrary is said truly all things in divine Scripture: ‘Mysteries are revealed to the humble’ (Ecclus 3:19). The humble are accounted worthy of receiving in themselves this Spirit all, never going out of revelations Who teaches mysteriesHis own indivisible simplicity.” —St. Isaac Maximus the Syrian, Homily 77Confessor
“We“Perhaps you will say: ‘Then tell me, therefore, so long as we are beset by did the virgin become the corruptions mother of the flesh, in Godhead?’ And to this we reply: There can be no wise behold doubt that the brightness living and enhypostatic Word was begotten from Originator the very essence of the Divine PowerGod his Father, as it abides unchangeable and has his existence without beginning in itselftime, in that the eye of our weakness cannot endure that which shines above us eternally co-existing with intolerable lustre from the ray of His Eternal Beinghis Begetter. And so when the Almighty shews Himself to us by the chinks He is conceived of contemplation, He does not speak to usas existing in him and with him, but whispers, in that though He does not fully develope Himself, yet something these last times of Himself He does reveal to the mind of man. But then He no longer whispers at allage since he became flesh, but speaksthat is was united to flesh endowed with a rational soul, when His appearance he is manifested also said to us have been born of a woman in certaintya fleshly manner. It This mystery concerning him is hence that Truth saith in some ways like the Gospel, ‘I shall shew you plainly mystery of the Father’ (John 16our own birth, 25). Hence John saithfor earthly mothers, ‘For we shall see Him assisting nature as He is’ (1 John 3regards the birth, 2). Hence Paul saithhave the embryonic flesh in their wombs, ‘Then shall I know even as also I am known’ (1 Cor. 13, 12). Now which in this present a short timeby certain ineffable workings of God, increases and is perfected into the human form. Then God introduces the Divine whispering has as many veins spirit to this living creature in a manner known to him alone; for our ears as ‘he fashions the works spirit of creationa man within him’ (Zech.12.1), which as the Divine Being Himself is Lord of; for while we view all things that are createdprophet says. Nonetheless, we are lifted up in admiration of the Creator. For as water that flows in a slender stream Word is sought by being bored for through veins, with a view different to increase itthe flesh, and as it pours forth equally different to the soul. But even if these mothers have produced only the more copiouslyearthly bodies, in proportion as it finds nonetheless they are said to have given birth to the veins more openwhole living creature, I mean that of soul and body, so weand not to have given birth to just a part. To take an example, whilst we heedfully gather surely no one would say that Elizabeth was only the knowledge mother of the Divine Being from flesh, but not the contemplation mother of His creationthe soul, as it were open since she gave birth to ourselves the ‘veins Baptist who was already endowed with a soul? Surely she is the mother of His whispering’one thing constituted from both realities; that is a man, of soul and body. We take it, then, that something like this happened in that by the things that we see have been madebirth of Emmanuel.” —St. Cyril of Alexandria, we are led to marvel at the excellency chief opponent of the MakerNestorianism, Saint Cyril of Alexandria and by the objects that are in public viewChristological Controversy “The power to bear Mysteries, that issues forth to uswhich the humble man has received, which makes him perfect in every virtue without toil, this is hidden the very power which the blessed apostles received in concealmentthe form of fire. For He bursts out its sake the Saviour commanded them not to us in a kind of sound as it were, whilst He displays His works to be considered by usleave Jerusalem until they should receive power from on high, wherein He betokens Himself in a measure, in that He shews how Incomprehensible He is. Thereforeto say, because we cannot take thought of Him as He deservesthe Paraclete, we hear not His voicewhich, yeabeing interpreted, scarcely His whisperingis the Spirit of consolation. For because we are not equal to form a full and perfect estimate And this is the Spirit of the very things that are created, divine visions. Concerning this it is rightly said, Mine ear as it were by stealth received the veins of whispering; in that being cast forth from divine Scripture: ‘Mysteries are revealed to the delights of paradise, and visited with the punishment humble’ (Ecclus 3:19). The humble are accounted worthy of blindness, we scarcely take receiving in ‘the veins themselves this Spirit of whispering’; since His very marvellous works themselves we consider but hastily and slightly. But we must bear in mind, that in proportion as the soul being lifted up contemplates His Excellency, so being held back it shrinks from His Righteous Perfectnessrevelations Who teaches mysteries.” —St. Gregory the Great (Gregory Isaac the Dialogist), Book V, Sec. 52Syrian, Morals on the Book of JobHomily 77
“‘And my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’ (John 14:23). My friends, consider the greatness of this solemn feast that commemorates God's coming as a guest into our hearts! If some rich and influential friend were to come to your home, you would promptly put it all in order for fear something there might offend your friend's eyes when he came in. Let all of us then who are preparing our inner homes for God cleanse them of anything our wrongdoing has brought into them.” —St. Gregory the Great, on Pentecost in Be Friends of God
The three persons of the Holy Trinity constitute the eternal Church.” —St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia, Wounded by Love
“Christ, invisible to the bodily eye, manifests Himself on earth clearly through His Church … The Church is the Body of Christ both because its parts are united to Christ through His divine mysteries and because through her Christ works in the world.” —St. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco
“How does the Liturgy begin? ‘Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’ …What is this kingdom, which is blessed, glorified, honored…? It is the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God. It is paradise, in which Christ has placed us; it is our holy Church. Its king is the God of three suns: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The servants of the king are the angels and archangels, along with the thrones, principalities, authorities, dominions, powers, the many-eyed cherubim, and the six-winged seraphim. The king's generals are the saints. Our Lady the Theotokos is the queen. The faithful soldiers of this kingdom are all those Christians who are ready to follow Christ, whatever the cost; all those who are ready to bear His honorable Name, all those who make up His Church. All of them… are with us during the celebration of the Liturgy…
During the celebration of the Liturgy, Christ is with us exactly as he was when he was teaching, when he made the lame leap and walk, the blind see, and the dead return to life. And this is not simply having the memory of Christ within our thoughts, but having Christ Himself truly and concretely present before us. He is present – He, the teacher, the prophet, the miracle-worker. Christ Who was crucified, Who was raised from the dead, Who ascended into heaven, is now before us! …
The priest turns his eyes to heaven, and calls the things of heaven down to earth. He commands the cherubim, the seraphim, even the Holy Trinity, because God gives the priest the power to have rights over Jesus Christ. Because He is not visibly present, Christ delegates His work to His priests. And when the priest is in the sanctuary, he is beyond every earthly ruler, for he does not govern men, but rather the choirs of saints and the armies of angels…
…Saint Gregory Palamas said that the church ‘resides on high, being an angelic and transcendent place’ which ‘raises man to heaven and presents him to the God who is above all’ …When we enter church… we are traversing the distance from earth to heaven. We pass beyond the stars, we leave the angels below us, and we rise up to the heights of the Holy Trinity.
Don't think that when we go to church, we are simply entering and exiting an ordinary building. Instead, we go up to, and make our entrance into, the Holy of Holies, into the heavens themselves… we sinners open the doors of heaven and enter! Although we are sinners, when we enter into the Liturgy, we go up to the heavenly Jerusalem… So we have come to the church… Let nothing disturb the tranquility of your soul. God is present. Wherever we look, God is before us!” —Archimandrite Aimilianos, The Church at Prayer, pp. 54, 56-57, 69, 71-72.
“Whosoever should ever call himself a bishop over all bishops or a universal bishop shall be the forerunner to the Antichrist.” —Pope St. Gregory (I) the Great (Gregory the Dialogist), Forty Gospel Homilies
“And so I, by the will of God Allmighty the Bishop of Rome, am the Universal Bishop, the Bishop over Bishops, the only Vicar of Christ on Earth.” —Pope Gregory VII, Dictatus Papae
“We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” —Pope Boniface VIII, Bull Unam Sanctam
“Even if the Pope were Satan incarnate, we ought not to raise up our heads against him, but calmly lie down to rest on his bosom.
He who rebels against our Father is condemned to death, for that which we do to him we do to Christ: we honor Christ if we honor the Pope; we dishonor Christ if we dishonor the Pope.
I know very well that many defend themselves by boasting: ‘They are so corrupt, and work all manner of evil!’ But God has commanded that, even if the priests, the pastors, and Christ-on-earth were incarnate devils, we be obedient and subject to them, not for their sakes, but for the sake of God, and out of obedience to Him.” —Catherine of Siena, ‘St. Catherine of Siena’, SCS, pp. 201-202, p. 222 (‘Canonized’ by the RC ‘Church’ in 1461)
“In the history of the human race there have been three principal falls: that of Adam, that of Judas, and that of the pope.” —St. Justin Popovich
“They [Rome] do not know and do not wish to know the truth; they argue with those who proclaim the truth to them, and assert their heresy.” —St. Basil the Great, letter to Eusebius of Samosata
“The Greeks [Orthodox]… are not heretics or schismatics but the most Christian people and the best followers of the gospel on earth.” —Martin Luther, Luther, Martin (1999), Luther's Works, Vol. 32: Career of the Reformer II, J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed., 59, Philadelphia: Fortress Press
“When we Greeks find fault with the filioque, they shake Peter's keys at us… … Nevertheless differences of custom and usage are no sufficient ground for schism. Experience shows that arguing about azyma and Lenten fasts gets nowhere. The Greeks should be accommodating and make concessions to the ignorant western barbarians, hoping that in time they will correct their errors to conform to the apostolic tradition stemming from Jerusalem.” —Blessed Theophylact of Ochrid, The Errors of the Latins in Ecclesiastical Matters
“For Petra (Rock) is not derived from Peter, but Peter from Petra; just as Christ is not called so from the Christian, but the Christian from Christ. For on this very account the Lord said, ‘On this Rock will I build my Church,’ because Peter had said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ On this Rock, therefore, He said, which thou hast confessed, I will build my Church. For the Rock (Petra) was Christ; and on this Foundation was Peter himself also built. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus.” —St. Augustine of Hippo, Tractate, CXXIV
“There is nothing more serious than the sacrilege of schism because there is no just cause for severing the unity of the Church.” —St. Augustine of Hippo
“Do not fear sorrows, but fear the stubbornness of heretics who try to separate a man from Christ, which is why Christ commanded us to consider them as pagans and pharisees.” —St. Anatoly of Optina
“This is how you have union with the Roman Catholics and Protestants: you baptize them.” —Bishop Luke of Syracuse
“…anyone joining the Church ought to become renewed [by baptism], in order that within, through the holy elements, he become sanctified… There being but one baptism, and there being but one Holy Spirit, there is also but one Church, founded by Christ our Lord… And for this reason whatever they [heterodox] do is false and empty and vain, everything being counterfeit and unauthorized… And to those who from error and crookedness come for knowledge of the true and ecclesiastic faith we ought to give freely the mystery of divine power, of unity as well as of faith, and of truth.” —St. Cyprian of Carthage, Third Holy Council held under St. Cyprian of Carthage, On the Reception of the Heterodox, p. 81
“Holy priests, you must have large baptismal fonts in your churches so that the entire child can be immersed. The child should be able to swim in it so that not even an area as large as a tick's eye remains dry. Because it is from there (the dry area) that the devil advances, and this is why your children become epileptics, are possessed by demons, have fear, suffer misfortune; they haven't been baptized properly.” —St. Kosmas Aitolos, On the Reception of the Heterodox, p. 49
“One Baptism has been handed down to us Orthodox Christians (Ephesians 4:4) by our Lord as well as by the divine Apostles and the holy Fathers; because the Cross and the Death of the Lord, in the type or similitude of which baptism is celebrated, were but one.
For this reason the present Apostolic Canon prescribes that any Bishop or Priest will be deposed should he baptize a second time anew and beginning all over again someone who has been truly baptize as though he were dealing with one utterly unbaptized.
This is in accordance with the order given by the Lord and which was spoken of by the Apostles and divine Fathers. He shall be deposed if he rebaptizes someone who has been baptized in the very same manner as Orthodox Christians, because with this second baptism he is re-crucifying and publicly ridiculing the Son of God, which St. Paul says is impossible, and he is offering a second death to the Lord, over whom death no longer has dominion (Hebrews 6:4; Romans 6:5), according to the same St. Paul.
Likewise in the event that any Bishop or Priest should refuse to baptize with the regular Orthodox baptism of the Catholic Church one who has been polluted, that is a person who has been baptized by the impious, or in plain language, baptized by heretics. Such a Bishop is to be deposed, since he is mocking the Cross and death of the Lord.” —St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite
“This food is called among us the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the one who believes that the things we teach are true, and who has been washed with baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and who is living his life as Christ has commanded.” —St. Justin the Martyr
“Even if the whole universe holds communion with the [heretical] patriarch, I will not communicate with him. For I know from the writings of the holy Apostle Paul: the Holy Spirit declares that even the angels would be anathema if they should begin to preach another Gospel, introducing some new teaching.” —St. Maximus the Confessor, The Life of St. Maximus the Confessor
“Those who do not belong to the Truth do not belong to the Church of Christ either; and all the more so, if they speak falsely of themselves by calling themselves, or calling each other, holy pastors and hierarchs; [for it has been instilled in us that] Christianity is characterized not by persons, but by the truth and exactitude of Faith.” —St. Gregory Palamas
“Faith is the unreserved acceptance of divine revelation and the full conviction that all things preached by the grace of God constitute the only truth.” —St. Basil the Great, On Faith, PG 31.677D-680A.
“Chrysostomos loudly declares not only heretics, but also those who have communion with them, to be enemies of God.” —St. Theodore the Studite, Epistle of Abbot Theophilus
“All the teachers of the Church, and all the Councils, and all the Divine Scriptures advise us to flee from the heterodox and separate from their communion.” —St. Mark of Ephesus
“Therefore, in so far as this is what has been commanded you by the Holy Apostles, stand aright, hold firmly to the traditions which you have received, both written and by word of mouth (2 Thessalonians 2:15), that you be not deprived of your firmness if you are led away by the delusions of the lawless.
May God, Who is all-powerful, make them also to know their delusion; and having delivered us from them as from evil tares, may He gather us into His granaries like pure and useful wheat, in Jesus Christ our Lord, to Whom belongs all glory, honor, and worship, with His Father Who is without beginning, and His All-holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.” —St. Mark of Ephesus
“‘But if,’ they say, ‘we had devised some middle ground between the dogmas (of the Papists and the Orthodox), then thanks to this we would have united with them and accomplished our business superbly, without at all having been forced to say anything except what corresponds to custom and has been handed down (by the Fathers).’ This is precisely the means by which many, from of old, have been deceived and persuaded to follow those who have led them off the steep precipice of impiety; believing that there is some middle ground between the two teachings that can reconcile obvious contradictions, they have been exposed to peril.” —St. Mark of Ephesus, Encyclical Letter, Orthodox Word, March-April-May, 1967
“Whoever preserves himself from them (the Latins) and keeps his faith pure will stand rejoicing at the right hand of God, but whoever willfully draws close to them will stand weeping bitterly with them on the left. For there is no eternal life for those living in the faith of the Latins or the Saracens…
My son, it is not appropriate to praise another's faith. Whoever praises an alien faith is like a detractor of his own Orthodox faith. If anyone should praise his own and another's faith, then he is a man of dual faith and is close to heresy. If someone says anyone should say to you: ‘Both your ‘Your faith and our faith are is from God’God, ’ you child, must my son, should reply to him as follows: ‘Who are you, you heretic? Do you think that consider God has to be of two faiths? Have you not heard, accursed and perverted as you are by an evil faith that which is written: Thus saith the Lord: one One Lord, one faithOne Faith, one baptism…’One Baptism’ (Ephesians 4:5)?…
Thus they of evil faith, after holding to the Orthodox faith for so many years, have turned away to an evil faith and to Satan's teaching…
They have renounced the preaching of the apostles and the edification of the holy fathers, and have accepted a faith based on error and a perverted dogma leading to perdition. Therefore, they have been torn away from us and set apart…” —St. Theodosius of Kiev Caves, Testament to the Great Prince Izyaslav of Kiev
“It is impossible to recall peace without dissolving the cause of the schism – the primacy of the Pope exalting himself equal to God.” —St. Mark of Ephesus
“Holy Orthodoxy has two eternal enemies: Mecca and Rome.” —St. Kosmas Aitolos
“Orthodoxy has one thing to say to “You should curse the ecumenical movement: here is the truthPope, join yourself to it; to remain to ‘discuss’ this truth not merely weakens because he will be the Orthodox witness, it destroys itcause.” —Fr—St. Seraphim Rose of PlatinaKosmas Aitolos
“That only the canonical Scriptures “We do not have infallibility is testified merely ‘a group of Orthodox that consider Roman Catholics and Protestants to be heretics’ or ‘only pronouncements by Blessed Augustine in particular ecclesiastical writers’, as some erroneously contend, but the totality of the words which he writes to Jerome: ‘It Saints of our Church who dealt with this issue unanimously conclude that Papism is heresy. There is not one Saint of our Church – no, not one – who contends that Papism is fitting to bestow not a heresy.” —Fr. Anastasios Gotsopoulos, On Common Prayer with the Heterodox “The Anglican Communion ignores the Orthodox Church's dogmas and teachings, such honour and veneration only as the invocation of Saints, prayers for the dead, special honor to the books Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of Scripture which are called 'canonicalGod,' and reverence for I absolutely believe sacred relics, holy pictures and icons. They say of such teaching that none it is ‘a foul thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of the authors who wrote them erred in anything. … As for other writingsScripture, no matter how great was but rather repugnant to the excellence word of God’ (Article of Religion, XXII). There is a striking variance between their authors in sanctity wording of the Nicene Creed and learningthat of the Holy Orthodox Church; but sadder still, in reading them it contains the heresy of the ‘filioque.’ I do not accept their teaching as true solely on deem it necessary to mention all the striking differences between the Holy Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion in reference to the authority of Holy Tradition, the number of the basis General Councils, etc. Sufficient has already been said and pointed out to show that they thus wrote the Anglican Communion differs but little from all other Protestant bodies, and thought.’ Then, in a letter therefore, there cannot be any intercommunion until she returns to Fortunatus [Stthe ancient Holy Orthodox Faith and practices, and rejects Protestant omissions and commissions. Mark continues Therefore, as the official head of the Syrian Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church in his citations North America and as one who must ‘give an account’ (Hebrews 13:17) before the judgment throne of Augustine] he writes the following‘Shepherd and Bishop of Souls’ (I St Peter 2: ‘We should not hold 25), that I have fed the judgment ‘flock of a manGod’ (I St. Peter 5:2), even though this man might as I have been orthodox commissioned by the Holy Orthodox Church, and had an high reputation, inasmuch as the same kind Anglican Communion (Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States) does not differ in things vital to the well being of the Holy Orthodox Church from some of authority as the canonical Scripturesmost errant Protestant sects, I direct all Orthodox people residing in any community not to seek or to accept the ministrations of the extent Sacraments and rites from any clergy excepting those of considering it inadmissible the Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church, for usthe Apostolic command, out that the Orthodox should not commune in ecclesiastical matters with those who are not of ‘the same household of Faith’ (Galatians 6:10), is clear: ‘Any Bishop; or presbyter or deacon who will pray with heretics, let him be anathematized; and if he allows them as clergymen to perform any service, let him be deposed’ (Apostolic Canon 45). ‘Any bishop, or presbyter, who accepts baptism or the reverence Holy Sacrifice from heretics, we owe order such mento be deposed, for ‘what concord hath Christ with Belial, or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?’’ (Apostolic Canon 46).”—St. Raphael of Brooklyn, On the Anglican Communion “If a Bishop or Priest baptize anew anyone that has had a true baptism, or fail to disapprove baptize anyone that has been polluted by the impious, let him be deposed, on the ground that he is mocking the Cross and reject something in their writing if we should happen Death of the Lord and for failing to discover that distinguish priests from pseudo-priests.” —Apostolic Canon 47 “Whosoever has fallen from the True Faith cannot be called a Christian.” —St. Athanasius the Great “The heretics obey the demons; they honor falsehood, and at every moment they taught other than provoke God to anger.” —St. Symeon the New Theologian “Ecumenism is the common name for the pseudo-Christianity of the pseudo-churches of Western Europe. Within it is the truth whichheart of European humanism, with God's helpPapism as its head. All of pseudo-Christianity, all of those pseudo-churches, has been attained by others or by ourselvesare nothing more than one heresy after another. Their common evangelical name is: ‘pan-heresy. ’ Why? This is how I am with regard to because through the writings course of history various heresies denied or deformed certain aspects of the God-Man and Lord Jesus Christ; these European heresies remove Him altogether and put European man in His place. In this there is no essential difference between Papism, Protestantism, ecumenism, and other men; heresies, whose name is ‘Legion’.” —St. Justin Popovich “For Western Christendom God is indeed dead, and its leaders only prepare for the advent of the enemy of God, Antichrist. But Orthodox Christians know the living God and dwell within the saving enclosure of His True Church. It is here, in faithful and fervent following of the unchanging Orthodox path – and I desire that not in the reader will act thus dazzling ‘Ecumenical’ union with regard the new unbelievers that is pursued by Orthodox modernists – that our salvation is to my writings alsobe found.’” —St” —Fr. Mark Seraphim Rose of EphesusPlatina “Orthodoxy has one thing to say to the ecumenical movement: here is the truth, Second Homily on Purgatorial Firejoin yourself to it; to remain to ‘discuss’ this truth not merely weakens the Orthodox witness, chsit destroys it. 15-16; Pogodin, pp” —Fr. 127-132Seraphim Rose of Platina
“The Ecumenism is a huge lie; they speak in the name of a love outside of Christ, which excludes you from the Truth. If the Ecumenists really loved the world, they would not disown the truth of the value and the spiritual richness of Church Tradition and of the Holy Fathers. They disown Christianity from the gracious beauty. God has left from them, what remains is only their ego. No, we don’t need You. We lead the world, we rule the world, we give the bread, we give the happiness on this earth. Jesus must be arrested again not to disturb our march. Eliminating God from the world and of the soul in any way – this is the goal of the Ecumenism also repelled by Saint Justin Popovich. The Ecumenism and the globalization are at the forefront of the apocalyptic times. They want to accustom the eye and the spirit of the Orthodox with the habit to serve together with these heretics, until they get to have Communion from the same chalice. Because this could give them the right to build their own churches. But no, they want strategically to compromise the shrines and the faint hearted priests who are quick to ‘obedience’. The Ecumenists have the false impression that they will bring something new in the Church of Christ. Let us not forget that the Church is the body whose head is Christ. You can not break it from Christ Who is the Path, the Truth and the Life. The Ecumenists will not fulfill anything. You can not change the reality according to the human interests. The divine reality remains the same in every age. The Holy Spirit speaks through the mouths of the bearers of God, not of the bearers of human interests. The Christian Church has never gone after the crowd; not the many lead or hold the truth, but the few, chosen, as the carriers of the Holy Spirit. We do work only under this Father’s truth, the Gospel of our Lord and the Orthodox Church Tradition. All this falsehood which has appeared in our world has no other purpose than to embarrass and undermine the whole tradition and the beliefs of a nation. Questions are not posed and answers are not given, and people take for granted everything that has been written at the official level. But, by not solving these dogmatic problems the untruth slowly settles in our Orthodox Christian Church. All the Ecumenical attempts of unifying the other Christian communities found in heresy, the dialogues which have developed in our Orthodox Christian Church, since I know, haven’t got any result because they have false basis, they are untrue and do nothing but disturb the authentic Christian life.” —Elder Justin (Pârvu) of Romania, Din învățăturile și minunile Părintelui Justin
It is important to oppose all antichrists and die with dignity; not to have a cowardly position.” —Elder Justin (Pârvu) of Romania
“Modern man lives on the dregs of Christianity, on Christian experience digested and turned into ‘ideas’ for mass consumption. Hence the parody of Christianity is to be seen in modern ideas like ‘equality’, ‘brotherhood’, ‘charity.’ … And Christian messianism - the coming Kingdom which is not of this world (Jon 18:36) - has been perverted into the coming Kingdom in this world that practically everyone believes in today. Even those who see through the delusion of idealism… fall prey to the second idea, the idea that Truth can somehow be realized in this world, in the coming age of the ‘spirit,’ or in the relation of ‘man with man.’ But this world cannot hold the Truth in its fullness, any more than it could tolerate the presence in it of the God-Man; for man is called upon to be more than man, he is called to deification, and this can only happen fully in the ‘other world’ - which, though it constantly impinges on this world, never does so more than partially, giving us warnings and indications of what is to come. This world must end, man as we know him must die, must be crucified before that ‘other’ world can come into being.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina
“Let not us, who would be Christians, expect anything else from it than to be crucified. For to be Christian is to be crucified, in this time and in any time since Christ came for the first time. His life is the example – and warning – to us all. We must be crucified personally, mystically; for through crucifixion is the only path to resurrection. If we would rise with Christ, we must first be humbled with Him – even to the ultimate humiliation, being devoured and spit forth by the uncomprehending world. And we must be crucified outwardly, in the eyes of the world; for Christ’s Kingdom is not of this world, and the world cannot bear it, even a single representative of it, even for a single moment. The world can only accept Antichrist, now or at any time. No wonder then, that it is hard to be a Christian – it is not hard, it is impossible. No one can knowingly accept a way of life which, the more truly it is lived, lead the more surely to one’s own destruction. And that is why we constantly rebel, try to make life easier, try to be half-Christian, try to make the best of both worlds. We must ultimately choose – our felicity lies in one world or the other, not in both. God give us the strength to pursue the path to crucifixion; there is no other way to be Christian.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina, from his journal as printed in the biography Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works by Hieromonk Damascene
“One who merely knows these truths in the mind will be helpless to resist the temptations of those times, and many who recognize the Antichrist when he comes will nonetheless worship him – only the power of Christ given to the heart will have strength to resist him.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina
“A lukewarm clergy lulls the people to sleep, leaves them in their former condition so they won't be upset. ‘Look’, they say. ‘By all means don't say that there'll be a war, or the Second Coming, that one must prepare oneself for death. We must not make people alarmed!’
He in whom these worldly seeds are present is no spiritual person. A spiritual person consists of nothing but pain. In other words, he's in pain at what's going on, he's in pain for people's condition. And divine comfort is bestowed upon him for his pain.” —St. Paisios of Mt. Athos
“You have grown soft. So the worthless have risen up against the honourable, the disreputable against the renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against the aged. Righteousness and peace are far from you, inasmuch as you have abandoned the fear of God and become blind in faith.” —St. Clement of Rome
“In our evil time, when the servants of the coming Antichrist are putting forth all their efforts so as to undermine and replace authentic Orthodoxy with a false ‘Orthodoxy’ - an Orthodoxy only in name, there have appeared not a few ‘pastors’ also who bear only the name of Orthodox but deny the authentic power and spirit of true Orthodoxy. Precisely such false pastors filled up the ranks of the (Soviet) ‘Living Church’ and the ‘Renovationist Church’ clergy in our Russia.
Behold of what a frightful undertaking (of which) we are the living and immediate witnesses! By all means there is being conducted in the world a frightful battle against the Faith of Christ, by a path of falsification and imitations!
…(this) truly most frightful and nightmarish phenomenon (is) something more frightful than open atheism and warfare against God, (for it) threatens to destroy our holy Orthodoxy from the root, having corrupted it from within…” —Vladyka —Archbishop Averky (Taushev) of JordanvilleSyracuse “The fundamental task of the servants of the coming Antichrist is to destroy the old world with all its former concepts and ‘prejudices’ in order to build in its place a new world suitable for receiving its approaching ‘new owner’ who will take the place of Christ for people and give them on earth that which Christ did not give them… One must be completely blind spiritually, completely alien to true Christianity not to understand all this!” —Archbishop Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse “Those forces that are preparing the appearance of Antichrist will have a leading significance in public life. Antichrist will be a man and not the devil incarnate. … That man wants to be in place of Christ, to occupy His place and possess that which Christ ought to possess. He wants to possess the same attraction and authority over the whole world. And he will receive that authority before his own destruction and that of the whole world. He will have a helper, a Magus, who, by the power of false miracles, will fulfill his will and kill those that do not recognize the authority of Antichrist.” —St. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco, The Antichrist and the Signs of the End of the World, Homily on the Last Judgement “The miracles of Antichrist will be chiefly manifested in the aerial realm, where Satan chiefly has dominion.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina “Without sanctification and illumination from above, our love – if it indeed is within us – lacks Gospel purity and holiness. It is poisoned by our self-love and egoism, which is so subtle and hard to grasp that we do not even notice it. We think that we truly love God and our neighbor, but in reality this is self-love, not love for God and neighbor.” —Archbishop Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse
“The faithful remnant of Christians in the last days, as our Lord has told us, will be very small; the vast majority of those who call themselves Christians will welcome Antichrist as the Messiah … those who are not true Orthodox Christians belong the ‘new Christianity’, the ‘Christianity’ of Antichrist.
“Being born, then, of the light of truth, shun division and bad doctrines. Where the shepherd is, there you, being sheep, must follow. For many wolves there are, apparently worthy of confidence, who with the bait of baneful pleasure seek to capture the runners in God's race; but if you stand united they will have no success…” —St. Ignatius of Antioch
“We must not mind insulting men, if by respecting them we offend God.” —St. John Chrysostom
“A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, ‘You are mad; you are not like us.’” —St. Anthony the Great
“There will come a time when corruption and lewdness among the youth will reach the utmost point. There will hardly be any virgin youth left. They will see their lack of punishment and will think that everything is allowable for them to satisfy their desires. God will call them, however, and they will realize that it will not be possible for them to continue such a life.
Then in various ways they will be led to God… that time will be beautiful. That today they are sinning greatly, will lead them to a deeper repentance. Just like the candle before it goes out, it shines strongly and throws sparks; with its light, it enlightens the surrounding darkness; thus, it will be the Church’s life in the last age.
And that time is near.” —St. Seraphim of Vyritsa
“When I remember the evil sins from which the Lord has delivered me, I have imperishable food for salvation.” —St. Mary of Egypt
“We all want God to give unity of faith to the world. But you are confusing things.
“We do not change the boundaries marked out by our Fathers. We keep the Tradition we have received. If we begin to lay down the Law of the Church even in the smallest things, the whole edifice will fall to the ground in no short time.” —St. John of Damascus
“Regarding the affairs “At this dawn of the Churchmodern history, in the words of the Saviourthirteenth century, one of all the most awesome phenomena seeds of the last days is that at that time ‘the stars shall fall modern mentality are present. And modern history follows logically from heaven’ (Matt. 24.29)these seeds. According to the Saviour’s own explanationEssentially, these ‘stars’ are the Angels of the Churches, in other words, the Bishops (Rev. 1.20). The religious and moral fall of the Bishops it is, therefore, one of thing – the most characteristic signs of the last days. The fall of the Bishops search for a new Christianity which is particularly horrifying when they deviate from better than Orthodoxy, better than the doctrines Christianity of the faith, or, as the Apostle put it, when they ‘would pervert the Gospel of Christ’ (Gal. 1.7). The Apostle orders that such people be pronounced ‘anathema’. He saidHoly Fathers, ‘If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which ye have received, let him be accursed (anathema)’ (Gal. 1.9). And one must not be slow about this, for he continues, ‘A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted, being condemned of himself’ (Titus 3.10-11). Moreover, you may be subject to God’s judgement if you are indifferent Christ gave to deviation from the truth: ‘So them because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold not hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth’ (Revus. 3.6).” —Archbishop Theophan of Poltava
“We ourselves have a feeling–based Later on nothing very definite as yet–that the best hope for preserving true Orthodoxy in the years ahead , this will lie in such small gatherings take forms which go through atheism and all kinds of believerswild beliefs, as much as possible ‘one in mind and soul.’ The history of but essentially the twentieth century has already shown us that we cannot expect too much from search remains the ‘Church organization’; there, even apart from heresiessame, and in the spirit of end the world has become very strong. Archbishop Averkywill be Christian, and our own Bishop Nektary alsobecause it's Antichrist who gives them a new religion, have warned us which is not something foreign to prepare for catacomb times ahead, when the grace Christianity. It will not be some kind of God may even paganism. It will be taken away from the ‘Church organization’ and only isolated groups of believers something which everyone will accept as Christianity, but will remainbe anti-christian. Soviet Russia already gives us an example of what we may expect–only worse, A substitute for Christianity which denies the times do not get bettervery essence of Christianity.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina, Hope, His Life and Works
“In those days And that is why the remnant main history of the faithful are to experience in themselves something like that rebellion against Christ is no less than the apostasy which St. Paul talks about. It is not by means of persecution as it was experienced once by in the Lord Himself when Hebeginning, hanging on a cross, felt Himself but by means of taking Christianity and changing it so forsaken by His Divinity, that He cried out ‘My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?’ The last Christians it will experience in themselves a similar abandonment no longer be Christian. And this is what we can call the Unfolding of humanity by the Grace Mystery of God, but only Iniquity in preparation for a short timeAntichrist.” —St—Fr. Seraphim Rose of SarovPlatina, excerpt from Orthodox Survival Course
“Finally, “We who wish to remain in the twilight of history, the dictator true tradition of the world Orthodoxy will comehave to be zealous and firm in our Orthodoxy without being fanatics, the son of perdition… whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth (2 Thessand without presuming to teach our bishops what they should do. 2:8). And in Above all that time we must strive to preserve the true fragrance of peaceOrthodoxy, happiness and prosperitybeing at least a little ‘not of this world’, there ‘will be great tribulation such as was not detached from all the beginning cares and politics even of the worldChurch, nor will ever be after’ (Matnourishing ourselves on the otherworldly food the Church gives us in such abundance. 24:21)” —Fr. Because Seraphim Rose of these troubles, many will repent and turn to God the Saviour. And in them the Lord will have His last harvest.Platina
The countries of the world will lead the fight against Christ “Test your bishops in only one respect: try and His Church… The Church of Christ will be put outside find out whether they are Orthodox, whether they teach dogmas contrary to the lawtrue Faith, and public commemoration of Christ's name will be proscribed whether they concelebrate with severe penaltiesheretics, or schismatics. But only those who call upon the name As far as other things, they act out of ignorance or because the Lord days are evil and they will be savedgive an account to God only.” —St. And the Son of ManGennadios (II) Scholarios, when He suddenly comes and destroys the ‘son Patriarch of perdition’ [i.e. Antichrist], that last tyrant, will He find faith on the earth?Constantinople
It will be found“Regarding the affairs of the Church, but not in publicthe words of the Saviour, one of the most awesome phenomena of the last days is that at that time ‘the stars shall fall from heaven’ (Matt. 24.29). It will be foundAccording to the Saviour’s own explanation, but not in magnificent temples, such as these ‘stars’ are presentthe Angels of the Churches, but in other words, the caves Bishops (Rev. 1.20). The religious and desertsmoral fall of the Bishops is, therefore, one of the most characteristic signs of the last days. It will be foundThe fall of the Bishops is particularly horrifying when they deviate from the doctrines of the faith, or, but not as approved and protectedthe Apostle put it, but as something tossed to and frowhen they ‘would pervert the Gospel of Christ’ (Gal. 1.7). It will The Apostle orders that such people be foundpronounced ‘anathema’. He said, but ‘If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which ye have received, let him be accursed (anathema)’ (Gal. 1.9). And one must not in lavish liturgies be slow about this, for he continues, ‘A man that is an heretic, after the first and psalmody but in the temples second admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted, being condemned of the human heart and in whispered speakingshimself’ (Titus 3.10-11). For Moreover, you may be subject to God’s judgement if you are indifferent to deviation from the Church began in Martyrdomtruth: ‘So then because thou art lukewarm, and in the end there She neither cold not hot, I will find Martyrdom, O holy brethrenspew thee out of My mouth’ (Rev. 3.16).” —St. Nikolai Velimirovich, The Orthodox Church in the "twilight —Archbishop Theophan of history"Poltava
“So mine is a little flock? But it is not being carried over a precipice. So mine is a narrow fold? But it is unapproachable by wolves; it cannot “The bishops of the end times will be entered by a robber, nor overcome by thieves subservient [obedient and strangers. I shall yet see it, I know well, grow wider… I fear not for compliant] to the little flock; for it is seen at a glance. I know my sheep and am known of mine. Such are they that know God and are known powerful of God. My sheep hear from my voice that which I have heard from the oracles of God, which I have been taught by the Holy Fathers, which I have taught in like manner on all occasions, not conforming myself to fashionworld, and which I they will never cease make decisions according to teach; in which I was bornthe gifts they receive from everywhere, and in which I will departconsulting the rational logic of the academics.” —St. Gregory the TheologianPambo
“Concerning the Patriarch I shall say this, lest it should perhaps occur to him to “Do not show me a certain respect at the burial of this my humble body, or obedience to send bishops who exhort you to my grave any of his hierarchs or clergy or in general any of those in communion with him in order to take part in prayer or to join the priests invited to it from amongst us, thinking that at some time, or perhaps secretly, I had allowed communion with him. And lest my silence give occasion to those who do not know my views well and fully to suspect some kind of conciliation, I hereby state say and testify before the many worthy men here present that I do not desire, to believe in any manner and absolutely, and do not accept communion with him or with those who things which are with him, not in this life nor after my death, just as (I accept) neither the Union nor Latin dogmas, which he and his adherents have accepted, and for the enforcement of which he has occupied this presiding place, with the aim of overturning the true dogmas of the Church. I am absolutely convinced that the farther I stand from him and those like him, the nearer I am to God and all the saints, and to the degree that I separate myself from them am in union with the Truth and with the Holy Fathers, the Theologians of the Church; and I am likewise convinced that those who count themselves with them stand far away from the Truth and from the blessed Teachers of the Churchyour benefit. And for this reason I say: just as in the course of my whole life I was separated from themWhat pious man would hold his tongue? Who would remain completely calm? In fact, so at the time of my departure, yea and after my death, I turn away from intercourse and communion with them and vow and command that none (of them) shall approach either my burial or my grave, and likewise anyone else from our side, with the aim of attempting to join and concelebrate in our Divine services; for this would be to mix what cannot be mixed. But it befits them to be absolutely separated from us until such time as God shall grant correction and peace silence equates to His Churchconsent.” —St. Mark Meletios of Ephesus, The Example of, [as quoted in The Orthodox Word, June-July, 1967, pp. 103ff.]Antioch
“With all our strength let us beware lest we receive Communion from or give it to heretics. ‘Give not what “Geronda, is holy to the dogs,’ says silence of the LordChurch an indication of approval?Yes. ‘Neither cast ye your pearls before swine’, lest we become partakers in their dishonour Someone wrote some blasphemous things about Panaghia and condemnationno one spoke up.” —St. John of DamascusThen I told someone, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith‘Did you see what so-and-so has written?’ And he told me, IV‘Well, 13what can you do with those people? You'll get soiled if you try to deal with them.’ They're afraid to speak up.
“And, you seeWhat did he have to fear, Geronda?That people are not at all aware that we are living during might write something about him and ridicule him in the press. And so he tolerates blasphemous things about Panaghia! We want others to pull the signs chestnuts out of the times, fire so that the sealing is already advancingwe can have our peace of mind. This is why the Sacred Scripture says that even the elect will be deceivedindicates a lack of love.” —StThen man begins to act out of self-interest. ”—Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos, Spiritual Counsels, Vol. II, Spiritual Awakening, p. 19840
“In sum“If Christians don't begin to witness their faith, to resist evil, then the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in theory embracing almost destroyers will become even more insolent. But today's Christians are no warriors. If the whole universe and in fact extending its authority only over several dioceses, and in other places having only a higher superficial supervision and receiving certain revenues for thisChurch keeps silent, persecuted by to avoid conflict with the government at home and not supported by any governmental authority abroad: having lost its significance as a pillar of truth and having itself become a source of division, and at if the same time being possessed by an exorbitant love of power--represents a pitiful spectacle which recalls Metropolitans are silent, if the worst periods in the history of the See of Constantinople.monks hold their peace, then who will speak up?” —St. John (Maximovitch) —Elder Paisios of Shanghai and San Francisco, from Orthodox Word, vol. 8, no. 4 (45), July-August 1972, pp. 166-168, 174-175Mt.Athos
“The Lord of all gave to His apostles the power of the gospel“When they are blaspheming your faith, and by them we also have learned the truth, that is, the teaching of the Son of God—as the Lord said to them, ‘He who hears you hears Mestay silent, and he who despises you despises Me, and Him Who sent Me’ [Lk.10:16]. For we learned the plan of our salvation from no other become worse than from those through whom the gospel came to us. The first preached it abroad, and then later by the will of God handed it down to us in Scriptures, to be the foundation and pillar of our faith. For it is not right to say that they preached before they had come to perfect knowledge, as some dare to say, boasting that they are the correctors of the apostles. For after our Lord had risen from the dead, and they were clothed with the power from on high when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were filled with all things and had perfect knowledge. They went out to the ends of the earth, preaching the good things that come to us from God, and proclaiming peace from heaven to all men, all and each of them equally being in possession of the gospel of Godblasphemer.” —St. Irenaeus Gabriel Urgebadze of LyonsGeorgia, Against Heresies, IIIConfessor and Fool for Christ
“Those that wish to discern the truth may observe the apostolic tradition made manifest “The clergy in every church throughout the world. We can enumerate those who were appointed bishops in last years will become an instrument of the churches by the apostles, and their successors (or successions) down to our own day, who never taught, and never knew, absurdities such as these men produceAntichrist. For if the apostles had known hidden mysteries which they taught the perfect in private and in secret, they would rather have committed them to those to whom they entrusted the churches. For they wished those men to be perfect and unbelievable whom they laughed as their successors and to whom they handed over their own office of authority. But They will teach blind obedience as it would be very tedious, in a book virtue of this sort, to enumerate the successions in all the churches, we can found all those who in any way, whether for self-pleasing, or vainglory, or blindness, or evil mindedness, hold on authorized meetingspeace and salvation. This we do by pointing to the apostolic tradition and the faith that is preached to menA satanic obedience, which has come down to us through will require from the successions of bishops; believer ‘ignorance’ and contempt for the tradition and creed teachings of the greatest, Saints and most ancient church, the church known indifference to all men, which was founded and set up at Rome by the two men most glorious apostles, Peter truth and Paul. For with this church, because of its position of leadership and authority, must needs agree every church, that is, the faithful everywhere; for in her the apostolic tradition has always been preserved by the faithful from all partssuperficial piety.” —St. Irenaeus Niphon of Lyons, Against Heresies, IIIConstantia (Cyprus)
"True Christianity “Christian shepherds, that is glorifying God , bishops and priests, are going to be filled with our own lives. To glorify God vainglory (with our own life is possible only when we have true faith and when that faith indeed existssome exceptions), we express it in words utterly failing to distinguish the right way from the left… The Churches of God are going to be deprived of godly and in deedspious shepherds.” —St. John (Maximovitch) Nilus the Myrrhgusher of Shanghai and San FranciscoMt. Athos
“When I, while still in Australia, began “Just as the unskilled doctor sends many people to receive information from America already post factum that here the gates of Hades [in New York Cityphysical death] there had been protests, demonstrationssimilarly, and even molebens in front of the Soviet consulate, I became quite alarmed incompetent and regretted that I was not hereirresponsible spiritual father sends many souls to Hades. O, since I would have decisively opposed much of what took placea terrible evil for someone to find [spiritual] death while seeking treatment. In particular, holding a moleben in such a place” —St. Did they not sing the Lord's song in a strange land? What cause was there to display the holy things of the Church's services before the gaze Nektarios of the frenzied servants of Antichrist? Was it really not possible to pray in church?Aegina
I must say frankly that I am always seized by dismay “The time will come when I hear of protests, demonstrations, and the like. In the USSR, life is governed you will be sold by him (the one with horns) who fears only Christ and His Cross; and who fears nothing else in the world. And he merely chortles over protests and demonstrationsyour shepherds. Public opinion? Why, the antichrist regime has nothing but the uttermost contempt for it! They wanted to seize Czechoslovakia and they seized it, paying no heed to will watch you being ripped apart by the commotion that was raised. They wanted to invade Afghanistan wild beasts and they invaded it, again paying no attention will not come to the protests and threats of the various Carters & Coyour help. All attempts to shape public opinion in the so-called Free World in favor of those suffering from Communism are powerless and fruitless, since the Free World stubbornly closes its eyes and imitates the ostrich, which hides its head under its wing and imagines that it cannot be seen…” —Metropolitan Philaret of New York, A letter from Metropolitan Philaret ” —Elder Justin (VoznesenskyPârvu) to ROCOR Priest Victor Potapov concerning Father Dimitry Dudko and the Moscow Patriarchateof Romania
“I “In the last days, evil and heresy will tell you my opinion briefly and without reserve. We ought to remain in have spread so widely that Church which was founded by the Apostles faithful will not be able to find a priest or shepherd to protect them from delusion and continues guide them to this daysalvation. If ever you hear of any At that are called Christians taking their name time, the faithful will not receive safe guidance from the Lord Jesus Christ, men; but from some other, for instance, Marcionites, Valentinians, Men of the mountain or the plain, you may their guide will be sure that you have there not the Church writings of Christ, but the synagogue of AntichristHoly Fathers. For Especially at this time, every believer will be responsible for the fact that they took their rise after the foundation whole fulness of the Church . Brethren, it is proof that they time for us all to undertake our responsibility to God and to history. Do not tolerate any more foolishness or misguidance from priests or archpriests. Do not turn a blind eye for you will be co-responsible. The Saints are those whose coming the Apostle foretoldforewarning you.” —St.John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco
And let them not flatter themselves if they think they have Scripture authority for their assertions“The last days are starting. Soon, since there will be an ecumenical council called ‘holy’. But that will be the devil himself quoted Scripture, and very ‘eighth council’ which will be the essence assembly of the Scriptures is not the lettergodless. All religions will unite into one at that council. Then, but the meaning. Otherwiseall fasts will be canceled, if we follow the lettermonasticism will be completely destroyed, we too can concoct a bishops will be married. The new dogma and assert that such persons as wear shoes and have two coats must not calendar will be received into implimented in the Universal Church.” —St. Jerome
“Sometimes Japanese protestants come Be vigilant. Try to go to God's church while they are still ours. Soon, you won't be able to me and ask me go there. Everything will change. Only the chosen will see this. They will be forcing people to go to clarify some place church, but we should not go there under any circumstances. Stand in the Holy ScripturesOrthodox Faith until the end and you will be saved!” —St.Kuksha (Velichko) of Odessa
"You “When the traces of the past historical order have your own missionary teachersbecome extinguished," I tell themand the new order has taken ground, "Go ask them. What do they say?" "We the Holy Mount will have asked themno peace. They say: understand as you know howMonastic dignity will be destroyed or disposed of for the freedom of the state and the bishops to squander its priceless treasures and relics. But I need to know ” —Elder Costas the real thought Caveot and Fool for Christ of God, not my own personal opinionMt."Athos
…It's not like that “But woe to the monks in those days who will be bound with us. Everything is clear, trustworthy possessions and simpleriches, since we accept Holy Tradition in addition who because of love of peace will be ready to submit to the Holy Scripturesheretics. And Holy Tradition is a livingThey will lull to sleep their conscience, unbroken voice of our Church from the time of Christ and His Apostles until nowsaying, ‘We are preserving and which will exist until saving the end of monastery and the worldLord will forgive us. In it ’ The unfortunate and blind ones do not at all consider that through heresy the meaning of demons will enter the Holy Scriptures are preservedmonastery and then it will no longer be a holy monastery, but merely walls from which grace will depart.” —St. Nicholas Anatoly the Younger of JapanOptina
“It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, Who is “Let us flee from those who reject patristic interpretations and attempt by themselves to deduce the true word of Godcomplete opposite. The Bible, read in the right spirit and While pretending to concern themselves with the guidance literal sense of good teachersthe passage, will bring us to Himthey reject its godly meaning. We must not use should run away from them more than we would from a snake, for when a snake bites it kills the body temporarily, separating it from the Bible as immortal soul, but when these evil men get their teeth into a sort of encyclopedia out of soul, they separate it from God, which texts can be taken is eternal death for use that soul. Let us escape as far as weaponswe can from such people, and take refuge with those who teach piety and salvation in accordance with the traditions of the Fathers.” —C—St. S. LewisGregory Palamas, Homily 34, On the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus
“The humility “Brother Christians! Raise your voices in defense of the Church's Apostolic Faith, the holy things of Jesus is not a superfluous detail the Church, the Church's heritage. Defend your right to believe and confess your faith as you learned it in days of old, as you were taught it by the holy apostles, the holy martyrs, the gospel narrativeGod-wise fathers of the Church, the Christian ascetics. Take care of the holiness of your souls, the freedom of your consciences. The humility Say loudly that you have been accustomed to pray and save yourselves in the churches, that the holy things of Jesus the Church are dearer to you than life itself, that without them salvation is impossible. No power can demand from you that which is against your faith, your religious conscience: ‘We must obey God rather than men’, said the holy apostles. That is essential to what we, too, must say. The apostles joyfully suffered for the gospelfaith. If Jesus lacked humilityBe you also ready for sacrifice, there would for podvig, and remember that physical arms are powerless against those who arm themselves with powerful faith in Christ. Faith moves mountains, ‘the faith of the Christians has conquered the pagan boldness’. May your faith be no incarnationbold and courageous! Christ destroyed Hades. He will also destroy the snares of the enemies of our Church. Believe - and the enemy will flee from before your face. Stand in defense of your faith and with firm hope say: ‘Let God arise, no crucifixionand let His enemies be scattered!’” —St. Hermogenes, Hieromartyr and no redemption.” —Jack WisdomBishop of Tobolsk, response to the Bolshevik tyranny in 1918
“When they are refuted by “The times ahead, more perhaps than ever before in the ScripturesChurch's history, they take to maligning are a time of what St. Gregory the Scriptures themselvesTheologian called ‘suffering Orthodoxy. … But when we refer them to that tradition which originates with ’ We truly live in apocalyptic times: atheism is conquering the public sphere in the apostles whole world, false religion increases as never before and which is preserved in captures many of those who awaken from the churches through sleep of unbelief, the succession ecumenical movement draws nearer its goal of a false world church (the presbyters, they attack harlot of the traditionApocalypse), claiming that they themselves are wiser not merely than and the presbyters but even than spirit of the apostlescoming Antichrist begins to place its seal on everywhere. [However] anyone Those who wants would be faithful to see Christ in these terrible times must be prepared for sufferings and trials which will truly test the truth can look faithfulness of our hearts to Him. And yet, greater than these sufferings and the tradition prince of the Apostles which is clearly manifested throughout the whole this world; and we can list those who were set up as bishops in the different churches as well as their successors right down will inflict them upon us is He Who has promised to be with us even to our own time, men who neither taught nor knew anything like what these [Gnostics] are raving about. For if the apostles had known secret doctrines which they were in end of the habit age (Matt. 28:20).” —Archbishop Averky (Taushev) of teaching to the “perfect” clandestinely and apart from the restSyracuse, The Apocalypse, they would most certainly have communicated these things to those to whom they were entrusting the churches themselvestranslated by Fr.Seraphim Rose of Platina
And if a dispute should arise over some point or other, should we “Satan has spread 666 traps. His seal will be made not have recourse to the most ancient churchesonly invisibly but also visibly, in which on the apostles were actively interested, forehead and find out from them what arm. If the seal impression is certain and clear with regard to the point at issue? What ifmade by force, in fact, the apostles had left us no Writings? Would God’s sight it not will be considered like a virgin disgraced. The hardest trial for Christians will be necessary to follow their relatives who accepted the seal. The seal won’t affect if made against someone's will. But imagine the line indicated trap set by the tradition which they handed down antichrist for a mother having left with five children. How to those to whom they entrusted feed them if she does not accept the churchesseal?” —St. Irenaeus of Lyons
“[Heretics] At first, the seal will be offered to volunteers. However, within the enthronement of Antichrist everyone will be forced to accept the seal. Disobedience will be claimed a treachery. People will flee to the forests. Precautions should not be admitted taken to any discussion move in groups of about ten-fifteen, as the Scriptures…demons might try to nudge single people from the cliffs. The believers will be protected by the Holy Spirit. Whatever happens, never lose your hope. Help each other. God will clear your mind and you will know how to react. The one who endures will be saved. No true believer will feel either hunger, or thirst. The believers won't wither in the time of disasters. The Lord will work miracles for them. One leaf of a plant will be enough food for a month. Even the lump of the earth will be changed into the bread by making a sign of the cross over it.” —St. Gabriel Urgebadze of Georgia, Confessor and Fool for Christ
The Lord Jesus sent “Everyone is under the influence of a power that masters the apostles to preach. … Now what they actually preached canmind, as I must here likewise prescribethe will, be proved only by those very same churches which and all the powers of the apostles themselves founded by preaching to them both viva vocesoul. And this power is cunning, as they saybecause its source is the devil, and later by lettershis tools are cunning people. Such being Through them work the caseAntichrist and his forerunners. The Apostle said, it is consequently certain ‘Because of that any doctrine which agrees with [what is held by] these apostolic churches, moulds and original sources God delivered them into the spirit of delusion, of the faithdeception, must be considered because they did not accept the truth, undoubtedly containing that which these churches received from love of the apostles, truth’. Something dark and scary is coming over the apostles from Christworld. The human will stay more or less under his mastery, and Christ from God; but any other doctrine must be presumed false, since it smacks of opposition to the truth more the power of that cunning one has on the churcheshuman under his mastery, of the apostles, less the human will be aware of Christ, of Godwhat he is doing.” —St.Barsanuphius
Come now! Would they all have fallen into error? Would “The servants of Antichrist more than anything else strive to force God out of the steward life of men, so that men, satisfied with their material comfort, might not feel any need to turn to Godin prayer, might not remember God, but might live as though He did not exist. Therefore, the Vicar whole order of Christ [today's life in the Holy Spirit] have neglected His duty by allowing so-called ‘free’ countries, where there is no open bloody persecution against faith, where everyone has the churches right to understand and believe otherwise as he wishes, is an even greater danger for the soul of a Christian (than what He Himself taught open persecution), for it chains him entirely to the earth, compelling him to forget about heaven. The whole of contemporary ‘culture’, directed to purely earthly attainments and the apostles? Is frantic whirlpool of life bound up with it likely that so many , keeps a man in a constant state of emptiness and such outstanding churches would all have strayed distraction which gives no opportunity for one to go at least a little deeper into his soul, and so the one [false] faith? No chance happening ever has the same outcome spiritual life in the case of many different individualshim gradually dies out. A doctrinal error in so many different churches would ” —Archbishop Averky (Taushev) of necessity have taken different forms. But when unity exists amid diversitySyracuse, this can be True Orthodoxy and the result, not of error, but only of Tradition.Contemporary World
Let us inquire, therefore, whether tradition, unless it be written, should be accepted. Certainly we shall say “They have built a church career for themselves on a false but attractive premise: that it ought not the chief danger to be accepted if we can allege as precedent no cases the Church today is lack of other practices which we justify without any written document, but solely on strictness. No – the chief danger is something much deeper – the grounds of tradition and because loss of the approval savor of subsequent custom… If you demand scriptural justification for these and other such practicesOrthodoxy, a movement in which they themselves are participating, you will find noneeven in their ‘strictness. Tradition ’… ‘Strictness’ will be held out to you as their author, custom as their consolidator, not save us if we don't have any more the feeling and faith as their observertaste of Orthodoxy.” —Tertullian—Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina
“Since there are many who think they share “We ourselves have a feeling–based on nothing very definite as yet–that the best hope for preserving true Orthodoxy in the years ahead will lie in such small gatherings of believers, as much as possible ‘one in mind of Christ and yet some soul.’ The history of them think differently the twentieth century has already shown us that we cannot expect too much from the ‘Church organization’; there, even apart from their predecessorsheresies, let the preaching spirit of the Church be held fastworld has become very strong. Archbishop Averky, that preaching which has been handed down from the apostles through the ranks of succession and perdures in the churches our own Bishop Nektary also, have warned us to prepare for catacomb times ahead, when the present day. That alone is to grace of God may even be believed as taken away from the truth which varies in no wise from ecclesiastical ‘Church organization’ and apostolic traditiononly isolated groups of believers will remain. Soviet Russia already gives us an example of what we may expect–only worse, for the times do not get better.” —Origen—Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina, Hope, Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works by Hieromonk Damascene
“It suffices as proof “In those days the remnant of our thesis the faithful are to experience in themselves something like that which was experienced once by the Lord Himself when He, hanging on a cross, felt Himself so forsaken by His Divinity, that we have He cried out ‘My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?’ The last Christians will experience in themselves a tradition coming to us from similar abandonment of humanity by the fathersGrace of God, like but only for a legacy handed down from the apostles through the saints who followed them in successionshort time.” —St. Gregory Seraphim of NyssaSarov
“Of “Finally, in the beliefs and practices [disciplinary regulations] preserved in twilight of history, the dictator of the Churchworld will come, some we possess from teaching handed down the son of perdition… whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth (2 Thess. 2:8). And in written form; others we have received all that time of peace, happiness and prosperity, there ‘will be great tribulation such as delivered to us in a mystery was not from the tradition beginning of the Apostlesworld, and both nor will ever be after’ (Mat. 24:21). Because of these have troubles, many will repent and turn to God the same force as far as religion is concernedSaviour.” —StAnd in them the Lord will have His last harvest. Basil the Great
“There is need The countries of tradition also; for not everything can the world will lead the fight against Christ and His Church… The Church of Christ will be found in Scripture. That is why put outside the most holy apostles left some things in writing law, and others in traditionpublic commemoration of Christ's name will be proscribed with severe penalties. Paul affirms this very fact as follows: ‘as I handed it on to youBut only those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Likewise in another passage: ‘This is my teaching And the Son of Man, when He suddenly comes and thus have I handed it on to destroys the churches‘son of perdition’ [i.e.’ Similarly: ‘If you continue to cling firmly to itAntichrist], as I preached it to you—unless your that last tyrant, will He find faith has all been for nothing.’” —St. Epiphaniuson the earth?
“It is therefore clear that [the apostles] did It will be found, but not teach everything in epistolary formpublic. It will be found, but that they taught many things besides not in unwritten formmagnificent temples, such as are present, but in the caves and these thingsdeserts. It will be found, toobut not as approved and protected, are worthy of acceptancebut as something tossed to and fro. Wherefore we should consider It will be found, but not in lavish liturgies and psalmody but in the tradition temples of the human heart and in whispered speakings. For the Church also as worthy of belief. If began in Martyrdom, and in the end there is a traditionShe will find Martyrdom, look no furtherO holy brethren.” —St. John ChrysostomNikolai Velimirovich, The Orthodox Church in the "twilight of history"
“A false interpretation of Scripture causes that “During the gospel days of Antichrist, the Lord becomes strongest temptation will be the gospel anticipation of mansalvation coming from the cosmos, orfrom humanoids–that is from extraterrestrials, which is worsewho are actually demons. One should rarely look up to search the skies with the naked eye, of since the devilsigns might be deceptive and one might be deceived.” —St. JeromeGabriel Urgebadze of Georgia, Confessor and Fool for Christ
“How long “So mine is a little flock? But it is not being carried over a precipice. So mine is a narrow fold? But it is unapproachable by wolves; it cannot be entered by a robber, nor overcome by thieves and strangers. I shall we continue in this manneryet see it, our intellect reduced to futilityI know well, failing to make grow wider… I fear not for the little flock; for it is seen at a glance. I know my sheep and am known of mine. Such are they that know God and are known of God. My sheep hear from my voice that which I have heard from the spirit oracles of God, which I have been taught by the Gospel our ownHoly Fathers, which I have taught in like manner on all occasions, not knowing what it means conforming myself to live according fashion, and which I will never cease to our conscienceteach; in which I was born, making no serious effort to keep it pure?and in which I will depart.” —St. Mark Gregory the AsceticTheologian
“It is self evident, however, “If it should happen that sincere Christians who are Roman Catholicsa patriarch, or Lutheransmetropolitan, or members of other non-Orthodox confessionsbishop is a heretic, cannot be termed renegades or heretics—i.e. those who knowingly pervert the truth… They have been born and raised such a heretic publicly professes heresy and disseminates heretical opinions boldly and are living according to confidently among the creed which they have inheritedpeople, just as do the majority of you who are Orthodox; in their lives there has whoever separates from him will not only not been be punished, but rather honored, for they deserve recognition for separating from an association with a moment of personal and conscious renunciation of Orthodoxycertain faith.” —Fr. The Lord, ‘Who will have all men to be saved’ Joannes Zonaras (I Tim. 2:4) 9th century Byzantine canonist and ‘Who enlightens every man born into the world’ (Jn. 1.43historian on Canon 15), undoubtedly is leading them also towards salvation in His own way.” —Metropolitan Philaret of New York
“You ask, will the heterodox be saved… Why do you worry about them? They have a Saviour Who desires the salvation of “If every human being. He will take care of them. You and I should not be burdened with such a concern. Study yourself and your own sins… I will tell you one thing, however: should you, being Orthodox and possessing Christian is commanded by the Truth in its fullnesscanons to depart from a heretical bishop even before he is officially condemned, betray Orthodoxyor be guilty also of his heresy, how much more must we depart from those who are worse (and enter a different faithmore unfortunate) than heretics, you will lose your soul forever.because they openly serve the cause of Antichrist?” —St—Fr. Theophan the RecluseSeraphim Rose of Platina, Letter 40, 1970
“The Orthodox confess “Concerning the Patriarch I shall say this, lest it should perhaps occur to him to show me a certain respect at the burial of this my humble body, or to send to my grave any of his hierarchs or clergy or in general any of those in communion with him in order to take part in prayer or to join the priests invited to it from amongst us, thinking that at some time, or perhaps secretly, I had allowed communion with him. And lest my silence give occasion to those who do not know my views well and fully to suspect some kind of conciliation, I hereby state and testify before the many worthy men here present that I do not desire, in any manner and absolutely, and do not accept communion with him or with those who are with him, not in this life nor after my death, just as (I accept) neither the Union nor Latin dogmas, which he and his adherents have accepted, and for the enforcement of which he has occupied this presiding place, with the aim of overturning the true dogmas of the Church. I am absolutely convinced that SHE IS the Onefarther I stand from him and those like him, the nearer I am to God and all the saints, and to the degree that I separate myself from them am in union with the Truth and with the HolyFathers, the Theologians of the Church; and I am likewise convinced that those who count themselves with them stand far away from the Truth and from the blessed Teachers of the Church. And for this reason I say: just as in the course of my whole life I was separated from them, so at the time of my departure, yea and after my death, Universal I turn away from intercourse and communion with them and vow and command that none (katholikosof them) shall approach either my burial or my grave, and likewise anyone else from our side, with the aim of attempting to join and Apostolic Ecclesia! Any other model is gnosticconcelebrate in our Divine services; for this would be to mix what cannot be mixed. But it befits them to be absolutely separated from us until such time as God shall grant correction and peace to His Church.” —St. Irenaeus Mark of Ephesus, The Example of Lyons, [as quoted in The Orthodox Word, June-July, 1967, pp. 103ff.]
“Orthodoxy “With all our strength, therefore, let us beware lest we receive Communion from or give it to heretics. ‘Give not what is what Christ taughtholy to the dogs, ’ saith the apostles preachedLord. ‘Neither cast ye your pearls before swine’, lest we become partakers in their dishonour and the Fathers keptcondemnation.” —St. Athanasius John of Damascus, Exposition of Alexandriathe Orthodox Faith, IV, 13
“He “And, you see, people are not at all aware that we are living during the signs of the times, that the sealing is ‘the same yesterday and today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8)already advancing. Orthodox Christians are committed to This is why the truth claim of Sacred Scripture says that even the Christian Faith not as ideology but as an expression of holinesselect will be deceived.” —Rev—St. DrPaisios of Mt. George CAthos, Spiritual Counsels, Vol. PapademetriouII, An Orthodox Reflection on Truth & ToleranceSpiritual Awakening, p. 198
“The beginning of theology Church is suffering today because Divine illumination is not the card cataloguemissing and people understand things as it suits them. The human element gets involved; passions are aroused, and then, but doing battle against the passions; devil comes and the end of theology thrashes about. That is why people who are governed by their passions should not becoming a professor, but becoming a saintseek to govern others.” —Dr—St. Paisios of Mt. David FagerbergAthos
“Men are converted to God not because someone was able to give brilliant explanations“In sum, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, but because they saw in him that lighttheory embracing almost the whole universe and in fact extending its authority only over several dioceses, joyand in other places having only a higher superficial supervision and receiving certain revenues for this, depth, seriousnesspersecuted by the government at home and not supported by any governmental authority abroad: having lost its significance as a pillar of truth and having itself become a source of division, and at the same time being possessed by an exorbitant love of power--represents a pitiful spectacle which alone reveal recalls the presence and power worst periods in the history of God in the worldSee of Constantinople.” —Fr—St. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco, from Orthodox Word, vol. 8, no. 4 (45), July-August 1972, pp. 166-168, 174-175. Alexander Schmemann
“Only “The Lord of all gave to His apostles the power of the gospel, and by them we also have learned the truth, that is, the teaching of the Son of God—as the Lord said to them, ‘He who hears you hears Me, and he who despises you despises Me, and Him Who sent Me’ [Lk.10:16]. For we learned the Religion plan of Christ unites our salvation from no other than from those through whom the gospel came to us. The first preached it abroad, and all then later by the will of God handed it down to us must pray in Scriptures, to be the foundation and pillar of our faith. For it is not right to say that they preached before they had come to this. Thus union will occurperfect knowledge, as some dare to say, not by believing boasting that all they are the correctors of us are the same thing apostles. For after our Lord had risen from the dead, and that they were clothed with the power from on high when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were filled with all religions are the samethings and had perfect knowledge. They are not went out to the ends of the earth, preaching the same… our Orthodoxy is not related good things that come to us from God, and proclaiming peace from heaven to other religionsall men, all and each of them equally being in possession of the gospel of God.” —St. Porphyrios the KapsokalyviteIrenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, III
“Orthodoxy “Those that wish to discern the truth may observe the apostolic tradition made manifest in every church throughout the world. We can enumerate those who were appointed bishops in the churches by the apostles, and their successors (or successions) down to our own day, who never taught, and never knew, absurdities such as these men produce. For if the apostles had known hidden mysteries which they taught the perfect in private and in secret, they would rather have committed them to those to whom they entrusted the churches. For they wished those men to be perfect and unbelievable whom they laughed as their successors and to whom they handed over their own office of authority. But as it would be very tedious, in a book of this sort, to enumerate the successions in all the churches, we can found all those who in any way, whether for self-pleasing, or vainglory, or blindness, or evil mindedness, hold on authorized meetings. This we do by pointing to the apostolic tradition and the faith that is lifepreached to men, which has come down to us through the successions of bishops; the tradition and creed of the greatest, and most ancient church, the church known to all men, which was founded and set up at Rome by the two men most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul. For with this church, because of its position of leadership and authority, one must not talk about itneeds agree every church, that is, one must live itthe faithful everywhere; for in her the apostolic tradition has always been preserved by the faithful from all parts.” —St. Nektary Irenaeus of OptinaLyons, Against Heresies, III
“Orthodoxy can't be comfortable unless it is fake“If you wait for the perfect conditions to work out your salvation, then you will never begin a God-pleasing life.” —Fr—St. Seraphim Rose Nikon of PlatinaOptina
“As for all those who pretend to confess sound Orthodox Faith"True Christianity is glorifying God with our own lives. To glorify God with our own life is possible only when we have true faith and when that faith indeed exists, but are we express it in communion with people who hold different opinion, if they are forewarned words and still remain stubborn, you must not only be in communion with them, but you must NOT even call them brothersdeeds.” —St. Basil the GreatJohn (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco
“Today“When I, while the overall teachings still in Australia, began to receive information from America already post factum that here [in New York City] there had been protests, demonstrations, and even molebens in front of the Fathers is under attack Soviet consulate, I became quite alarmed and the shipwrecks of Faith are numerousregretted that I was not here, the mouths since I would have decisively opposed much of the faithful are silentwhat took place. Anyone who is capable of speaking the truth but remains silentIn particular, will be heavily judged by God, especially holding a moleben in this case, where such a place. Did they not sing the faith and Lord's song in a strange land? What cause was there to display the very foundation holy things of the entire Church 's services before the gaze of the Orthodox is frenzied servants of Antichrist? Was it really not possible to pray in danger. To remain silent under these circumstances is to betray these, and the appropriate witness belongs to those that reproach (stand up for the faith).” —St. Basil the Great, ep. 92church?
“I beseech you to do I must say frankly that I am always seized by dismay when I hear of protests, demonstrations, and to carry out good to all men the like. In the USSR, life is governed by him (the one with care horns) who fears only Christ and assiduityHis Cross; and who fears nothing else in the world. And he merely chortles over protests and demonstrations. Public opinion? Why, becoming all things the antichrist regime has nothing but the uttermost contempt for it! They wanted to all menseize Czechoslovakia and they seized it, as paying no heed to the need of each is shown commotion that was raised. They wanted to you; I want invade Afghanistan and pray you they invaded it, again paying no attention to be wholly harsh the protests and implacable with threats of the heretics only various Carters & Co. All attempts to shape public opinion in regard to cooperating with them or the so-called Free World in any way whatever supporting their deranged belief. For I reckon it hatred towards man favor of those suffering from Communism are powerless and fruitless, since the Free World stubbornly closes its eyes and a departure from Divine love to lend support to errorimitates the ostrich, so which hides its head under its wing and imagines that those previously seized by it might cannot be even more greatly corrupted.” —St. Maximus seen…” —Metropolitan Philaret of New York, A letter from Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) to ROCOR Priest Victor Potapov concerning Father Dimitry Dudko and the Confessor, Patrologia Graeca, Vol. 91Moscow Patriarchate
“Be aware not “That only the canonical Scriptures have infallibility is testified by Blessed Augustine in the words which he writes to Jerome: ‘It is fitting to bestow such honour and veneration only to be corrupted from love the books of Scripture which are called 'canonical,' for I absolutely believe that none of the heretics; authors who wrote them erred in anything. … As for this reason other writings, no matter how great was the excellence of their authors in sanctity and learning, in reading them I do not accept any false belief (dogma) their teaching as true solely on the basis that they thus wrote and thought.’ Then, in a letter to Fortunatus [St. Mark continues in his citations of Augustine] he writes the following: ‘We should not hold the judgment of a man, even though this man might have been orthodox and had an high reputation, as the same kind of authority as the canonical Scriptures, to the extent of considering it inadmissible for us, out of the reverence we owe such men, to disapprove and reject something in their writing if we should happen to discover that they taught other than the truth which, with God's help, has been attained by others or by ourselves. This is how I am with regard to the name writings of loveother men; and I desire that the reader will act thus with regard to my writings also.” ’” —St. John ChrysostomMark of Ephesus, Second Homily on Purgatorial Fire, chs. 15-16; Pogodin, pp. 127-132
“If anyone prays “All who foolishly and proudly reject the Holy Fathers, who approach the Gospels directly with hereticsfoolish brazenness and unclean mind and heart, he is a hereticfall into lethal self-deception. The Gospel has rejected them, for it only accepts those who are humble.” — Pope St—St. Agatho IIgnatius Brianchaninov (Bryanchaninov) of Caucasus, The Field, Chapter 3
“Genuine love is displayed, “The holy scriptures were not by the common table, nor by lofty addresses or flattering wordsgiven to us that we should enclose them in books, but by the correcting and the seeking of the benefit of one's neighbour and the lifting up of the one who has fallenthat we should engrave them in our hearts.” —St. John Chrysostom
“Never, never, never let anyone “I will tell you my opinion briefly and without reserve. We ought to remain in thatChurch which was founded by the Apostles and continues to this day. If ever you hear of any that are called Christians taking their name not from the Lord Jesus Christ, but from some other, for instance, Marcionites, Valentinians, in order to be OrthodoxMen of the mountain or the plain, you must also may be eastern. The West was Orthodox for a thousand yearssure that you have there not the Church of Christ, and her venerable liturgy is far older than any but the synagogue of her heresiesAntichrist.” —StFor the fact that they took their rise after the foundation of the Church is proof that they are those whose coming the Apostle foretold. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco
“Where And let them not flatter themselves if they think they have Scripture authority for their assertions, since the bishop isdevil himself quoted Scripture, there let and the multitude essence of believers be; even as where Jesus the Scriptures isnot the letter, there is but the meaning. Otherwise, if we follow the letter, we too can concoct a new dogma and assert that such persons as wear shoes and have two coats must not be received into the Catholic Church.” —St. Ignatius of AntiochJerome
“Take care “The key [to do all things in harmony with God, with interpreting Holy Scripture]… is the bishop presiding in the place Tradition of God, and with the presbyters in Church… Now if you want to interpret the place of the council of the apostlesway you want, and with the deaconsdue to your satanic pride, who are then you will most dear to mecertainly fail. You will become a heretic, entrusted with and heresy is nothing other than the business logical interpretation of Jesus Christdogma. When I attempt to interpret things that cannot be interpreted with logic and intellect, who was with the Father from the beginning when I attempt to interpret a deep mystery using my mere mind and is at last made manifestmy intellect, then I go astray.” —St. Ignatius —Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios, Homiles on the Book of Antiochthe Revelation, Letter to the Magnesians 2Vol. I, 6:1p. 46
“Moreover, in the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all. For that is truly and in the strictest sense ‘Catholic,’ which, as the name itself and the reason of the thing declare, comprehends all universally. This rule we shall observe if we follow universality, antiquity, consent. We shall follow universality if we confess that one faith to be true, which the whole Church throughout the world confesses; antiquity“Christianity did not come from Judaism: rather, if we in no wise depart from those interpretations which it Judaism is manifest were notoriously held by our holy ancestors and fathers; consent, in like manner, if in antiquity itself we adhere to the consentient definitions and determinations of all, or at the least a perversion of almost all priests and doctorsChristianity.” —St. Vincent of Lérins, Commonitory, For the Antiquity and Universality Ignatius of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies., Chapter II (circa 434 AD)Antioch
“Roman Catholics teach that original sin robbed Adam of the original righteousness, grace-filled perfection, but did not harm his very nature. And the original righteousness, according to their teachings, was not an organic part of the spiritual and moral nature of man, but an external gift of grace, a special addition to the natural forces “Jesus Christ is King of manIsrael. Hence the sin of Christians are the first man, which consists in rejecting this purely external, supernatural grace, separating man from God, is nothing more than depriving a person of this grace, depriving a person of primitive righteousness and returning man to a purely natural state, a state of graceIsraelite race. The very same human nature remained after the fall as it was before the fall” —St. Before sin, Adam was like a royal courtier, from whom external glory was taken away because of a crime, and he returned to Justin the original state in which he had been before.Martyr
The decrees of the Council of Trent concerning original sin state that the progenitor sin consisted in the loss of the holiness and righteousness granted to them“The synagogue is a refuge for demons, but it did not define exactly what kind of holiness and righteousness they were. There it is stated that there is absolutely no trace of sin or anything in a regenerated person that would be unpleasant to God. Only lust remains, which, due to its motivation of a person to fight, is more useful than harmful correct to people. In any case, it is say not sin, although it itself from sin and entails sin. The fifth decree says: ‘The Holy Council confesses and knows that lust remains among baptized persons; but she, as left to fight, cannot bring harm to those who disagree with her, and those who bravely fight by only the grace of Jesus Christ, synagogue butalso Jewish souls; if you consider yourself a true Jew, on then why are you burdening the contrary, crowns the one who will gloriously struggleChurch.” —St. The Holy Council declares that this lustJohn Chrysostom, which Against the Apostle sometimes calls sinJews (Adversus Judeos), the Universal Church never called sin in the sense that it is true and proper to the regenerated, but that it is from sin and entails sin.’Homily 1 IV:2
This Roman Catholic teaching “So it is unfounded, since it represents the original righteousness that I exhort you to flee and perfection of Adam as an external gift, as an advantage, which shun their gatherings. The harm they bring to our weaker brothers is added not slight; they offer no slight excuse to sustain to nature from the outside and from nature separablefolly of the Jews. MeanwhileFor when they see that you, it is clear from who worship the ancient apostolic-church doctrine that this primitive righteousness of Adam was not an external gift and advantageChrist whom they crucified, are reverently following their rituals, but an integral part of his divinely-created nature. The Holy Scripture claims how can they fail to think that sin has shaken the rites they have performed are the best and upset human nature so deeply that a person is weak for good our ceremonies are worthless? For after you worship and when he wantsadore at our mysteries, he cannot do good ( Romans 7you run to the very men who destroy our rites. Paul said: 18-19 ), but he cannot commit it just because sin has ‘If a strong influence on man sees you that have knowledge sit at meat in the nature of man. In additionidol's temple, if sin did shall not damage human nature so muchhis conscience, being weak, there would be no need for the Only Begotten Son of God emboldened to eat those things which are sacrificed to incarnate, idols’? And let me say: If a man sees you that have knowledge come into the world as synagogue and participate in the festival of the Savior and demand from us a complete bodily and spiritual rebirth ( John 3: 3Trumpets, shall not his conscience, 3: 5-6 ). In additionbeing weak, Roman Catholics can be emboldened to admire what the Jews do? He who falls not give only pays the correct answer to penalty for his own fall, but he is also punished because he trips others as well. But the question: how can the intact nature carry lust in itself? What man who has stood firm is rewarded not only because of his own virtue but people admire him for leading others to desire the relation between this lust and same things.” —St. John Chrysostom, Against the healthy nature?Jews (Adversus Judeos), Homily 1 V:7
In “But do not be surprised that I called the same way, there is an inaccurate Roman Catholic statement that in a regenerated person nothing remains sinful and unpleasant to God and that all this gives way to that which is immaculate, holy Jews pitiable. They really are pitiable and pleasing to Godmiserable. For we know When so many blessings from Holy Revelation and the teachings of the ancient Church that the grace given to a fallen man through Jesus Christ does not act mechanicallyheaven came into their hands, does not give sanctification they thrust them aside and salvation immediately, in the blink of an eye, but gradually penetrates all the psychophysical powers of man, in proportion were at great pains to his personal feat in the new thus he simultaneously heals from all sinful ailments, and sanctifies in all thoughts, feelings, desires and deedsreject them. It is an unreasonable exaggeration to think and argue that the regenerated have absolutely no remnants The morning Sun of sinful ailments when the mystery beloved by Christ clearly teaches: ‘If we say that we have no sinJustice arose for them, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us’ ( 1 John 1: 8 ); but they thrust aside its rays and the great Apostle of the Nations writes: ‘I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil that I do not want. But if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin that lives still sit in me’ ( Romans 7: 19-20, Romans 8: 23-24 )darkness.” —St. Justin PopovichJohn Chrysostom, Orthodox philosophy of truth Against the Jews (Dogma of the Orthodox ChurchAdversus Judeos)
“In all “Certainly it is the time for me to show that demons dwell in the Eastern Churchessynagogue, candles are lit even not only in the place itself but also in the daytime when one souls of the Jews. As Christ said: ‘When an unclean spirit is to read the Gospelsgone out, in truth he walks through dry places seeking rest. If he does not find it he says: I shall return to dispel my house. And coming he finds it empty, swept, and garnished. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter into him and the darkness, but as a sign last state of joy…in order under that factual light man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to feel this generation.’ Do you see that Light of which we read demons dwell in their souls and that these demons are more dangerous than the Psalms (119:105): Thy word ones of old? And this is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my pathvery reasonable.” —St. JeromeJohn Chrysostom, Works, part IV, 2nd ed., Kiev, 1900, pp.301-302Against the Jews (Adversus Judeos)
“The candles lit before icons teachers of saints reflect their ardent love for God for Whose sake they gave up everything Judaism refuse to admit that man prizes in life, including their very lives, as did the holy apostles, martyrs and othersSeptuagint is correct. They attempt to frame another translation of the Scriptures. These candles also mean Observe that these saints are lamps burning for us and providing light for us by their own saintly livingthey have taken away many Old Testament Scriptures, their virtues and their ardent intercession for us before God through their constant prayers by day and night. The burning candles also stand for our ardent zeal and which the sincere sacrifice we make out proof of reverence and gratitude to them for their solicitude on our behalf before GodChrist's crucifixion is set forth.” —St. John of KronstadtJustin the Martyr
“The saints of God live even after their death. Thus, I often hear Jews are wise only in church the Mother of God singing her wonderful, heart-penetrating song which she said in the house of her cousin Elizabeth, after the Annunciation of the Archangel. At times, I hear the song of Moses; the song of Zacharias--the father of the Forerunner; that of Hannahdoing evil, the mother of the prophet Samuel; that of the three children; and that of Miriam. And how many holy singers of the New Testament delight until now the ear of are thus unable to know the whole Church hidden plan of God! And the Divine service itself--the sacraments, the rites? Whose spirit is there, moving and touching our hearts? That of God and of His saints.” —St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in ChristJustin the Martyr
“Each person “It is an icon absurd to speak of GodJesus Christ with the tongue, of God and to cherish in heaven and of God on the crossmind a Judaism which has now come to an end. YetFor where there is Christianity there cannot be Judaism. For Christ is one, in whom every nation that believes, and every tongue that confesses, each person is also an icon gathered unto God. And those that were of a stony heart have become the Mother children of God, who bears Christ through the Holy Spirit. Our soulAbraham, therefore, unites itself in two images; participating in the principles and realities friend of both Christ God and in his Mother. These are age old archetypes, symbols by which the soul orients itself on the journeyseed all those have been blessed who were ordained to eternal life in Christ.” —St. Maria SkobtsovaIgnatius of Antioch, On The Imitation the Delusion of Being a ‘Jewish’ Christian, Epistle to the Mother of GodMagnesians, Chapter X
“The Christian who does not feel that “Jews are slayers of the Virgin Mary is his or her mother is an orphanLord, murderers of the prophets, enemies of God, adversaries of Grace, enemies of their Fathers’ faith, advocates of the devil, a brood of vipers, slanderers, scoffers, men of darkened minds, the leaven of Pharisees, a congregation of demons, sinners, wicked men, haters of Goodness!” —St.” —Pope FrancisGregory of Nyssa
“Creating man according to his image, God diffused into man's very being the longing for the divine infinitude of life, of knowledge, and of perfection. It “It is precisely for this reason true that Muhammad started from the immeasurable longing east and thirst of humanity is not able came to be completely satisfied by anything or anyone except God. Declaring divine perfection as the main purpose for humanity's existence in the world – ‘Be ye therefore perfectwest, even as your father who is in heaven is perfectthe sun travels from east to west.’ (Matth. 5: 48) – ChristNevertheless he came with war, knives, pillaging, forced enslavement, murders, and acts that are not from the Saviorgood God but instigated by the chief manslayer, answered the most elemental demand and need of our God-like and God-longing humanitydevil.” —St. Justin Popovich, Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ, Highest Value and Last Criterion in OrthodoxyGregory Palamas
“He who refuses “They furthermore accuse us of being idolaters, because we venerate the cross, which they abominate. And we answer them: ‘How is it, then, that you rub yourselves against a stone in your Ka'ba and kiss and embrace it?’ Then some of them say that Abraham had relations with Agar upon it, but others say that he tied the camel to give it, when he was going to sacrifice Isaac. And we answer them: ‘Since Scripture says that the mountain was wooded and had trees from which Abraham cut wood for the holocaust and laid it upon Isaac, [108] and then he left the asses behind with the two young men, why talk nonsense? For in to his passions does that place neither is it thick with trees nor is there passage for asses.’ And they are embarrassed, but they still assert that the same stone is Abraham's. Then we say: ‘Let it be Abraham's, as he who refuses you so foolishly say. Then, just because Abraham had relations with a woman on it or tied a camel to it, you are not ashamed to bow down kiss it, yet you blame us for venerating the cross of Christ by which the power of the demons and the deceit of the Devil was destroyed.’ This stone that they talk about is a head of that Aphrodite whom they used to worship idolsand whom they called Khabár.” —StEven to the present day, traces of the carving are visible on it to careful observers. Theophan the Recluse
“Concerning As has been related, this Mohammed wrote many ridiculous books, to each one of which he set a title. For example, there is the book On Woman, in which he plainly makes legal provision for taking four wives and, if it be possible, a thousand concubines—as many as one can maintain, besides the four wives. He also made it legal to put away whichever wife one might wish, and, should one so wish, to take to oneself another in the same way. Mohammed had a friend named Zeid. This man had a beautiful wife with whom Mohammed fell in love. Once, when they were sitting together, Mohammed said: ‘Oh, by the charge of idolatryway, God has commanded me to take your wife.’ The other answered: Icons ‘You are not idols but symbolsan apostle. Do as God has told you and take my wife.’ Rather—to tell the story over from the beginning—he said to him: ‘God has given me the command that you put away your wife.’ And he put her away. Then several days later: ‘Now,’ he said, ‘God has commanded me to take her. Therefore’ Then, when an Orthodox venerates an iconafter he had taken her and committed adultery with her, he is not guilty of idolatrymade this law: ‘Let him who will put away his wife. He is not worshiping the symbolAnd if, after having put her away, he should return to her, but merely venerating let another marry her. For it. Such veneration is not directed toward woodlawful to take her unless she have been married by another. Furthermore, if a brother puts away his wife, or paint or stonelet his brother marry her, but towards should he so wish.’ [110] In the same book he gives such precepts as this: ‘Work the person depictedland which God hath given thee and beautify it. Therefore relative honor is shown to material objectsAnd do this, but worship is due and do it in such a manner’ –not to God alonerepeat all the obscene things that he did.” —St. John of Damascus, Fount of Knowledge, Heresies in Epitome: How They Began and Whence They Drew Their Origin
“We “Sometimes Japanese protestants come to me and ask me to clarify some place in the Holy Scriptures. ‘You have your own missionary teachers,’ I tell them, ‘Go ask them. What do they say?’ ‘We have asked them. They say: understand as you know how. But I need to know the real thought of God, not bow before my own personal opinion.’ … It's not like that with us [Orthodox]. Everything is clear, trustworthy and simple, since we accept Holy Tradition in addition to the nature Holy Scriptures. And Holy Tradition is a living, unbroken voice of woodour Church from the time of Christ and His Apostles until now, but we revere and bow before which will exist until the end of the one who is depictedworld. In it all the meaning of the Holy Scriptures are preserved.” —St. John Nicholas of DamascusJapan, Diary, January 15, 1897
“We do “It is Christ Himself, not make obeisance to the nature Bible, Who is the true word of woodGod. The Bible, but we revere read in the right spirit and do obeisance with the guidance of good teachers, will bring us to Him who was crucified on . We must not use the Cross… When the two beams Bible as a sort of the Cross are joined together I adore the figure because encyclopedia out of Christ who was crucified on the Cross, but if the beams are separated, I throw them away and burn themwhich texts can be taken for use as weapons.” —St—C. John of DamascusS. Lewis
“The whole earth “If Scripture is a living icon of the face of God. … I do not worship matterperfect and sufficient for everything, but why is the Creator of matterChurch's interpretation necessary? Because, who for my sake became material and deigned to dwell in matterquite plainly, who through matter effected my salvation. Never will I cease honoring the matter which wrought my salvation! I honor it, but Scripture is not accepted by everyone as God. Because of this I salute all remaining matter with reverence, because God has filled it with his grace and power. Through it my salvation has come to mehaving the same meaning.” —St. John Vincent of DamascusLérins
“That which “The humility of Jesus is not a superfluous detail in the gospel narrative. The humility of Jesus is essential to the word communicates by soundgospel. If Jesus lacked humility, the painting shows silently by representationthere would be no incarnation, no crucifixion, and no redemption.” —St. Basil the Great, On the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste—Jack Wisdom
“We depict Christ as our King “When they are refuted by the Scriptures, they take to maligning the Scriptures themselves. … But when we refer them to that tradition which originates with the apostles and Lordwhich is preserved in the churches through the succession of the presbyters, they attack the tradition, and do claiming that they themselves are wiser not deprive Him merely than the presbyters but even than the apostles. [However] anyone who wants to see the truth can look to the tradition of His army. The saints constitute the Lord's army. Let Apostles which is clearly manifested throughout the earthly king dismiss his army before he gives whole world; and we can list those who were set up his King and Lord. Let him put off as bishops in the purple before he takes honour away from his most valiant different churches as well as their successors right down to our own time, men who have conquered their passionsneither taught nor knew anything like what these [Gnostics] are raving about. For if the saints are heirs apostles had known secret doctrines which they were in the habit of God, teaching to the “perfect” clandestinely and co-heirs of Christapart from the rest, (Rom. 8.17) they will be also partakers of would most certainly have communicated these things to those to whom they were entrusting the divine glory of sovereigntychurches themselves.” —St. John of Damascus
“One who has And if a dispute should arise over some point or other, should we not have recourse to the judgment of Christ before his eyesmost ancient churches, who has seen in which the great danger that threatens those who dare to subtract apostles were actively interested, and find out from or add them what is certain and clear with regard to those things which have been handed down by the Spiritpoint at issue? What if, must in fact, the apostles had left us no Writings? Would it not be ambitious necessary to follow the line indicated by the tradition which they handed down to innovate, but must content himself with those things which have been proclaimed by to whom they entrusted the saints.churches?” —St. Basil the Great, Against Eunomius 2, PG 29.573-652Irenaeus of Lyons
“Our afflictions are well known without my telling; the sound of them has now gone forth over all Christendom. The doctrines of the fathers are despised; apostolical traditions are set at nought; the speculations of innovators hold sway in the churches. Men have learned to “[Heretics] should not be theorists instead of theologians. The wisdom of the world has the place of honour, having dispossessed the boasting of the cross. The pastors are driven away, grievous wolves are brought in instead, and plunder the flock of Christ, Houses of prayer are destitute of preachers; the deserts are full of mourners: the old bewail, comparing what is with what was; more pitiable are the young, as not knowing what they are deprived of. What has been said is sufficient admitted to kindle the sympathy any discussion of those who are taught in the love of Christ, yet compared with the facts, it is far from reaching their seriousness.” —St. Basil the Great, ep. 90Scriptures…
“I urge you not The Lord Jesus sent the apostles to faint in your afflictionspreach. … Now what they actually preached can, as I must here likewise prescribe, but to be risen proved only by those very same churches which the love of God and to increase every day apostles themselves founded by preaching to your zealthem both viva voce, knowing that it is necessary to preserve in you this relic of the true religion that the Lord will find when He comes to the earth. Even if the bishops are trained out of their churchesas they say, don't be dismayedand later by letters. If traitors have appeared among Such being the clergycase, do not betray your trust in God. We are saved not it is consequently certain that any doctrine which agrees with [what is held by names] these apostolic churches, but by our mind moulds and by our purpose, and by a true love to our Creator. Think that in original sources of the attack of our Lordfaith, must be considered the great priests and the scribes and the elders have designed the conspiracytruth, and undoubtedly containing that few people have been found getting which these churches received from the Word. Remember that it is not apostles, the multitude that is being savedapostles from Christ, and Christ from God; but the elected ones any other doctrine must be presumed false, since it smacks of God. So don't be scared by opposition to the multitude truth of people who are swept away by the winds like the waters churches, of the sea. If one is savedapostles, as a Lot in Sodom, he must remain in a fair judgment, keeping his hope in of Christ steadfast, for the Lord will not abandon His saints. Say hello to all the brothers in Christ from meof God. Pray with fervor for my miserable soul.” —St. Basil the Great
“SoCome now! Would they all have fallen into error? Would the steward of God, the Vicar of Christ [the Holy Spirit] have neglected His duty by allowing the churches to understand and believe otherwise than what He Himself taught the apostles? Is it likely that so many and such outstanding churches would all have strayed into the question, ‘Do we believe in conspiracy theoriesone [false] faith?’, No chance happening ever has the answer is, ‘We don't believe same outcome in them, we have long experience the case of themmany different individuals.’” —FrA doctrinal error in so many different churches would of necessity have taken different forms. Peter HeersBut when unity exists amid diversity, On Demonic Methodologythis can be the result, Part II: Q & Anot of error, May 6, 2020but only of Tradition.
“Let Let us be firminquire, my brotherstherefore, on the rock of faithwhether tradition, in the tradition of the Churchunless it be written, and not remove or change the boundaries established by our Holy Fathersshould be accepted. Let us close the road to innovators and Certainly we shall say that it ought not permit them to demolish the structure of the holy, catholic, and apostolic Church be accepted if we can allege as precedent no cases of God. If other practices which we allow, howeverjustify without any written document, but solely on the introduction grounds of tradition and because of any innovation, we unconsciously support the collapse approval of the Church. No, my brothers, subsequent custom… If you who love Christ, no, you children of the Churchdemand scriptural justification for these and other such practices, you will never want find none. Tradition will be held out to surround your Mother Church with confusion.” —St. John of Damascusyou as their author, Concerning Imagescustom as their consolidator, IIIand faith as their observer.41” —Tertullian
“Therefore, brethren, let us stand on “Since there are many who think they share the rock mind of faith Christ and on yet some of them think differently from their predecessors, let the tradition preaching of the Churchbe held fast, and not remove that preaching which has been handed down from the boundaries which our Holy Fathers have set. Thus, we will not give apostles through the opportunity to those who wish to innovate ranks of succession and destroy perdures in the edifice of churches to the holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Godpresent day. For if permission That alone is granted to everyone who wants it, little by little the whole body of the Church will be destroyed. Do not, brethren, do not, oh Christ-loving children of believed as the Church of God …” —Jeremiah II (Jeremias II) Tranos, Ecumenical Patriarch truth which varies in no wise from ecclesiastical and Archbishop of Constantinople, letter to the Most Wise Theologians, Residents of the Famous City of Tübingen, in the month of May, 1579, Indiction 7, ppapostolic tradition. 197-8 (prophetic warning of to the Lutheran scholars)” —Origen
“For “It suffices as proof of our thesis that we have a tradition coming to err is human, but us from the correction is angelic and salvific.” —Jeremiah II (Jeremias II) Tranos, Ecumenical Patriarch and Archbishop of Constantinoplefathers, letter to like a legacy handed down from the Most Wise Theologians, Residents of apostles through the Famous City of Tübingen, saints who followed them in the month succession.” —St. Gregory of May, 1579, Indiction 7, p. 210Nyssa
“Unbelief is an evil offspring of an evil heart“Of the beliefs and practices [disciplinary regulations] preserved in the Church, some we possess from teaching handed down in written form; for others we have received as delivered to us in a mystery from the guileless and pure tradition of heart discovers God everywhere, everywhere discerns Himthe Apostles, and always unhesitatingly believes in His existenceboth of these have the same force as far as religion is concerned.” —St. Nectarios of AeginaBasil the Great
“He who learns must sufferAnd even “There is need of tradition also; for not everything can be found in our sleep pain that cannot forgetFalls drop by drop upon Scripture. That is why the heart,And most holy apostles left some things in writing and others in tradition. Paul affirms this very fact as follows: ‘as I handed it on to you.’ Likewise in our own despite, against our willanother passage: ‘This is my teaching and thus have I handed it on to the churches.’ Similarly: ‘If you continue to cling firmly to it,Comes wisdom as I preached it to us by the awful grace of Godyou—unless your faith has all been for nothing.’” —St.” —AeschylusEpiphanius
“The greatest wisdom often emerges from “Baptize first the deepest woundschildren, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them.” —Jane Lee Logan—St. Hippolytus of Rome, The Apostolic Tradition, 21:16
“Monarchy can easily be debunked“We baptize even infants, but watch the facesthough they are not defiled by sins, mark well the debunkers. These are the men whose taproot in Eden has been cut: whom no rumour of the polyphonyso they too may be given holiness, the dancerighteousness, can reach - men to whom pebbles laid in a row are more beautiful than an arch. … Where men are forbidden to honour a king they honour millionairesadoption, athletes or film stars instead: … For spiritual natureinheritance, like bodily naturebrotherhood with Christ, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poisonmembership in Him.” —C. S—St. LewisJohn Chrysostom
“There is nothing impossible unto those who “We believethe first man created by God to have fallen in Paradise, when, disregarding the Divine commandment, he yielded to the deceitful counsel of the serpent. And as a result hereditary sin flowed to his posterity; lively so that everyone who is born after the flesh bears this burden, and unshaken faith can accomplish great miracles in experiences the twinkling fruits of an eyeit in this present world. BesidesBut by these fruits and this burden we do not understand [actual] sin, such as impiety, blasphemy, murder, even without sodomy, adultery, fornication, enmity, and whatever else is by our sincere depraved choice committed contrarily to the Divine Will, not from nature. For many both of the Forefathers and firm faithof the Prophets, miracles are accomplishedand vast numbers of others, such as well of those under the miracles shadow [of the sacraments; for God's Mystery is always accomplishedLaw], even though we were incredulous or unbelieving at as well as under the time truth [of its celebration. 'Shall their unbelief make the faith Gospel], such as the divine Precursor, and especially the Mother of God without effect?' (Romthe Word, the ever-virgin Mary, did not experience these [sins], or such like faults. 3:3). Our wickedness shall not overpower But only what the Divine Justice inflicted upon man as a punishment for the unspeakable goodness [original] transgression, such as sweats in labor, afflictions, bodily sicknesses, pains in child-bearing, and mercy of God; , finally, while on our dullness shall not overpower God's wisdompilgrimage, to live a laborious life, and lastly, nor our infirmity God's omnipotencebodily death.” —St. John —Confession of Dositheus, Synod of KronstadtJerusalem, My Life in Christ1672, Decree 6
“The quality “We believe Holy Baptism, which was instituted by the Lord, and is conferred in the name of mercy the Holy Trinity, to be of the highest necessity. For without it none is able to be saved, as the Lord says, ‘Whoever is not strained.It droppeth as born of water and of the Spirit, shall in no way enter into the gentle rain from heavenUpon Kingdom of the place beneathHeavens. It ’ {John 3:5} And, therefore, baptism is twice blest:It blesseth him that gives necessary even for infants, since they also are subject to original sin, and without Baptism are not able to obtain its remission. Which the Lord showed when he said, not of some only, but simply and him absolutely, ‘Whoever is not born [again],’ which is the same as saying, ‘All that takesafter the coming of Christ the Savior would enter into the Kingdom of the Heavens must be regenerated.'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomesThe thronèd monarch better than his crown’ And since infants are men, and as such need salvation, needing salvation they need also Baptism.His scepter shows And those that are not regenerated, since they have not received the force remission of hereditary sin, are, of temporal powernecessity,The attribute subject to awe eternal punishment, and majestyWherein doth sit the dread and fear consequently cannot without Baptism be saved. So that even infants should, of kingsnecessity, be baptized. Moreover, infants are saved, as is said in Matthew;But mercy {Matthew 19:12} but he that is not baptized is above this sceptered swaynot saved. And consequently even infants must of necessity be baptized.It is enthronèd And in the hearts of kingsActs {Acts 8:12;It 16:33} it is an attribute to God Himself;And earthly power doth then show likest God'sWhen mercy seasons justicesaid that the whole houses were baptized, and consequently the infants. ThereforeTo this the ancient Fathers also witness explicitly, Jewand among them Dionysius in his Treatise concerning the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy; and Justin in his fifty-sixth Question,Though justice be thy pleawho says expressly, consider this:That in ‘And they are guaranteed the course benefits of justice none Baptism by the faith of usShould see salvationthose that bring them to Baptism. We do pray for mercy’ And Augustine says that it is an Apostolic tradition,And that same prayer doth teach us all children are saved through Baptism; and in another place, ‘The Church gives to renderThe deeds babes the feet of mercy. I have spoke thus muchTo mitigate others, that they may come; and the justice hearts of thy pleaothers,Which, if thou follow, this strict court that they may believe; and the tongues of VeniceMust needs give sentence 'gainst the merchantthere.” —William Shakespeareothers, Portiathat they may promise;’ and in another place, The Merchant of Venice‘Our mother, Act 4the Church, Scene 1furnishes them with a particular heart.’
“The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged Now the matter of Baptism is pure water, and no other liquid. And it is performed by the hand Priest only, or in a case of unavoidable necessity, by another man, provided he is Orthodox, and has the proper intention to Divine Baptism. And the effects of Baptism are, to speak concisely, firstly, the remission of the hereditary transgression, and of any sins of any kind that the baptized may have committed. Secondly, it delivers him from the eternal punishment, to which he was liable, as well for original sin and for mortal sins he may have individually committed. Thirdly, it gives to the person immortality; for in justifying them from past sins, it makes them temples of God.” —unknown
“People And it cannot be said that there is any sin which may have been previously committed that remains, though not imputed, that is not washed away through Baptism, For that were created indeed the height of impiety, and a denial, rather than a confession of piety. Indeed, truly, all sin existing, or committed before Baptism, is blotted out, and is to be lovedregarded as never existing or committed. Things For the forms of Baptism, and on either hand all the words that precede and that perfect Baptism, do indicate a perfect cleansing. And the same thing even the very names of Baptism do signify. For if Baptism is by the Spirit and by fire, {Matthew 3:11} it is obvious that it is in all a perfect cleansing; for the Spirit cleanses perfectly. If it is light, {Hebrews 6:4} it dispels the darkness. If it is regeneration, {Titus 3:5} old things are passed away. And what are these except sins? If the baptized puts off the old man, {Colossians 3:9} then sin also. If he puts on Christ, {Galatians 3:27} then in effect he becomes free from sin through Baptism. For God is far from sinners. This Paul also teaches more plainly, saying: ‘As through one [man] we, being many, were created made sinners, so through one [are we made] righteous.’ {Romans 5:19} And if righteous, then free from sin. For it is not possible for life and death to be usedin the same [person]. The reason why If Christ truly died, then remission of sin through the world Spirit is in chaos true also. Hence it is evident that all who are baptized and fall asleep while babes are undoubtedly saved, being predestinated through the death of Christ. Forasmuch as they are without any sin; – without that common [to all], because delivered from it by the Divine laver, and without any of their own, because things as babes they are being loved incapable of committing sin; – and people consequently are being usedsaved. Moreover, Baptism imparts an indelible character, as does also the Priesthood. For as it is impossible for any one to receive twice the same order of the Priesthood, so it is impossible for any once rightly baptized, to be again baptized, although he should fall even into myriads of sins, or even into actual apostasy from the Faith. For when he is willing to return unto the Lord, he receives again through the Mystery of Penance the adoption of a son, which he had lost.” —unknown—Confession of Dositheus, Synod of Jerusalem, 1672, Decree 16
“No “A dangerous lie is preached by sectarians when they say that children should not be baptized, but when children grow up and know what faith is, then they should be baptized. Man and son of man stands so tall , shut your ears from such crazy words. Because if your child dies unbaptized, he will enter the other world as when unclean and undone by God. With whom, then, will he be in eternity, and whose name will he be? Look, you don't wait for your child to grow up and find out what water and milk and honey and bread and medicine are, and only then can you give him all that. But you give it to him even though he stoops doesn't know it. You know what's good and life saving for her, does she have to help a know that in the cradle? And if your child has cough, will you treat it, or will you wait until it grows up and find out what cough is? And hereditary sin is an unequally heavier pain than gout. So when you are treating your childfrom gout, treat him also from that more serious illness, for which the cure is baptism. Don't let your unbaptized child die, because otherwise you will never and anywhere in eternity meet his soul.” —unknown—St. Nikolai Velimirovich
“If we could look into each others hearts, “…[T]here were no New Testamental writings for the earliest Christians and yet they possessed the fullness of the truth and understand faith of Christianity. On the unique challenges each day of us faces, I think Pentecost the Church was born and yet there were no Gospels as we know them today. It would treat each other much more gentlynot be a theological exaggeration to assert that the Church would be the Church in Her fullness even if She did not possess the New Testament. For many raised on the Reformational principle of ‘sola scriptura’ this may seem a radical – even heretical – statement. …[T]here was a time when the Church did not possess this corpus of inspired writing and yet the Church existed in Her fullness, with more love, patience, tolerance, and careChristians experienced the truth of the faith in all its fullness.” —Marvin J—Fr. AshtonGeorges Florovsky, The Byzantine Fathers of the Fifth Century
“Teach me to feel another's woe, to hide the fault “… Word and sacrament long ago lost touch with each other and became subjects of independent study and definition … I see; daresay that mercy I to others showthe gradual ‘decomposition’ of scripture, its dissolution in more and more specialized and negative criticism, that mercy show to meis a result of its alienation from the Eucharist - and practically from the Church herself - as an experience of a spiritual reality.” —Alexander Pope—Fr. Alexander Schmemann, The Eucharist, p. 66
“Tolerance “Anti-sacramental, anti-ritual evangelicalism emphasizes a personal relationship with God, but tends to encourage what Anthony Giddens calls ‘pure relationship,’ a relationship that is not tacked down with external anchors and supports. A live-in relationship, without benefit of the last virtue rites and legalities of marriage, is a pure relationship. Evangelicalism tends to encourage a live-in relationship with Jesus. This is wrong, a depraved societydeparture from Christian tradition, and unbiblical. It also places unbearable burdens on the soul. When you have an immoral society that has blatantlyTempted by the devil, Luther slapped his forehead to remind himself of his baptism. His standing before God was anchored in Christ, proudlyto whom he had been joined by baptism. For evangelicals, violated all assurance cannot be grounded in anything so external and objective. Spontaneous enthusiasm is the test of sincerity, and the commandments source of Godassurance. But eternal, there self-scrutinizing vigilance is one last virtue they insist upon: tolerance for their immoralitynecessary to ensure that the enthusiasm is really spontaneous. Enthusiasm was supposed to liberate the soul from all the dead forms, but it comes with its own set of chains.” —Dennis James Kennedy—Rev. Dr. Peter J. Leithard
“The greatest thing a man can do “In the Orthodox approach to Scripture, it is the job of the individual not to strive for originality in interpretation, but rather to a woman understand what is already present in the traditions of the Church. We are obliged not to lead her closer go beyond the boundary set by the Fathers and Creeds of the Church, but to God than faithfully pass on the Tradition just as we have received it. To do this requires a great deal of study and thought–but even more, if we are to himselftruly understand the Scriptures, we must enter deeply into the mystical life of the Church.” —unknown—ibid., p. 44
“A snowflake is one “The scriptures and the Church are reduced here to the category of God's most fragile creationstwo formal authorities, but look what two ‘sources of faith’ – as they can do when they stick together!” —unknownare called in the scholastic treatises, for which the only question is which authority is the higher: which ‘interprets’ which…” —Ibid., p. 66
“God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself because “For if we proclaim holy scripture to be the supreme authority for teaching the faith in the Church, then what is the ‘criterion’ of scripture? Sooner or later it is not therebecomes ‘biblical science’ – i. There is no such thinge.” —C, in the final analysis, naked reason…” —Ibid. S, p. Lewis66-67
“The supreme happiness of life “It is therefore clear that [the conviction of being loved for yourselfapostles] did not teach everything in epistolary form, but that they taught many things besides in unwritten form, and these things, or more correctlytoo, being loved in spite are worthy of acceptance. Wherefore we should consider the tradition of the Church also as worthy of yourselfbelief. If there is a tradition, look no further.” —Victor Hugo—St. John Chrysostom
“It is hardly complimentary to God “Certain men who hold different opinions (i.e. heretics) misuse these passages. They essentially destroy free will by introducing ruined natures incapable of salvation and by introducing others as being saved in such a way that we should choose him as an alternative to hellthey cannot be lost.” —C. S. Lewis—Origen
“Hell can't be made attractive“A false interpretation of Scripture causes that the gospel of the Lord becomes the gospel of man, so or, which is worse, of the devil makes attractive the road that leads there.” —St. Basil the GreatJerome
“If you die before you die“Truth cannot be acquired, than when you diethe flesh with its passions and lusts cannot be crucified, you will not diethe heart cannot be filled with the Light of Christ and united with Him, through salvation, unless these are preceded by frequent prayer.” —written on —The Way of a cell wall, St. Paul's Monastery, Mt. AthosPilgrim
“War “How long shall we continue in this manner, our intellect reduced to futility, failing to make the name spirit of religion is war against religionthe Gospel our own, not knowing what it means to live according to our conscience, making no serious effort to keep it pure?” —St.” —His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch BartholomewMark the Ascetic
“Believe me“It is self evident, if God revealed however, that sincere Christians who are Roman Catholics, or Lutherans, or members of other non-Orthodox confessions, cannot be termed renegades or heretics—i.e. those who knowingly pervert the truth… They have been born and raised and are living according to us the disasters to which we were exposed and from creed which He protected usthey have inherited, our whole just as do the majority of you who are Orthodox; in their lives would there has not suffice been a moment of personal and conscious renunciation of Orthodoxy. The Lord, ‘Who will have all men to offer Him thanksbe saved’ (I Tim.” —H2:4) and ‘Who enlightens every man born into the world’ (Jn.H1. Pope Shenouda43), undoubtedly is leading them also towards salvation in His own way.” —Metropolitan Philaret of New York
“In heaven“You ask, God will not ask us why we the heterodox be saved… Why do you worry about them? They have sinned; a Saviour Who desires the salvation of every human being. He will ask us why we did take care of them. You and I should not repentbe burdened with such a concern. Study yourself and your own sins… I will tell you one thing, however: should you, being Orthodox and possessing the Truth in its fullness, betray Orthodoxy, and enter a different faith, you will lose your soul forever.” —H.H—St. Pope Shenouda IIITheophan the Recluse
“Even if all spiritual fathers, patriarchs“The Orthodox confess that SHE IS the One, hierarchsHoly, Universal (katholikos) and all the people forgive you, you are unforgiven if you don’t repent in actionApostolic Ecclesia! Any other model is gnostic.” —St. Kosmas AitolosIrenaeus of Lyons
“Nobody “Orthodoxy is as gracious and mercifulwhat Christ taught, as the Lord isapostles preached, but even He does not forgive the sins of and the man who does not repent; … we are being condemned not because of the multitude of our evils, but because we do not want to repentFathers kept.” —St. Mark Athanasius the AsceticGreat
“As a handful of sand thrown into the ocean, so “He is ‘the same yesterday and today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8). Orthodox Christians are committed to the sins truth claim of all flesh the Christian Faith not as compared with the mercy ideology but as an expression of Godholiness.” —St—Rev. Isaac the SyrianDr. George C. Papademetriou, An Orthodox Reflection on Truth & Tolerance
“Just as a strongly flowing fountain “The beginning of theology is not blocked up by a handful of earththe card catalogue, so but doing battle against the compassion passions; and the end of the Creator theology is not overcome by the wickedness of his creaturesbecoming a professor, but becoming a saint.” —St—Dr. Isaac the SyrianDavid Fagerberg
“God is loving “Men are converted to manGod not because someone was able to give brilliant explanations, and loving but because they saw in no small measure. For say nothim that light, I have committed fornication and adultery: I have done dreadful thingsjoy, and not once onlydepth, but often: will He forgive? Will He grant pardon? Hear what the Psalmist says: ‘How great is the multitude of Your goodnessseriousness, O Lord!’ Your accumulated offenses surpass not and love which alone reveal the multitude presence and power of God's mercies: your wounds surpass not the great Physician's skill. Only give yourself up in faith: tell the Physician your ailment: say thou also, like David: ‘I said, I will confess me my sin unto the Lord’: and the same shall be done in your case, which he says immediately: ‘And you forgave the wickedness of my heartworld.’” —St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 2, On Repentance and Remission of Sins and Concerning the Adversary, Ezekiel xviii” —Fr. 20-23Alexander Schmemann
“Years “When conversion does take place, the process of revelation occurs in a very simple way: a person is in need, he suffers, and then somehow the other world opens up. The more you are in suffering and difficulties and are not needed desperate for true repentanceGod, the more He is going to come to your aid, reveal Who He is, and not days, but only an instantshow you the way to get out.” —St—Fr. Ambrose Seraphim Rose of OptinaPlatina, Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works by Hieromonk Damascene, p. 98
“There is no sin which cannot be pardoned except that one which lacks repentance“We think we know a lot, and there is no gift which but what we know is not augmented save that which remains without acknowledgementvery little. For Even all those who have striven all their life to bring progress to mankind – learned scientists and highly educated people – all realize in the portion end that all their knowledge is but a grain of sand on the fool is small in his eyesseashore. All our achievements are insufficient.” —St. Isaac the Syrian—Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives
“When a man abandons his sins “Men are often called intelligent wrongly. Intelligent men are not those who are erudite in the sayings and books of the wise men of old, but those who have an intelligent soul and can discriminate between good and evil. They avoid what is sinful and harms the soul; and returns with deep gratitude to God, his repentance regenerates him they resolutely adhere by dint of practice to what is good and renews him entirelybenefits the soul. These men alone should truly be called intelligent.” —St. Isaiah Anthony the Great, On the SolitaryCharacter of Men and on the Virtuous Life: One Hundred and Seventy Texts, Text 1, The Philokalia: The Complete Text, Vol. 1
“And so it “It is incumbent upon us impossible to strivereplace the spiritual with the emotional. If anyone tries to forcibly replace one with the other, ratherthen he will assimilate lies instead of truth, to correct our faults and to improve our behaviorfalsehood masquerading as truth.” —St. John CassianIgnatius Brianchaninov (Bryanchaninov) of Caucasus, The Refuge, Chapter 9, p. 119
“Let us strive to purify ourselves through repentance and humility, and to unite all our senses as one to the God who is good, and transcends the good. Then, truly, everything which I have not quite been able to say or to demonstrate with my many words“Not knowledge that you learn, but knowledge that you will be taught in an instant, all at once. You will hear with your sight, and see with your hearing. You will be taught while seeing and, again, hear what suffer: that is unveiledOrthodox spirituality.” —St. Symeon the New Theologian—Gerontissa Gabrielia, Sayings of Gerontissa Gabrielia
“Where there “Our religion is Godfounded on spiritual experience, there is no evilseen and heard as sure as any physical fact in this world. Everything coming from God is peacefulNot theory, not philosophy, not human emotions, healthy and leads a person to the judgment of his own imperfections and humilitybut experience.” —St.Nikolai Velimirovich
When a person accepts anything Godly“Only the Religion of Christ unites and all of us must pray that they come to this. Thus union will occur, then he rejoices in his heart, but when he has accepted anything devilish, then he becomes tormentednot by believing that all of us are the same thing and that all religions are the same. They are not the same… our Orthodoxy is not related to other religions.” —St.Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia
The devil “Orthodoxy is like a lionlife, hiding in ambush (Ps 10:19one must not talk about it, 1Pe 5:8)one must live it. He secretly sets out nets of unclean and unholy thoughts” —St. So, it is necessary to break them off as soon as we notice them, by means Nektary of pious reflection and prayer.Optina
It “Orthodoxy can't be comfortable unless it is necessary that the Holy Spirit enter our heartfake. Everything good that we do, that we do for Christ, is given to us by the Holy Spirit, but prayer most ” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of all, which is always available to us.Platina
A sign of spiritual life is the immersion of a person within himself “As for all those who pretend to confess sound Orthodox Faith, but are in communion with people who hold different opinion, if they are forewarned and the hidden workings within his heartstill remain stubborn, you must not only be in communion with them, but you must NOT even call them brothers.” —St. Seraphim of SarovBasil the Great
“There “It is a commandment of the Lord that we should not be silent when the Faith is nothing better than peace in Christperil. So, for when it brings victory over all the evil spirits on earth and in the air. When peace dwells in is a man's heart it enables him to contemplate the grace matter of the Holy Spirit from within. He who dwells in peace collects spiritual gifts as it were with a scoopFaith, one cannot say, and he sheds the light of knowledge on others. All our thoughts‘Who am I? A priest, all our desiresa ruler, all our effortsa soldier, and all our actions should make us say constantly with the Church: ‘O Lorda farmer, give us peace!’ When a poor man lives ? I have no say or concern in peacethis matter.’ Alas! The stones shall cry out, God reveals mysteries to him.and you remain silent and unconcerned?” —St. Seraphim of SarovTheodore the Studite
“The Spirit offers its own light “At the present time of universal wavering, disturbance of minds and corruption, it is especially demanded of us that we should confess the true teaching of the Church no matter what might be the person of those who listen and despite the unbelief which surrounds us. If for the sake of adaptation to every mindthe errors of this age we shall be silent about the truth or give a corrupt teaching in the name of pleasing this world, then we would actually be giving to help it those who seek the truth a stone in place of bread. The higher is the standing of one who acts in its search for truththis way, the greater the scandal that is produced by him, and the more serious can be the consequences.” —St. Basil the Great—Metropolitan Philaret of New York
“Sometimes a man's happiness “Today, while the overall teachings of the Fathers is so deep inside him that he may forget it's there under attack and start looking elsewhere hunting a fantasythe shipwrecks of Faith are numerous, the mouths of the faithful are silent. Anyone who is capable of speaking the truth but remains silent, will be heavily judged by God, an illusionespecially in this case, where the faith and the very foundation of the entire Church of the Orthodox is in danger. To remain silent under these circumstances is to betray these, and the appropriate witness belongs to those that reproach (stand up for the faith).” —Mr—St. Roarke (Fantasy IslandBasil the Great, s2e14)ep. 92
“If he seeks answers “I beseech you to questions related do and to his faithcarry out good to all men with care and assiduity, becoming all things to all men, his purpose as the need of each is shown to you; I want and pray you to be wholly harsh and implacable with the heretics only in regard to cooperating with them or in lifeany way whatever supporting their deranged belief. For I reckon it hatred towards man and a departure from Divine love to lend support to error, he will find happinessso that those previously seized by it might be even more greatly corrupted.” —Elder Justin (Pârvu) of Romania—St. Maximus the Confessor, Patrologia Graeca, Vol. 91
“The person who loves God values knowledge “Be aware not to be corrupted from love of God more than anything created by God, and pursues such knowledge ardently and ceaselesslythe heretics; for this reason do not accept any false belief (dogma) in the name of love.” —St. Maximus the ConfessorJohn Chrysostom
“A time is coming when men will go mad“If anyone prays with heretics, and when they see someone who he is not mad, they will attack him, saying, ‘You are mad; you are not like usa heretic.’” —St” — Pope St. Anthony the GreatAgatho I
“Adorn yourself with truth“Genuine love is displayed, try to speak truth in all things; and do not support a lie, no matter who asks you.If you speak by the truth and someone gets mad at youcommon table, don’t be upsetnor by lofty addresses or flattering words, but take comfort in by the words correcting and the seeking of the Lord:Blessed are those who are persecuted for benefit of one's neighbour and the sake lifting up of truth, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 5:10)one who has fallen.” —St. Gennadius of Constantinople, The Golden Chain, 26,2John Chrysostom
“You “It is not the case that are strong with there is one church at Rome and another in all might in the inner man ought by rights to carry on world beside. Gaul and Britain, Africa and Persia, India and the struggle against the enemies East worship one Christ and observe one rule of the truth. If you ask for authority, and not to shrink from the taskworld outweighs its capital. Wherever there is a bishop, whether it be at Rome or at Engubium, whether it be at Constantinople or at Rhegium, that we fathers may whether it be gladdened by the noble toil of our sons; for this at Alexandria or at Zoan, his dignity is one and his priesthood is one. Neither the prompting command of wealth nor the law lowliness of nature: but as you turn your ranks, and send against us the assaults of those darts which poverty makes him more a bishop or less a bishop. All alike are hurled by the opponents successors of the truth, and demand that their hot burning coals and their shafts sharpened by knowledge falsely so called should be quenched with the shield of faith by us old menapostles.” —St. Gregory of NyssaJerome, Letter CXLVI to Evangelus
“I shall set forth the best contributions of the philosophers of the Greeks, because whatever there is of good has been given to men from above by God“Never, since ‘every best gift and every perfect gift is from abovenever, coming down from the Father of lights’ (Js. 1.17). If, however, there is anything never let anyone tell you that is contrary to the truth, then it is a dark invention of the deceit of Satan and a fiction of the mind of an evil spirit, as that eminent theologian Gregory once said (Homily 39.3). In imitation of the method of the bee, I shall make my composition from those things which are conformable with the truth and from our enemies themselves gather the fruit of salvation. But all that is worthless and falsely labeled as knowledge I shall reject. Then, next, after this, I shall set forth in order the absurdities of the heresies hated of God, so that by recognizing the lie we may more closely follow the truth. Then, with God's help and by His grace I shall expose the truth–that truth which destroys deceit and puts falsehood to flight and which, as with golden fringes, has been embellished and adorned by the sayings of the divinely inspired prophets, the divinely taught fishermen, and the God-bearing shepherds and teachers–that truth, the glory of which flashes out from within to brighten with its radiance, when they encounter itbe Orthodox, them that are duly purified and rid of troublesome speculationsyou must also be eastern. HoweverThe West was Orthodox for a thousand years, as I have said, I shall add nothing of my own, but shall gather together into one those things which have been worked out by the most eminent of teachers and make a compendium her venerable liturgy is far older than any of them, being in all things obedient to your commandher heresies.” —St. John (Maximovitch) of Damascus, The Fount of KnowledgeShanghai and San Francisco
“If we have obtained “Where the grace bishop is, there let the multitude of Godbelievers be; even as where Jesus is, none shall prevail against us, but we shall be stronger than all who oppose usthere is the Catholic Church.” —St. John ChrysostomIgnatius of Antioch
“But our opinion is “Take care to do all things in accordance harmony with God, with the Eucharistbishop presiding in the place of God, and with the Eucharist presbyters in turn establishes our opinionthe place of the council of the apostles, and with the deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted with the business of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father from the beginning and is at last made manifest.” —St. Irenaeus Ignatius of LyonsAntioch, Against HeresiesLetter to the Magnesians 2, 4:186:51
“If “Moreover, in the poison of pride is swelling up in youCatholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, turn to the Eucharist; and that Breadwe hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, Which always, by all. For that is your God humbling truly and disguising Himselfin the strictest sense ‘Catholic,’ which, will teach you humility. If as the name itself and the fever reason of selfish greed rages in youthe thing declare, feed on this Bread; and you will learn generositycomprehends all universally. If the cold wind of coveting withers youThis rule we shall observe if we follow universality, antiquity, hasten consent. We shall follow universality if we confess that one faith to be true, which the Bread of Angelswhole Church throughout the world confesses; antiquity, if we in no wise depart from those interpretations which it is manifest were notoriously held by our holy ancestors and charity will come fathers; consent, in like manner, if in antiquity itself we adhere to blossom in your heart. If you feel the itch consentient definitions and determinations of intemperanceall, nourish yourself with or at the Flesh and Blood least of Christ, Who practiced heroic self-control during His earthly life; almost all priests and you will become temperatedoctors. If you are lazy and sluggish about spiritual things, strengthen yourself with this heavenly Food; and you will grow fervent” —St. LastlyVincent of Lérins, if you feel scorched by the fever of impurityCommonitory, go to For the banquet Antiquity and Universality of the Angels; and Catholic Faith Against the spotless Flesh Profane Novelties of Christ will make you pure and chasteAll Heresies.” —St. Cyril of Alexandria, Chapter II (circa 434 AD)
“Don't be anxious about “‘Shun profane novelties of words,’ which to receive and follow was never the part of Catholics; of heretics always was. In truth, what you haveheresy ever burst forth save under a definite name, at a definite place, but about what you areat a definite time? Who ever originated a heresy that did not first dissever himself from the consentient agreement of the universality and antiquity of the Catholic Church? That this is so is demonstrated in the clearest way by examples.For who ever before that profane Pelagius attributed so much antecedent strength to Free-will, as to deny the necessity of God's grace to aid it towards good in every single act? Who ever before his monstrous disciple Cœlestius denied that the whole human race is involved in the guilt of Adam's sin?” —St. Gregory the GreatVincent of Lérins, Commonitory, 62
“If a man really sets his heart upon "But if neither injunctions nor ecclesiastical decrees may be violated, by which, in accordance with the will sacred consent of Goduniversality and antiquity, all heretics always, God will enlighten a little child to tell that man what is His will. But if a man does not truly desire the will and, last of Godall, even if he goes in search Pelagius, Cœlestius, and Nestorius have been rightly and deservedly condemned, then assuredly it is incumbent on all Catholics who are anxious to approve themselves genuine sons of a prophetMother Church, God will put into to adhere henceforward to the heart holy faith of the prophet a reply like holy Fathers, to be wedded to it, to die in it; but as to the deception in his own heartprofane novelties of profane men— to detest them, abhor them, oppose them, give them no quarter.” —Abba Dorotheos —St. Vincent of GazaLérins, Commonitory, 86
“The soul “Roman Catholics teach that is in all things devoted to the will original sin robbed Adam of God rests quiet in Him, for she knows of experience and from the Holy Scriptures that the Lord loves us much and watches over our soulsoriginal righteousness, quickening all things by His grace in peace and love-filled perfection, but did not harm his very nature. Nothing troubles And the man who is given over original righteousness, according to their teachings, was not an organic part of the will spiritual and moral nature of Godman, be it illnessbut an external gift of grace, poverty or persecutiona special addition to the natural forces of man. He knows that Hence the sin of the Lord first man, which consists in His mercy rejecting this purely external, supernatural grace, separating man from God, is solicitous for us. The Holy Spiritnothing more than depriving a person of this grace, whom the soul knowsdepriving a person of primitive righteousness and returning man to a purely natural state, is witness thereforea state of grace. But The very same human nature remained after the proud and fall as it was before the self-willed do not want to surrender to God's will fall. Before sin, Adam was like a royal courtier, from whom external glory was taken away because they like their own wayof a crime, and that is harmful for he returned to the soul.” —Storiginal state in which he had been before. Silouan the Athonite (From the Life and Teachings of Elder Siluan by Bishop Alexander and Natalia Bufius translated by Anatoly Shmelev)
“The man who cries out against evil menThe decrees of the Council of Trent concerning original sin state that the progenitor sin consisted in the loss of the holiness and righteousness granted to them, but does it did not define exactly what kind of holiness and righteousness they were. There it is stated that there is absolutely no trace of sin or anything in a regenerated person that would be unpleasant to God. Only lust remains, which, due to its motivation of a person to fight, is more useful than harmful to people. In any case, it is not pray for them will never know sin, although it itself from sin and entails sin. The fifth decree says: ‘The Holy Council confesses and knows that lust remains among baptized persons; but she, as left to fight, cannot bring harm to those who disagree with her, and those who bravely fight by the grace of GodJesus Christ, but, on the contrary, crowns the one who will gloriously struggle.” —StThe Holy Council declares that this lust, which the Apostle sometimes calls sin, the Universal Church never called sin in the sense that it is true and proper to the regenerated, but that it is from sin and entails sin. Silouan the Athonite’
“Those who dislike This Roman Catholic teaching is unfounded, since it represents the original righteousness and perfection of Adam as an external gift, as an advantage, which is added to nature from the outside and reject their fellowfrom nature separable. Meanwhile, it is clear from the ancient apostolic-church doctrine that this primitive righteousness of Adam was not an external gift and advantage, but an integral part of his divinely-created nature. The Holy Scripture claims that sin has shaken and upset human nature so deeply that a person is weak for good and when he wants, he cannot do good ( Romans 7: 18-19 ), but he cannot commit it just because sin has a strong influence on the nature of man are impoverished in their being. They do In addition, if sin did not know damage human nature so much, there would be no need for the true Only Begotten Son of Godto incarnate, come into the world as the Savior and demand from us a complete bodily and spiritual rebirth ( John 3: 3, who is all3: 5-embracing love6 ).” —St. Silouan In addition, Roman Catholics can not give the correct answer to the question: how can the intact nature carry lust in itself? What is the relation between this lust and the Athonitehealthy nature?
“If In the same way, there is an inaccurate Roman Catholic statement that in a regenerated person nothing remains sinful and unpleasant to God and that all this gives way to that which is immaculate, holy and pleasing to God. For we detect hatred know from Holy Revelation and the teachings of the ancient Church that the grace given to a fallen man through Jesus Christ does not act mechanically, does not give sanctification and salvation immediately, in our hearts against any the blink of an eye, but gradually penetrates all the psychophysical powers of man whatsoever for committing any fault, we are utterly estranged in proportion to his personal feat in the new thus he simultaneously heals from love for Godall sinful ailments, and sanctifies in all thoughts, feelings, since love for God desires and deeds. It is an unreasonable exaggeration to think and argue that the regenerated have absolutely precludes us from hating any manno remnants of sinful ailments when the mystery beloved by Christ clearly teaches: ‘If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us’ ( 1 John 1: 8 ); and the great Apostle of the Nations writes: ‘I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil that I do not want. But if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin that lives in me’ ( Romans 7: 19-20, Romans 8: 23-24 ).” —St. Maximus Justin Popovich, Orthodox philosophy of truth (Dogma of the ConfessorOrthodox Church)
“One must “In all the Eastern Churches, candles are lit even in the daytime when one is to read the Gospels, in truth not harbour anger nor hatred towards to dispel the darkness, but as a person sign of joy…in order under that factual light to feel that Light of which we read in the Psalms (119:105): Thy word is hostile towards us. On the contrary. You must love him a lamp to my feet, and do as much good as possible towards him. Following the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christa light to my path.” —St. Seraphim of SarovJerome, Works, part IV, 2nd ed., Kiev, 1900, pp.301-302
“Do not ask “The candles lit before icons of saints reflect their ardent love for love from your neighborGod for Whose sake they gave up everything that man prizes in life, including their very lives, as did the holy apostles, martyrs and others. These candles also mean that these saints are lamps burning for if you ask us and he does not respondproviding light for us by their own saintly living, you will be troubledtheir virtues and their ardent intercession for us before God through their constant prayers by day and night. Instead show your love The burning candles also stand for your neighbour our ardent zeal and you will be at rest, the sincere sacrifice we make out of reverence and so will bring your neighbour gratitude to lovethem for their solicitude on our behalf before God.” —St. Dorotheos John of GazaKronstadt
“Love should never be sacrificed for “The saints of God live even after their death. Thus, I often hear in church the Mother of God singing her wonderful, heart-penetrating song which she said in the house of her cousin Elizabeth, after the Annunciation of the Archangel. At times, I hear the song of Moses; the song of Zacharias--the father of the Forerunner; that of Hannah, the sake mother of the prophet Samuel; that of the three children; and that of Miriam. And how many holy singers of the New Testament delight until now the ear of the whole Church of God! And the Divine service itself--the sacraments, the rites? Whose spirit is there, moving and touching our hearts? That of God and of some dogmatic differenceHis saints.” —St. Nektarios John of AeginaKronstadt, My Life in Christ
“No term “Each person is used–and misused–among an icon of God, of God in heaven and of God on the cross. Yet, each person is also an icon of the Orthodox people Mother of God, who bears Christ through the Holy Spirit. Our soul, therefore, unites itself in two images; participating in America more often than the term canonicalprinciples and realities of both Christ and his Mother. These are age old archetypes, symbols by which the soul orients itself on the journey.” —Fr—St. Alexander SchmemannMaria Skobtsova, On The Problems Imitation of the Mother of Orthodoxy in America, The Canonical ProblemGod
“Even “The Christian who does not feel that the slightest thought that Virgin Mary is his or her mother is not founded on love destroys peacean orphan.” —Archimandrite Thaddeus Strabulovich—Jorge Mario Bergoglio ("Pope Francis")
“What does love look like? “Creating man according to his image, God diffused into man's very being the longing for the divine infinitude of life, of knowledge, and of perfection. It has is precisely for this reason that the hands immeasurable longing and thirst of humanity is not able to help othersbe completely satisfied by anything or anyone except God. It has Declaring divine perfection as the feet to hasten to main purpose for humanity's existence in the poor and needyworld – ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father who is in heaven is perfect. It has eyes to see misery and want’ (Matth. It has ears to hear 5: 48) – Christ, the Savior, answered the sighs most elemental demand and sorrows need of men. That is what love looks our God-likeand God-longing humanity.” —St. Augustine of HippoJustin Popovich, Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ, Highest Value and Last Criterion in Orthodoxy
“Your Lord is love: love Him and “He who refuses to give in Him all men, to his passions does the same as His Children in Christ. Your Lord is fire: do not let your heart be cold, but burn with faith he who refuses to bow down and love. Your Lord is light: do not walk in darkness of mind, without reasoning or understanding, or without faith. Your Lord is a God of mercy and bountifulness: be also a source of mercy and bountifulness to your neighbors. If you will be such, you will find salvation yourself with everlasting gloryworship idols.” —St. John of KronstadtTheophan the Recluse
“To love our brothers “Concerning the charge of idolatry: Icons are not idols but symbols. Therefore, when an Orthodox venerates an icon, he is a need that not guilty of idolatry. He is endemic to our naturenot worshiping the symbol, but merely venerating it. Contemporary man does Such veneration is not recognize this needdirected toward wood, or paint or stone, but towards the person depicted. Therefore relative honor is shown to material objects, because it but worship is suppressed and suffocated by egoismdue to God alone.” —Archbishop Averky (Taushev), The Struggle for Virtue: Asceticism in a Modern Secular Society, p—St.54John of Damascus
“Many think that love is a feeling, but this is “We do not bow before the case. It is a state nature of the will. If love were a feeling it would not be a commandment. Naturally, love is accompanied by certain feelingswood, but in essence it we revere and bow before the one who is a state of the willdepicted.” —Fr—St. Daniel Sysoev, How Can I Learn God's Will?John of Damascus
“I guard you in advance against beasts in “We do not make obeisance to the form nature of menwood, whom you must not only not receivebut we revere and do obeisance to Him who was crucified on the Cross… When the two beams of the Cross are joined together I adore the figure because of Christ who was crucified on the Cross, but if it is possible not even meetthe beams are separated, but only pray for I throw them away and burn them, if perchance they may repent…” .” —St. Ignatius John of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans, A.D. 117Damascus
“Until you have eradicated evil, “We do not obey your heart; for it will seek more worship the relics of the martyrs, but honor them in our worship of what it already contains within itselfHim Whose martyrs they are. We honor the servants in order that the respect paid to them may be reflected back to the Lord.” —St. Mark the AsceticJerome
“Whatever “The whole earth is a living icon of the face of that which is best has flowed into God. … I do not worship matter, but the heartCreator of matter, we should not pour out without need; who for that my sake became material and deigned to dwell in matter, who through matter effected my salvation. Never will I cease honoring the matter which wrought my salvation! I honor it, but not as God. Because of this I salute all remaining matter with reverence, because God has been gathered can be free of danger from visible filled it with his grace and invisible enemies only when power. Through it is guarded in the interior of the heartmy salvation has come to me.” —St. Seraphim John of SarovDamascus
“No one professing faith sins, nor does does anyone possessing love hate. The tree is known by its fruit; thus those who profess to be Christ's will be recognized “That which the word communicates by their actions. For the work is a matter not of what one promises nowsound, but of persevering to the end in the power of faithpainting shows silently by representation.” —St. Ignatius Basil the Great, On the 40 Martyrs of Antioch (to the Ephesians)Sebaste
“Indeed“We depict Christ as our King and Lord, man wishes to and do not deprive Him of His army. The saints constitute the Lord's army. Let the earthly king dismiss his army before he gives up his King and Lord. Let him put off the purple before he takes honour away from his most valiant men who have conquered their passions. For if the saints are heirs of God, and co-heirs of Christ, (Rom. 8.17) they will be happy even when he so lives as to make happiness impossiblealso partakers of the divine glory of sovereignty.” —St. AugustineJohn of Damascus
“The confession “We define that the holy icons should be exhibited in the holy churches of God… and in houses and along the roads, namely the icons of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, that of our Lady the Theotokos, those of evil works is the first beginning venerable angels and those of all saintly people… We define also that they should be kissed and that they are an object of good worksveneration and honor… He who venerates the icon, venerates in it the reality for which it stands.” —St. Augustine—The Seventh Ecumenical Council
“The evil powers love “In the radiance of His light the world is not commonplace. The very floor we stand on is a miracle of atoms whizzing about in space. The darkness of sin is clarified, and tremble at every lightits burden shouldered. Death is robbed of its finality, especially at trampled down by Christ's death. In a world where everything that which belongs seems to be present is immediately past, everything in Christ is able to participate in the eternal present of God and to those who please Him.” —St—Fr. Nikolai VelimirovichAlexander Schmemann
“The one who has not yet obtained divine knowledge activated by love makes a lot “Christ surpasses both ends of the religious works he performsworld, where the drama ends and where it began. But Of all the one who has been deemed worthy mysteries, the greatest mystery is He. From His Nativity to obtain this says with conviction His Crucifixion on the words which Cross, From His Crucifixion on the patriarch Abraham spoke when he was graced with Cross to His Resurrection, He is the divine appearance, ‘I am but earth and ashestrue measure of all God's creation.’” ” —St. Maximus the ConfessorNikolai Velimirovich
“Do not say “Let no one think that ‘mere faith there is anything interpretive in our Lord Jesus Christ can save me.’ For this is impossible unless you acquire love for him through the works. For in what concerns mere believing, ‘even of the devils believe and tremblesix days.’” ” —St. Maximus Ephrem the ConfessorSyrian
“Our faith then must be different from the faith of devils. For our faith purifies the heart; but their faith makes them guilty. For they do wickedly, and therefore say they to “It is [the Lord, ‘What have we to do with You?’ When you hear ] that sitteth upon the devils say thisorb (חוּג, do you think that they do not acknowledge Him? ‘We knowγῦρον,’ they say, ‘who You are: You are the Son gyrum) of God.’ This Peter says, and is commended; the devil says itearth, and is condemned. Whence comes this, but that though the words be the same, the heart is different? Let us then make a distinction in our faith, and not be content to believe. This is no such faith inhabitants thereof are as purifies the heart. ‘Purifying their hearts,’ it is said, ‘by faith.’ But by what, and what kind of faith, save that which the Apostle Paul defines when he says, ‘Faith which works by love.’ That faith distinguishes us from the faith of devils, and from the infamous and abandoned conduct of men. ‘Faith,’ locusts: he says. What faith? ‘That which works by love,’ and which hopes for what God does promise. Nothing is more exact or perfect than this definition. There are then in faith these three things. He in whom that faith is which works by love, must necessarily hope for that which God does promise. Hope therefore is stretcheth out the associate of faith. For hope is necessary heavens as long as we see not what we believe, lest perhaps through not seeing, and by despairing to see, we fail. That we see not, does make us sad; but that we hope we shall see, comforts us. Hope then is here, and she is the associate of faith. And then charity also, by which we long, and strive to attain, and glow with desire, and hunger and thirst. This then is taken in also; and so there will be faith, hope, and charity. For how shall there not be charity there, since charity is nothing else but love? And this faith is itself defined as that ‘which works by love.’ Take away faith, and all you believe perishes; take away charity, and all that you do perishes. For it is the province of faith to believe, of charity to do. For if you believe without love, you do not apply yourself to good works; or if you do, it is spreadeth them out as a servant, not as a son, through fear of punishment, not through love of righteousness. Therefore I say, that faith purifies the heart, which works by lovetent to dwell in.” —St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermon III on the New Testament, Section XI—Isaiah 40:22
“Human life “For if the world, being made spherical, is but confined within the circles of brief duration. ‘All flesh is grassheaven, and all the goodliness thereof Creator of the world is as above the flower things created, managing that by His providential care of these, what place is there for the field. The grass witherssecond god, or for the flower fades; but other gods? … Beautiful without doubt is the word world, excelling, as well in its magnitude as in the arrangement of our God shall stand forever’ (Isa. 40:6). Let us hold fast to its parts, both those in the oblique circle and those about the commandment that abidesnorth, and despise the unreality that passes awayalso in its spherical form.” —St. Basil Athenagoras of Athens, A Plea for the GreatChristians, Ch. 8 and 16 (Father of the Church, Ante-Nicene Christian apologist, c. 175, E)
“We “Let's start with the earth: you see the water of a river flowing uninterruptedly how big it is and passing away, how many every creature is on it – living and soulless. Looking at the earth in all directions, you notice that floats on its surfaceit seems to be flat; in fact, it is round like a ball: land surveyors have found this out as surely as possible, rubbish or beams and we ourselves can be sure of trees, all pass this. You are often bythe sea – look into the distance for departing ships or steam ships. So does our life. I was an infantAt first you see the whole ship, but the farther it goes, the more the bottom of the ship is hidden from you, and so that time has gone. I was an adolescentat last you see only the sails or one smoke from the steam ship, and that too has passed. I was finally this also disappears, as if the ship had sunk into a young man, and that too is far behind mehole. The strong and mature man that I was Why does this happen? Because the earth is no morespherical. My hair turns white, I succumb If at first glance it seems flat to ageus, but that too passes; I approach it is because we are very small in comparison with the end earth, and will go the way of all flesh. I was born in order earth is too large and, with its size, its sloping is imperceptible to dieus, insignificant ones. I die that I may live. Remember meSo, O Lordbrethren, in Thy Kingdom!the earth is round.” —St. Tikhon John of Kronstadt, Diaries of VoronezhHoly Righteous John of Kronstadt, 1857–1858
“You should look downwardoften see, brethren, that the Lord Almighty is mostly written on icons with a ball, on top of which is a cross. This ball means the globe of the earth and is called the power – from the fact that in ancient times the Roman kings had the custom, on solemn occasions, to hold it in their hands. Our Lord Jesus Christ holds in his hand the globe of the earth, as the king of heaven and earth, as the Almighty. We say this in order to show you that our earth is round like a ball. RememberBut how is the sphericity of the earth proved by the phenomena at the rising and setting of the sun? As follows: you are if the earth were not spherical, but flat; then the sun would now hide under the earth , or come out from under it, and you will return immediately leave us either in the full shadow of the earth, or illuminate us with full light. Now, since the earth is round, we use the remnants of light from the sun even when it illuminates the sloping side of the earth, when the sun, so to speak, is under the mountain and produces a dawn for us, as if the glow of a huge fire. This dawn happens because the rays of the setting or rising sun, illuminating the sloping side of the earth, at the same time illuminate the air that is near the earth and surrounds it like water, and thus makes the light of dawn. Watching the dawn, we see from the gradual decrease in light – from the way it gradually becomes paler and paler from light pink - that the earth is exactly round, and the sun, as it were, glides, step by step, evenly, in a circle.” —St. Ambrose John of OptinaKronstadt, Catechetical Talks
“Everything in this life passes away – only God remains“How does the sun rule by day? Because carrying everywhere light with it, only He it is worth struggling towardsno sooner risen above the horizon than it drives away darkness and brings us day. We Thus we might, without self deception, define day as air lighted by the sun, or as the space of time that the sun passes in our hemisphere… Those who have a choice: to follow written about the way nature of this world, the universe have discussed at length the shape of the society that surrounds usearth. If it be spherical or cylindrical, if it resemble a disc and thereby find ourselves outside is equally rounded in all parts, or if it has the forth of Goda winnowing basket and is hollow in the middle; or all these conjectures have been suggested by cosmographers, each one upsetting that of his predecessor. It will not lead me to give less importance to choose the way creation of the universe, that the servant of lifeGod, Moses, is silent as to choose God Who calls us shapes; he has not said that the earth is a hundred and eighty thousand furlongs in circumference; he has not measured into what extent of air its shadow projects itself while the sun revolves around it, nor stated how this shadow, casting itself upon the moon, produces eclipses. He has passed over in silence, as useless, all that is unimportant for Whom our heart is searchingus.” —Fr—St. Seraphim Rose of PlatinaBasil the Great, Hexaemeron, Homily 6:8; 9:1
“Just “Verily, it is most true what one of heathen culture is recorded to have said, that it is the mind that sees and the mind that hears. Else, if you will not allow this to be true, you must tell me why, when you look at the sun, as you have been trained by your instructor to look at him, you assert that he is not in the breadth of his disc of the size he appears to the many, but that he exceeds by many times the measure of the entire earth. Do you not confidently maintain that it is so, because you have arrived by reasoning through phenomena at the conception of such and such a paupermovement, seeing of such distances of time and space, of such causes of eclipse? And when you look at the royal treasureswaning and waxing moon you are taught other truths by the visible figure of that heavenly body, all viz. that it is in itself devoid of light, and that it revolves in the circle nearest to the earth, and that it is lit by light from the sun; just as is the case with mirrors, which, receiving the sun upon them, do not reflect rays of their own, but those of the sun, whose light is given back from their smooth flashing surface. Those who see this, but do not examine it, think that the light comes from the moon herself. But that this is not the case is proved by this; that when she is diametrically facing the sun she has the whole of the disc that looks our way illuminated; but, as she traverses her own circle of revolution quicker from moving in a narrower space, she herself has completed this more acknowledges than twelve times before the sun has once travelled round his own poverty; so also whence it happens that her substance is not always covered with light. For her position facing him is not maintained in the frequency of her revolutions; but, while this position causes the whole side of the moon which looks to us to be illumined, directly she moves sideways her hemisphere which is turned to us necessarily becomes partially shadowed and only that which is turned to him meets his embracing rays; the brightness, in fact, keeps on retiring from that which can no longer see the spiritsun to that which still sees him, reading until she passes right across the sun's disc and receives his rays upon her hinder part; and then the accounts fact of her being in herself totally devoid of light and splendour causes the side turned to us to be invisible while the further hemisphere is all in light; and this is called the great deeds completion of her waning. But when again, in her own revolution, she has passed the Holy Fatherssun and she is transverse to his rays, involuntarily the side which was dark just before begins to shine a little, for the rays move from the illumined part to that so lately invisible. You see what the eye does teach; and yet it would never of itself have afforded this insight, without something that looks through the eyes and uses the data of the senses as mere guides to penetrate from the apparent to the unseen. It is needless to add the methods of geometry that lead us step by step through visible delineations to truths that lie out of sight, and countless other instances which all prove that apprehension is the more humbled work of an intellectual essence deeply seated in its way our nature, acting through the operation of thoughtour bodily senses.” —St. John ClimacusGregory of Nyssa, On the Soul and the Resurrection
“Do not shun poverty “As, when the sun shines above the earth, the shadow is spread over its lower part, because its spherical shape makes it impossible for it to be clasped all round at one and the same time by the rays, and necessarily, on whatever side the sun's rays may fall on some particular point of the globe, if we follow a straight diameter, we shall find shadow upon the opposite point, and afflictionso, continuously, at the fuel opposite end of the direct line of the rays shadow moves round that gives wings to prayerglobe, keeping pace with the sun, so that equally in their turn both the upper half and the under half of the earth are in light and darkness.” —Evagrios —St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Soul and the SolitaryResurrection
“What “Further, some hold that the Earth is in the meaning form of the exclamation so often sung in church: ‘Lorda sphere, have mercy upon us’? It others that it is the lament in that of the guilty, condemned sinner, imploring forgiveness of an irritated justicea cone. We are At all under the eternal curse and doomed to eternal fire for our innumerable sins, and events it is only much smaller than the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christheaven, interceding for us before the Heavenly Father, that saves us from eternal punishmentand suspended almost like a point in its midst. It is the lament of the repentant sinner, expressing his firm intention to amend And it will pass away and begin a new life, becoming for a Christianbe changed. It But blessed is the lament of man who inherits the repentant sinner, ready Earth promised to forgive others, as he himself was and is immeasurably forgiven by God, the Judge of his deedsmeek.” —St. John of KronstadtDamascus, Orthodox Faith, My Life in ChristBook 2, pg. 406Ch 10
“It seems that we do not understand one thing“Thus, by His transcendent might He established the heavens, and by His incomprehensible understanding He ordered them: the earth He separated from the water now encircling it is not good when we return , and firmly grounded it on the love unshakable foundation of those who love usHis own will … about antipodes: ‘The ocean, impassable for men, yet hate those who hate us. We are not on and the right path if we do this. We worlds beyond it are governed by the sons same decrees of light and love – the sons of God, his childrenMaster’…” —St. As such, we must have His qualities and His attributes Clement of loveRome, peace, and kindness towards all.” —Elder Thaddeus of VitovnicaEpistle to the Corinthians
“We suffer because we have no humility and we do not love our brother. From love “Clement indeed, a disciple of our brother comes the love apostles, mentions those whom the Greeks call ‘people of God. People do not learn humilitythe opposite earth’, and because speaks of other parts of their pride cannot receive the grace world which none of our people can reach, nor can any of the Holy Spiritthose who live there cross over to us; and these parts themselves he called ‘worlds’, when he says, ‘The ocean is impassable to men, and therefor the whole world suffers.” —St. Silouan worlds beyond it are governed by the same ordinances of God the AthoniteRuler’…” —Origen, On First Principles
“Some suffer much from poverty and sickness“But if the light first created enveloped the earth on all sides, whether it was motionless or travelling round, but are it could not humbledbe followed anywhere by night, and so they suffer without profitbecause it did not vacate any place to make room for night. But was it made on one side, so that as it travelled it would permit the night to follow after from the other? Although water still covered all the earth, there was nothing to prevent the massive watery sphere from having day on one who side by the presence of light, and on the other side, night by the absence of light. Thus, in the evening, darkness would pass to that side from which light would be turning to the other … These writers are then asked why Saturn is humbled will cold. Its temperature should be happy higher in proportion to the rapid movement it has by reason of its height in all circumstancesthe heavens. For surely when a round mass is rotating, because the Lord is his riches parts near the center move more slowly, and joythose near the edge more rapidly, so that the greater and all people will wonder at lesser distances may be covered simultaneously in the beauty of his soul.” same circular motion…” —St. Silouan Augustine of Hippo, On the AthoniteLiteral Interpretation of Genesis
“My joy“The prophet David, I beg youour Saints, Basil the Great, who wrote about creation, all of them, acquire with the Grace of God knew everything about the creation by God. The Holy Spirit took them to the depths of Peacethe waters, He showed them and they saw the earth revolving around the sun, and many other things. That means The Saints, however, spoke to bring oneself people according to such a state the knowledge of their age. This is so that our spirit will not be disturbed they wouldn't look like fools by anything. For one must go through many sorrows revealing everything to enter their age that they saw with the Kingdom Grace of HeavenGod. This is the way Since simple people were not able to see all righteous men were saved those things and inherited the Heavenly Kingdom…” understand them, they would not have believed them!” —St. Seraphim Paisios of SarovMt. Athos, «ΣΚΕΥΟΣ ΕΚΛΟΓΗΣ: ΓΕΡΩΝ ΠΑΙΣΙΟΣ», 1924-1994, p. 142
“My will“Truly, thereforeis this necessary? No, He took to Himselfnot at all, my grieffor we know that many and great scientists were at the same time great believers. In confidence I call it griefFor example, because I preach His Crosssuch was the Polish astronomer Copernicus who laid the foundation of all contemporary astronomy. Mine is the will which He called His Own, for as Man He bore my grief, as Man He spake, and therefore said, ‘Not as I will, Copernicus was not only a believer but as Thou wiltwas also a cleric.’ Mine was the griefAnother great scientist, Newton, and mine whenever he mentioned the heaviness with which He bore itword God, for no man exults when at the point to diehe removed his hat. With me and for me He Suffers, for me He is sad, for me He is heavywas a great believer… Would Haeckel therefore dare say that these men did not have enlightened minds because they believed in God?” —St. In my stead thereforeLuke the Surgeon, On Science and in me He grieved Who had no cause to grieve for Himself.Religion
Not Thy Wound“The faithful have little need for scientists now, but minethe world is full of them! They are in need of holy men, hurt Thee, Lord Jesusof those who live the holy life; not Thy Death, but our weakness, even as of those who can attract the Prophet saith: ‘For He is afflicted for our sakes’--and we, Lord, esteemed Thee afflicted, when Thou grievedst not for Thyself, but for meGrace of God to them.” —Elder Justin (Pârvu) of Romania
And what wonder if He grieved for all“Once, Who wept for one? What wonder ifwhen standing before a window at night, in St. Barsanuphius (of Optina) pointed to the hour of death, He moon and said to his spiritual children:"Look – what a picture! This is heavy for all, Who wept when at the point left to raise Lazarus from us as a consolation. It is no wonder the dead? ThenProphet David said, indeed‘Thou hast gladdened me’, He was moved by he says, although this is only a loving sister's tearshint of that wondrous beauty, for they touched His incomprehensible to human heartthought,--here by secret grief He brought it to pass thatwhich was originally created. We don't know what kind of moon there was then, even as His Death made an end what kind of deathsun, and His Stripes healed our scars, so also His Sorrow took away our sorrowwhat kind of light… All of this changed after the fall."” —St—Fr. Ambrose Seraphim Rose of Milan, (+397)Platina, Ch. 7Genesis, Book IICreation, Exposition on the and Early Man: The Orthodox Christian FaithVision, p. 44
“Peace “As for the ‘scientific’ information given in the book of Genesis – and since it talks about the formation of the world we know, there cannot but be some scientific information there – contrary to popular belief, there is nothing ‘out-of-date’ about it. Its observations, it is true, are all made as seen from earth and as affecting mankind; but they do not absence put forth any particular teaching, for example, on the nature of strugglethe heavenly bodies or their relative motions, and so the book can be read by each generation and understood in the light of its own scientific knowledge. The discovery in recent centuries of the vastness of space and the immensity of many of its heavenly bodies does nothing but absence add grandeur in our minds to the simple account of Genesis. When the Holy Fathers talk about Genesis, of course, they try to illustrate it with examples taken from the natural science of their time; we do the same thing today. All this illustrative material is open to scientific criticism, and some of it, in fact, has become out-of-date. But the text of uncertainty Genesis itself is unaffected by such criticism, and we can only wonder at how fresh and confusiontimely it is to each new generation. And the theological commentary of the Holy Fathers on the text partakes of this same quality.” —Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) —Fr. Seraphim Rose of SourozhPlatina, Genesis, Creation and Early Man: The Orthodox Christian Vision, p. 87
“Humility is perfect quietness “One who has the judgment of heartChrist before his eyes, it is who has seen the great danger that threatens those who dare to expect nothing, subtract from or add to wonder at nothing that is done to methose things which have been handed down by the Spirit, must not be ambitious to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises meinnovate, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to but must content himself with those things which have a blessed home in been proclaimed by the Lord, where I can go in and shut saints.” —St. Basil the door, and kneel to my Father in secretGreat, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmnessAgainst Eunomius 2, when all around and above is troublePG 29.” —Andrew Murray573-652
“However great “Our afflictions are well known without my telling; the sound of them has now gone forth over all Christendom. The doctrines of the afflictions we sufferfathers are despised; apostolical traditions are set at nought; the speculations of innovators hold sway in the churches. Men have learned to be theorists instead of theologians. The wisdom of the world has the place of honour, having dispossessed the boasting of the cross. The pastors are driven away, grievous wolves are brought in instead, and plunder the flock of Christ, Houses of prayer are destitute of preachers; the deserts are full of mourners: the old bewail, comparing what is with what was; more pitiable are the young, as not knowing what they are deprived of. What has been said is sufficient to kindle the sympathy of those who are taught in the love of Christ, yet compared with the promised future rewardfacts, it is far from reaching their seriousness.” —St. Macarius Basil the Great, ep. 90
“Shun “I urge you not to faint in your afflictions, but to be risen by the praise love of men God and to increase every day to your zeal, knowing that it is necessary to preserve in you this relic of the true religion that the Lord will find when He comes to the earth. Even if the bishops are trained out of their churches, don't be dismayed. If traitors have appeared among the clergy, do not betray your trust in God. We are saved not by names, but by our mind and by our purpose, and by a true love to our Creator. Think that in the attack of our Lord, the great priests and the scribes and the elders have designed the conspiracy, and that few people have been found getting the Word. Remember that it is not the multitude that is being saved, but the elected ones of God. So don't be scared by the multitude of people who are swept away by the winds like the waters of the sea. If one whois saved, as a Lot in Sodom, he must remain in a fair judgment, keeping his hope in Christ steadfast, for the fear of Lord will not abandon His saints. Say hello to all the Lord, reprimands youbrothers in Christ from me. Pray with fervor for my miserable soul.” —St. PachomiusBasil the Great
“When people begin to praise us“So, let us hurry to remember the multitude of ours transgressionsquestion, and ‘Do we will see that believe in conspiracy theories?’, the answer is, ‘We don't believe in them, we are truly unworthy have long experience of that which they say and do in our honorthem.” —St’” —Fr. John ClimacusPeter Heers, On Demonic Methodology, Part II: Q & A, May 6, 2020
“…Don't “Let us be frightened at your burden; firm, my brothers, on the rock of faith, in the tradition of the Church, and not remove or change the boundaries established by our Lord Holy Fathers. Let us close the road to innovators and not permit them to demolish the structure of the holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of God. If we allow, however, the introduction of any innovation, we unconsciously support the collapse of the Church. No, my brothers, you who love Christ, no, you children of the Church, you will help you never want to carry itsurround your Mother Church with confusion.” —St. John Vianneyof Damascus, Concerning Images, III.41
“Every tribulation reveals “Therefore, brethren, let us stand on the state rock of faith and on the tradition of the Church, and not remove the boundaries which our Holy Fathers have set. Thus, we will not give the opportunity to those who wish to innovate and destroy the edifice of the holy, catholic and apostolic Church of God. For if permission is granted to everyone who wants it, little by little the whole body of the Church willbe destroyed.” —StDo not, brethren, do not, oh Christ-loving children of the Church of God …” —Jeremiah II (Jeremias II) Tranos, Ecumenical Patriarch and Archbishop of Constantinople, letter to the Most Wise Theologians, Residents of the Famous City of Tübingen, in the month of May, 1579, Indiction 7, pp. Mark 197-8 (prophetic warning of to the AsceticLutheran scholars)
“Every affliction tests our will“For to err is human, showing whether it but the correction is inclined to good or evilangelic and salvific. That is why an unforeseen affliction is called a test” —Jeremiah II (Jeremias II) Tranos, Ecumenical Patriarch and Archbishop of Constantinople, because it enables a man letter to test his hidden desires.” —Stthe Most Wise Theologians, Residents of the Famous City of Tübingen, in the month of May, 1579, Indiction 7, p. Mark the Ascetic210
“Many are the wiles “Unbelief is an evil offspring of an evil heart; for the enemy to despoil us guileless and pure of inner peaceheart discovers God everywhere, so watch!everywhere discerns Him, and always unhesitatingly believes in His existence.” —St. Theophan the RecluseNectarios of Aegina
“In every situation confusion is from “He who learns must sufferAnd even in our sleep pain that cannot forgetFalls drop by drop upon the devilheart, from whom may And in our own despite, against our will,Comes wisdom to us by the Lord shield and protect usawful grace of God.” —St. Leo of Optina—Aeschylus
“It should be noted that when “The greatest wisdom often emerges from the fallen spirit wants to get dominion over Christ's ascetics, he does not act imperiously or domineeringly, but tries to draw a man to consent to the proposed delusion, and after getting his consent he takes possession of the person who has given his consent. Holy David, in describing his the fallen angel attacks man, has very rightly said: "He lurketh in secret as a lion in his den, that he may ravish the poor; to ravish the poor, when he getteth him into his netdeepest wounds."” —St. Ignaty Bryanchaninov, The Arena, chapter 11, On the Solitary Life—Jane Lee Logan
“The devil presents minor sins as insignificant “Monarchy can easily be debunked, but watch the faces, mark well the debunkers. These are the men whose taproot in our eyesEden has been cut: whom no rumour of the polyphony, because otherwise he would not the dance, can reach - men to whom pebbles laid in a row are more beautiful than an arch. … Where men are forbidden to honour a king they honour millionaires, athletes or film stars instead: … For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be able lead us into major onesserved; deny it food and it will gobble poison.” —St—C. S. Mark the AsceticLewis
“Do not leave unobliterated any fault“There is nothing impossible unto those who believe; lively and unshaken faith can accomplish great miracles in the twinkling of an eye. Besides, even without our sincere and firm faith, however smallmiracles are accomplished, such as the miracles of the sacraments; for it may lead you on to greater sinsGod's Mystery is always accomplished, even though we were incredulous or unbelieving at the time of its celebration. 'Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?' (Rom. 3:3). Our wickedness shall not overpower the unspeakable goodness and mercy of God; our dullness shall not overpower God's wisdom, nor our infirmity God's omnipotence.” —St. Mark the AsceticJohn of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ
“He who honours “The quality of mercy is not strained.It droppeth as the Lord does what gentle rain from heavenUpon the Lord bidsplace beneath. When he sins or It is disobedient, he patiently accepts what comes as something he deservestwice blest:It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” —St'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomesThe thronèd monarch better than his crown. Mark His scepter shows the Asceticforce of temporal power,“It is a great error The attribute to think that you must undertake important awe and great labors, whether for heaven, or, as majestyWherein doth sit the 'progressives' think, in order to make one's contribution to humanity. That dread and fear of kings;But mercy is not necessary at allabove this sceptered sway. It is necessary only to do everything enthronèd in accordance with the Lordhearts of kings;It is an attribute to God Himself;And earthly power doth then show likest God's commandmentsWhen mercy seasons justice.” —St. Theophan the RecluseTherefore, Jew,Though justice be thy plea, consider this:“When we are immersed That in sins, and our mind is occupied solely with worldly cares, we do not notice the state course of justice none of our soulusShould see salvation. We are indifferent to who we are inwardlydo pray for mercy, and we persist along a false path without being aware of it.” —St. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco “We have to be aware And that what is being pounded in upon same prayer doth teach us is all of one piece; it has a certain rhythm, a certain message to give us, this message renderThe deeds of self-worship, mercy. I have spoke thus muchTo mitigate the justice of relaxingthy plea, of letting goWhich, of enjoying yourselfif thou follow, this strict court of giving up any thought of VeniceMust needs give sentence 'gainst the other world … It is actually an education in atheismmerchantthere. We have to fight back by knowing just what the world is trying to do to us…” —Fr. Seraphim Rose ” —William Shakespeare, Portia, The Merchant of Platina “I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaningVenice, ‘What can get through from such snares?’ Then I heard a voice saying to meAct 4, ‘Humility.’” —St. Anthony the GreatScene 1
“Learn to love humility, for it will cover all your sins. All sins are repugnant before God but “The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the most repugnant hand of all is pride of the heartman.” —unknown
Do not consider yourself learned and wise; otherwise, all your effort will “People were created to be loved. Things were created to be destroyed used. The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and your boat will reach the harbor emptypeople are being used.” —unknown
If you have great authority, do not threaten anyone with death. Know, that according to nature, you too are susceptible “No man stands so tall as when he stoops to death and that every soul sheds its body from itself as the final garmenthelp a child.” —unknown
In Byzantium there existed an unusual “If we could look into each others hearts, and instructive custom during understand the crowning unique challenges each of the emperors in the Church of the Divine Wisdom [St. Sophia]. The custom was that when the patriarch placed the crown on the emperor's headus faces, at the same timeI think we would treat each other much more gently, he handed him a silk purse filled with dirt from the gravemore love, patience, tolerance, and care.” —Marvin J.Ashton
Then“Teach me to feel another's woe, even to hide the emperor would recall death and fault I see; that mercy I to others show, that mercy show to avoid all pride and become humbleme.” —St. Anthony the Great, Prologue of Ochrid—Alexander Pope
“Wouldst thou comprehend “Tolerance is the height last virtue of a depraved society. When you have an immoral society that has blatantly, proudly, violated all of God? First comprehend the lowliness commandments of God. Condescend to be humble for thine own sake, seeing that God condescended to be humble for thy sake too, there is one last virtue they insist upon: tolerance for it was not for his owntheir immorality.” —St. Augustine—Dennis James Kennedy
“The greatness of greatest thing a man consisteth of humility, for in proportion as can do to a man descendeth woman is to lead her closer to humility, he becometh exalted God than to greatnesshimself.” —Paradise of the Holy Fathers, Vol. 2—unknown
“It “A snowflake is easier to measure the entire sea with a tiny cup than to grasp one of God's ineffable greatness with the human mind.most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!” —St. Basil the Great—unknown
“You don't have a soul“God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there. You are a Soul. You have a bodyThere is no such thing.” —C. S. Lewis
“This “The supreme happiness of life is the wisdom and power conviction of God: to be victorious through weaknessbeing loved for yourself, exalted through humilityor more correctly, rich through povertybeing loved in spite of yourself.” —St. Gregory Palamas—Victor Hugo
“You will lose nothing of what you have renounced for the Lord’s sake. For in its own time it will return “It is hardly complimentary to God that we should choose him as an alternative to you greatly multipliedhell.” —St—C. S. Mark the AsceticLewis
“Where “Hell can I flee? A place cannot save you because 't be made attractive, so the devil makes attractive the road that leads there is no place you can flee from yourself.” —St. Nikon of OptinaBasil the Great
“If our purpose “What is to fight the spiritual fight and to defeat, with God's help, the demons of malice, we should take every care to guard our heart from the demon of dejection, just as a moth devours clothing and a worm devours wood, so dejection devours a man’s soul. It persuades him to shun every helpful encounter and stops him accepting advice from his true friends or giving them a courteous and peaceful reply. Seizing the entire soul, hell? I maintain that it fills it with bitterness and listlessness. Then it suggests to the soul that we should go away from other people, since they are is the cause suffering of its agitation. It does not allow the soul being unable to understand that its sickness does not come from without, but lies hidden within, only manifesting itself when temptations attack the soul because of our ascetic effortslove.” —Fyodor Dostoyevsky
A man can be harmed by another only through the causes of the passions which lie within himself. It is for this reason that God“If you die before you die, the Creator of all and the Doctor of men’s soulsthan when you die, who alone has accurate knowledge of the soul’s wounds, does you will not tell us to forsake the company of men; He tells us to root out the causes of evil within us and to recognize that the soul’s health is achieved not by die.” —written on a man’s separating himself from his fellowscell wall, but by his living the ascetic life in the company of holy menSt. When we abandon our brothers for some apparently good reasonPaul's Monastery, we do not eradicate the motives for dejection but merely exchange them, since the sickness which lies hidden within us will show itself again in other circumstances.” —StMt. John CassianAthos
“A life lived “War in the world can be as good, in the eyes name of God, as one spent in a monastery. It religion is indeed only the keeping of God's commandments, love of all, and a true sense of humility that matter, wherever we arewar against religion.” —Elder Macarius of Optina—His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
“Those who“Believe me, because of the rigor of their own ascetic practice, despise if God revealed to us the less zealous, think that they are made righteous by physical works. But disasters to which we are even more foolish if we rely on theoretical knowledge were exposed and disparage the ignorantfrom which He protected us, our whole lives would not suffice to offer Him thanks.” —St—H. Mark the AsceticH. Pope Shenouda
“A remedy against straying thoughts is mental attention“In heaven, attention to the fact that the Lord is before God will not ask us and why we are before Himhave sinned; He will ask us why we did not repent.” —St—H.H. Theophan the ReclusePope Shenouda III
“The roots of evil thoughts are “Even if all spiritual fathers, patriarchs, hierarchs, and all the obvious vicespeople forgive you, which we keep trying to justify you are unforgiven if you don’t repent in our words and actionsaction.” —St. Mark the AsceticKosmas Aitolos
“Guard your speech from boasting “Nobody is as gracious and your thoughts from presumptionmerciful, as the Lord is, but even He does not forgive the sins of the man who does not repent; otherwise you may be abandoned by God and fall into sin. For man cannot do anything good without … we are being condemned not because of the help multitude of Godour evils, who sees everythingbut because we do not want to repent.” —St. Mark the Ascetic
"The higher “As a person’s position in society handful of sand thrown into the more he should help others without ever reminding them ocean, so are the sins of his positionall flesh as compared with the mercy of God.” —Tsar St—St. Nicholas IIIsaac the Syrian
“If you want your sins to be absolved “Just as a strongly flowing fountain is not blocked up by Christa handful of earth, then don't speak to others about any virtue that you may have, because God will treat our sins so the compassion of the Creator is not overcome by the same way we treat our virtueswickedness of his creatures.” —St. Mark Isaac the AsceticSyrian
“If any man “God is able in power loving to continue man, and loving in purityno small measure. For say not, I have committed fornication and adultery: I have done dreadful things, and not once only, to but often: will He forgive? Will He grant pardon? Hear what the Psalmist says: ‘How great is the honour multitude of Your goodness, O Lord!’ Your accumulated offenses surpass not the flesh multitude of our LordGod's mercies: your wounds surpass not the great Physician's skill. Only give yourself up in faith: tell the Physician your ailment: say thou also, let him continue so without boasting; if he boastslike David: ‘I said, he is undone; if he become known apart from I will confess me my sin unto the Lord’: and the bishopsame shall be done in your case, which he has destroyed himselfsays immediately: ‘And you forgave the wickedness of my heart.” ’” —St. Ignatius Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 2, On Repentance and Remission of AntiochSins and Concerning the Adversary, Ezekiel xviii. 20-23
“Guarding “The Lord calls to Him all sinners; He opens His arms wide, even to the mouth wakes up the conscience to Godworst among them. Gladly He takes them in His arms, if it is with knowledge that a man keeps silenceonly they will come to Him.” —St. Isaac the SyrianMacarius of Optina
“Silence “Repentance is more profitable than speech, for as it has been said, "The words the daughter of wise men are heard even in quiethope and the refusal to despair."” —St. Basil the GreatJohn Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
“Never give your opinion if you “Years are not asked needed for ittrue repentance, even if you think that your view is the bestand not days, but only an instant.” —Josemaria Escriva—St. Ambrose of Optina
“Not only for every idle word must man give an account“There is no sin which cannot be pardoned except that one which lacks repentance, but for every idle silenceand there is no gift which is not augmented save that which remains without acknowledgement. For the portion of the fool is small in his eyes.” —St. Ambrose of MilanIsaac the Syrian
“Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning“When a man abandons his sins and returns to God, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot curehis repentance regenerates him and renews him entirely.” —Henri Nouwen—St. Isaiah the Solitary
“Let your mouth continually administer blessing; then “Through repentance the scorn filth of anyone will never hurt youour foul actions is washed away. After this, we participate in the Holy Spirit, not automatically, but according to the faith, humility and inner disposition of the repentance in which our soul is engaged. For this reason it is good to repent each day as the act of repentance is unending.” —St. Isaac Symeon the SyrianNew Theologian, The Philokalia
“Just as swine run “There is nothing higher than what is called repentance and confession. The sacrament is the offering of God's love to mankind. In this perfect way a place where there person is mire, free of evil. We go and bees dwell where there are fragrances confess and incense, likewise demons gather where there are carnal songs we sense our reconciliation with God; Joy enters us and guilt departs. In the grace of the Holy Spirit settles where Orthodox Church there are spiritual melodies, sanctifying both mouth and soulis no impasse.” —St. John ChrysostomPorphyrios of Kavsokalyvia
“A psalm implies serenity of soul; “…confession is such a potent treatment that it is the author immediately neutralizes every poison of peacepardonable and mortal sin, which calms bewildering is an infinite evil, and seething thoughts. Forcauses every invisible illness to disappear, it softens the wrath of restoring to the soul, its initial health and what grace. It is unbridled such a wondrous treatment that it chastensinstantly changes the sinner into a beautiful angel from that which it was before…” —St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, Exomologetarion: A psalm forms friendships, unites those separatedManual of Confession, conciliates those at enmityp. Who, indeed, can still consider as an enemy him with whom he has uttered the same prayer to God?234
So that psalmody, bringing about choral singing, a bond, as “And so it wereis incumbent upon us to strive, toward unityrather, to correct our faults and joining the people into a harmonious union of one choir, produces also the greatest of blessings, charityto improve our behavior. A psalm is a city of refuge from the demons, a means of inducing help from the angels, a weapon in fears by night, a rest from toils by day, a safeguard for infants, an adornment for those at the height of their vigor, a consolation for the elders, a most fitting ornament for women” —St.John Cassian
It peoples “If the solitudes; it rids the market place grace of excesses; it God doesn't enlighten man, though you say many words, they won't be beneficial. The person listens to you for a moment, but soon after returns to that which holds him captive. If, however, grace works immediately, together with your words, then a change is effected at that moment, corresponding to the elementary exposition of beginnersperson's predisposition. And from that moment on, the improvement of his life is changed. This happens with those advancing, the solid support of who haven't hardened their hearing and conscience.” —Elder Joseph the perfectHesychast, the voice Precious Vessels of the Church. It brightens the feast days; it creates a sorrow which is in accordance with God.Holy Spirit
For“Let us strive to purify ourselves through repentance and humility, a psalm and to unite all our senses as one to the God who is good, and transcends the work of angelsgood. Then, truly, everything which I have not quite been able to say or to demonstrate with my many words, you will be taught in an instant, all at once. You will hear with your sight, and see with your hearing. You will be taught while seeing and, a heavenly institutionagain, the spiritual incensehear what is unveiled.” —St. Basil Symeon the GreatNew Theologian
“Through the Holy Spirit comes our restoration to paradise“Where there is God, our ascension into the kingdom of heaven, our return to the adoption of sons, our liberty to call there is no evil. Everything coming from God our Father, our being made partakers of the grace of Christ, our being called children of light, our sharing in eternal gloryis peaceful, healthy and, in leads a word, our being brought into a state of all ‘fullness of blessing,’ both in this world and in the world person to come, of all the good gifts that are in store for us, by promise hereof, through faith, beholding the reflection judgment of their grace as though they were already present, we await the full enjoyment.” —Sthis own imperfections and humility. Basil the Great
“Humility consistsWhen a person accepts anything Godly, not then he rejoices in condemning our consciencehis heart, but in recognizing God's grace and compassion.” —Stwhen he has accepted anything devilish, then he becomes tormented. Mark the Ascetic
“ChildrenThe devil is like a lion, I beseech you to correct your hearts hiding in ambush (Ps 10:19, 1Pe 5:8). He secretly sets out nets of unclean and unholy thoughts. So, so that you may be pleasing it is necessary to God. Consider that although break them off as soon as we may reckon ourselves to be righteous and frequently succeed in deceiving mennotice them, we can conceal nothing from God. Let us therefore strive to preserve the holiness by means of our souls pious reflection and to guard the purity of our bodies with all fervorprayer. Ye are the temple of God, says the divine Apostle Paul; If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy.” —St. Nicholas of Myra
“Those who suffer It is necessary that the Holy Spirit enter our heart. Everything good that we do, that we do for Christ, is given to us by the sake Holy Spirit, but prayer most of true devotion receive helpall, which is always available to us. This must be learnt through obeying God's law and our own conscience.” —St. Mark the Ascetic
“When you are wronged and your heart and feelings are hardened, do not be distressed, for this has happened providentially; but be glad A sign of spiritual life is the immersion of a person within himself and reject the thoughts that arise hidden workings within you, knowing that if they are destroyed at the stage when they are only provocations, their evil consequences will be cut off, whereas if the thoughts persist the evil may be expected to develophis heart.” —St. Mark the AsceticSeraphim of Sarov
“Struggle “There is nothing better than peace in Christ, for it brings victory over all the evil spirits on earth and in the air. When peace dwells in a man's heart it enables him to become immortal contemplate the grace of the Holy Spirit from nowwithin. He who dwells in peace collects spiritual gifts as it were with a scoop, by dying here and he sheds the light of knowledge on the earth to your bad selfothers. In this wayAll our thoughts, you won't be sadall our desires, but you'll be very gladall our efforts, living together and all our actions should make us say constantly with Christthe Church: ‘O Lord, give us peace!’ When a man lives in peace, God reveals mysteries to him.” —Elder Porphyrios—St. Seraphim of Sarov
“This being He placed in Paradise, whatever the Paradise may have been, having honoured him with the gift of Free Will (in order that God might belong “The Spirit offers its own light to him as the result of his choiceevery mind, no less than to Him who had implanted the seeds of help it), to till the immortal plants, by which is meant perhaps the Divine Conceptions, both the simpler and the more perfect; naked in his simplicity and inartificial life, and without any covering or screen; its search for it was fitting that he who was from the beginning should be such. Also He gave him a Law, as a material for his Free Will to act upon. This Law was a Commandment as to what plants he might partake of, and which one he might not touch. This latter was the Tree of Knowledge; not, however, because it was evil from the beginning when planted; nor was it forbidden because God grudged it to us…Let not the enemies of God wag their tongues in that direction, or imitate the Serpent…But it would have been good if partaken of at the proper time, for the tree was, according to my theory, Contemplation, upon which it is only safe for those who have reached maturity of habit to enter; but which is not good for those who are still somewhat simple and greedy in their habit; just as solid food is not good for those who are yet tender, and have need of milk. (Hebrews 5:12) But when through the Devil's malice and the woman's caprice, to which she succumbed as the more tender, and which she brought to bear upon the man, as she was the more apt to persuade, alas for my weakness! (for that of my first father was mine), he forgot the Commandment which had been given to him; (Genesis 3:5) he yielded to the baleful fruit; and for his sin he was banished, at once from the Tree of Life, and from Paradise, and from God; and put on the coats of skins…that is, perhaps, the coarser flesh, both mortal and contradictory. This was the first thing that he learned – his own shame; (Romans 1:22-31) and he hid himself from God. Yet here too he makes a gain, namely death, and the cutting off of sin, in order that evil may not be immortal. Thus his punishment is changed into a mercy; for it is in mercy, I am persuaded, that God inflicts punishmenttruth.” —St. Gregory the Theologian, Oration 38, XII, On Theophany, On the Birth of our Saviour (On Basil the Nativity of Christ)Great
“I saw “Sometimes a man's happiness is so deep inside him that he may forget it's there was no tragedy in Godand start looking elsewhere hunting a fantasy, an illusion. Tragedy is to be found solely in the fortunes of the man whose gaze has not gone beyond the confines of this earth” —Mr.” —Archimandrite SophronyRoarke (Fantasy Island, s2e14)
“The Christian world nowadays presents a terrifying and cheerless picture of profound religious and moral decay. The servants of Antichrist do their utmost “If he seeks answers to questions related to completely displace God from people’s liveshis faith, his purpose in order that mankind, content with its material well-being, would not feel any need to turn to God in prayer, would not think of God at all, but would live as though God did not exist. Thus the entire structure of contemporary life in the so-called ‘free’ world, where there is no open and bloody persecution of faith, where everyone has the right to believe as he wishes, represents a far greater danger to a Christian’s soul by drawing the Christian wholly down to earth and making him forget heavenwill find happiness.” —Elder Justin (Pârvu) of Romania
The entire modern culture, which is aimed at purely worldly achievements“The person who loves God values knowledge of God more than anything created by God, and the resultant whirlwind of everyday life, keep a person in pursues such a state of constant bustle and absent-mindedness that he has no opportunity for any soul-searching, knowledge ardently and spiritual life within him gradually becomes extinguishedceaselessly.” —Archbishop Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse—St. Maximus the Confessor
“In advising against being carried away by artificial practices such as Transcendental Meditation I am but repeating the age-old message of the Church … The way of the Fathers requires firm faith and long patience“Adorn yourself with truth, whereas our contemporaries want try to seize every spiritual gift, including even direct contemplation of the Absolute God, by force speak truth in all things; and speedilydo not support a lie, and will often draw a parallel between prayer in the Name of Jesus and yoga or Transcendental Meditation and the likeno matter who asks you. I must stress If you speak the danger of such errors … He is deluded who endeavors to divest himself mentally of all that is transitory truth and relative in order to cross some invisible thresholdsomeone gets mad at you, to realize his eternal origindon’t be upset, his identity with but take comfort in the Source words of all that exists, in order to return and merge with him, the nameless transpersonal Absolute. Such exercises have enabled many to rise to suprarational contemplation of being, to experience a certain mystical trepidation, to know Lord:Blessed are those who are persecuted for the state sake of silence of mindtruth, when mind goes beyond for theirs is the boundaries Kingdom of time and spaceHeaven (Matt. 5:10).” —St. In such like states man may feel the peacefulness of being withdrawn from the continually changing phenomena Gennadios (II) Scholarios, Patriarch of the visible worldConstantinople, may even have a certain experience of eternity. But the God of TruthThe Golden Chain, the Living God26, is not in all this.2
It is man's own beauty, created in the image of God, “You that is contemplated and seen as divinity, whereas he himself still continues within the confines of his creatureliness. This is a vastly important concern. The tragedy of the matter lies are strong with all might in the fact that inner man sees a mirage which, in his longing for eternal life, he mistakes for a genuine oasis. This impersonal form of ascetics leads finally ought by rights to an assertion of carry on the divine principle in struggle against the very nature enemies of man. Man is then drawn the truth, and not to shrink from the idea of self-deification—the cause of the original Fall. The man who is blinded task, that we fathers may be gladdened by the imaginary majesty noble toil of what he contemplates has in fact set his foot on the path to self-destruction. He has discarded our sons; for this is the revelation prompting of a personal God … The movement into the depths law of his own being is nothing else nature: but attraction towards as you turn your ranks, and send against us the non-being from assaults of those darts which we were called are hurled by the will opponents of the Creatortruth, and demand that their hot burning coals and their shafts sharpened by knowledge falsely so called should be quenched with the shield of faith by us old men.” —Archimandrite Sophrony —St. Gregory of Mt. Athos, His Life is Mine, 115-116Nyssa
“Christ said, 'I came not to send peace, but a sword' and 'division'. Christ summoned us to war on the plane of “Be the spirit, bee and our weapon is 'not the sword of fly… The fly only knows where the Spirit, which is the word of God.' Our battle is waged in extraordinarily unequal conditions. We unclean things are tied hand and foot. We dare not strike with fire or sword: our sole armament is love, even for enemies. This unique war in which we are engaged is indeed a holy war. We wrestle with while the last and only enemy of mankind death. Our fight is honeybee knows where the fight for universal resurrectionbeautiful flowers are!” —St.” —Archimandrite Sophrony Paisios of Mt. Athos, His Life is Mine
“I ask you shall set forth the best contributions of the philosophers of the Greeks, because whatever there is of good has been given to try somethingmen from above by God, since ‘every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights’ (Js. 1.17). If someone grieves you, or dishonors youhowever, or takes something there is anything that is contrary to the truth, then it is a dark invention of yoursthe deceit of Satan and a fiction of the mind of an evil spirit, then pray like as that eminent theologian Gregory once said (Homily 39.3). In imitation of the method of the bee, I shall make my composition from those things which are conformable with the truth and from our enemies themselves gather the fruit of salvation. But all that is worthless and falsely labeled as knowledge I shall reject. Then, next, after this: ‘Lord, I shall set forth in order the absurdities of the heresies hated of God, so that by recognizing the lie we are all your creaturesmay more closely follow the truth. Pity your servantsThen, with God's help and turn them by His grace I shall expose the truth–that truth which destroys deceit and puts falsehood to repentanceflight and which,’ as with golden fringes, has been embellished and then you will perceptibly bear grace in your soul. Induce your heart to love your enemiesadorned by the sayings of the divinely inspired prophets, the divinely taught fishermen, and the LordGod-bearing shepherds and teachers–that truth, seeing your good willthe glory of which flashes out from within to brighten with its radiance, shall help you in all thingswhen they encounter it, them that are duly purified and will Himself show you experiencerid of troublesome speculations. But whoever thinks evil However, as I have said, I shall add nothing of his enemies does not my own, but shall gather together into one those things which have love for God been worked out by the most eminent of teachers and has not known Godmake a compendium of them, being in all things obedient to your command.” —St. Silouan the AthoniteJohn of Damascus, Writing, IX.21The Fount of Knowledge
“Where there is pride there cannot be grace, and if “If we lose have obtained the grace we also lose both love of God and assurance in prayer. The soul is then tormented by evil thoughts and does not understand that she must humble herself and love her enemies, for there is no other way to please Godnone shall prevail against us, but we shall be stronger than all who oppose us.” —St. Silouan the AthoniteJohn Chrysostom
“The whole therapeutic method of the Orthodox Church “But our opinion is not aimed simply at making human beings morally and socially balanced, but at re-establishing their relationship in accordance with God and one another. This comes about through the healing of the soul's wounds Eucharist, and the cure of the passions through the Sacraments and the Church's ascetic practiceEucharist in turn establishes our opinion.” —Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos—St. Irenaeus of Lyons, The Science of Spiritual MedicineAgainst Heresies, 4:18: Orthodox Psychotherapy in Action5
“Many passions are hidden “The Eucharist is the Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, in our souls; they can be brought to light only when his loving-kindess, raised from the objects that rouse them are presentdead.” —St. Maximus Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the ConfessorSmyrnians, Four Hundred Texts on Love7:1
“What is holiness? Freedom from every sin and “If the fullness poison of every virtue. This freedom from sin and this virtuous life are only attained by a few zealous personspride is swelling up in you, turn to the Eucharist; and that not suddenlyBread, but gradually, by prolonged Which is your God humbling and manifold sorrowsdisguising Himself, sicknesseswill teach you humility. If the fever of selfish greed rages in you, feed on this Bread; and laborsyou will learn generosity. If the cold wind of coveting withers you, by fastinghasten to the Bread of Angels; and charity will come to blossom in your heart. If you feel the itch of intemperance, vigilancenourish yourself with the Flesh and Blood of Christ, prayerWho practiced heroic self-control during His earthly life; and you will become temperate. If you are lazy and sluggish about spiritual things, strengthen yourself with this heavenly Food; and that not you will grow fervent. Lastly, if you feel scorched by their own strengththe fever of impurity, but by go to the banquet of the Angels; and the grace spotless Flesh of Christ…” Christ will make you pure and chaste.” —St. John Cyril of KronstadtAlexandria
“A wise heart can transfer an affliction into a blessing“Don't be anxious about what you have, even sin!! He benefits from it: contrition, humility, keenness and sympathy for sinnersbut about what you are.” —H.H—St. Pope Shenouda IIIGregory the Great
“Humility and suffering free a man from all sin“Teach your child this lesson: the rewards of evil are temporary; for the first cuts out spiritual passions, and the latter bodilyrewards of Godliness (good character) are eternal.” —St. Maximus the ConfessorCyprian of Carthage
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people “Let everything take second place to our care of our children, our bringing them up to the discipline and instruction of the Lord. If from the beginning we teach them to love true wisdom, they will have greater wealth and glory than riches can provide. If a child learns a trade, or is highly educated for an extraordinary destinya lucrative profession, all this is nothing compared to the art of detachment from riches; if you want to make your child rich, teach him this. He is truly rich who does not desire great possessions, or surrounds himself with wealth, but who requires nothing…Don’t think that only monks need to learn the Bible; Children about to go out into the world stand in greater need of Scriptural knowledge.” —C. S—St. LewisJohn Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians, Homily 21
“The soul “If a man really sets his heart upon the will of God, God will enlighten a little child to tell that man what is His will. But if a man does not impure at birthtruly desire the will of God, but pureeven if he goes in search of a prophet, God will put into the heart of the prophet a reply like the deception in his own heart.” —Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos—Abba Dorotheos of Gaza
“By nature “Learn from small children: if a child is attacked by someone in the presence of his parent, he does not respond to the attacker himself, but looks at the parent and cries. He knows that the soul parent will protect him. And how can you not know what the little child knows? Your heavenly Parent is passionless… so continually beside you must believe that the passions . Therefore do not revenge, do not belong to repay evil for evil, but look at the soul by natureParent and cry. Only in this way will you secure your victory in a clash with evil people.” —St. Isaac the SyrianNikolai Velimirovich
“Just as “The soul that is in legal marriage, all things devoted to the pleasure derived from procreation cannot exactly be called a gift will of Godrests quiet in Him, because it is carnal and constitutes a gift for she knows of nature experience and not of grace (even though from the Holy Scriptures that nature has been created the Lord loves us much and watches over our souls, quickening all things by His grace in peace and love. Nothing troubles the man who is given over to the will of God); even so , be it illness, poverty or persecution. He knows that the knowledge that comes from profane educationLord in His mercy is solicitous for us. The Holy Spirit, even if well usedwhom the soul knows, is a gift of nature, witness therefore. But the proud and the self-willed do not of grace-a gift which want to surrender to God accords to all without exception through nature's will because they like their own way, and which one can develop by exercisethat is harmful for the soul.” —St. This last point-that no one acquires it without effort Silouan the Athonite (From the Life and exercise-is an evident proof that it is a question Teachings of a natural, not a spiritual, gift.Elder Siluan by Bishop Alexander and Natalia Bufius translated by Anatoly Shmelev)
It is our sacred wisdom that should legitimately be called a gift of God and not a natural gift, since even simple fishermen “The man who receive it from on high becomecries out against evil men, as Gregory the Theologian says, sons of Thunder, whose word has encompassed the very bounds of but does not pray for them will never know the universe. By this grace, even publicans are made merchants of souls; and even the burning zeal of persecutors is transformed, making them Pauls instead of Sauls, turning away the earth to attain ‘the third heaven’ and ‘hear ineffable things’. By this true wisdom we too can become conformed to the image of God and continue to be such after death.” —St. Gregory Palamas, Triads in Defence of Silouan the Holy Hesychasts, Philosophy does not save, pages 29-30Athonite
“Fiery lust“Begin to pray with those whom you love most, for example, for your children. Then pray for the desire rest of the family. Then for marriagethe people around you, sexual union … and all then bless the city in which you live…bless the residents of other cities… Then ask God to calm the hearts of other things countries so thatthere is no war. Then, as most people thinkwhen you have already prayed for the whole world, the body seeks you only have to pray for - it is enemies. And to not the body as such … but the soulmiss them, which through the body seeks pleasure by ask God to fill their means… Let no one think he is being driven towards these things hearts with kindness, and compelled by his own body… the body cannot be moved to anything apart from the soulmind with wisdom. You see, it turns out that you can pray for enemies too.” —St. Symeon the New TheologianGabriel Urgebadze of Georgia, Confessor and Fool for Christ
“Pornography “True faith is the devilfound in one's iconographyheart, not mind. People who have faith in their mind will follow the antichrist. But the ones who have it in their heart will recognize him.” —Fr—St. Seraphim Rose Gabriel Urgebadze of PlatinaGeorgia, Confessor and Fool for Christ
“Just as the virtues “When people are begotten in the soul, so are the passions. But the virtues are begotten steeped in accordance with natureevil that they do not yield to any admonishment and continue doing evil, the passions in a mode contrary to nature. For what produces good or evil Christian cannot and should not take refuge in this teaching of the soul is the will's bias… For our inner disposition is capable forgiveness of operating in one way or anotherall, sit indifferently with his arms crossed, since it bears within itself both virtue and viceapathetically watch evil abuse good, the first as its natural birthrightit increases and destroys people, his close ones. To indifferently watch the second as ruin of a close one by one who has lost his senses and become a bearer of evil is nothing other than the result breaking of the self-incurred proclivity commandment of our moral willlove for one's neighbor.” —St. Gregory —Archbishop Averky (Taushev) of SinaiSyracuse
“The heart of a perfectly healthy “Those who dislike and reject their fellow-man becomes weakened for faith and love to God and his neighbor, and easily gives itself up to carnal desires: to slothfulness, negligence, coldness, gluttony, avarice, fornication, prideare impoverished in their being. Whilst They do not know the heart of a sick man, or a wounded, oppressed, weary hearttrue God, who is strengthened in faith, hope, and all-embracing love, and is far removed from carnal passions. This is why the Heavenly Father, Who careth for our salvation, chastises us by various sicknesses. The oppression and afflictions of sickness make us turn again to God.” —St. John of KronstadtSilouan the Athonite
“If you wish to live long on the earth, do not hurry to live we detect hatred in a carnal manner, to satiate yourself, to get drunk, to smoke, to commit fornication, to live in luxury, to indulge yourself. The carnal way of life constitutes death, and therefore, in the Holy Scripture, our flesh is called mortalhearts against any man whatsoever for committing any fault, orwe are utterly estranged from love for God, ‘the old since love for God absolutely precludes us from hating any man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.’ If you wish to live long, live through the spirit; for life consists in the spirit: ‘If ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of ” —St. Maximus the body, ye shall live,’ both here on earth and there in heaven.Confessor
One cannot eat and drink and smoke continually“One must not harbour anger nor hatred towards a person that is hostile towards us. On the contrary. One cannot turn human life into constant eating, drinking, You must love him and smoking, although there are men who do eat, drink, and smoke almost uninterruptedly; and thus as much good as possible towards him. Following the spirit teaching of evil has turned life into smoking, and made the mouth, which ought to be employed in thanking and praising the our Lord, into a smoking furnaceJesus Christ. The less and lighter the food and drink you take, the lighter and more refined your spirit will become” —St.Seraphim of Sarov
Smoking “As fire is a whim. From this comes foot pain and depression. That the devil not extinguished by fire, so anger is not conquered by anger, but is the father of the cigarette I especially figured out today: something impacted negatively upon me from head to toemade even more inflamed. I felt that But meekness often subdues even the enemy nested in my sides and in my heart and he opposed me stronglymost beastly enemies, preventing me from saying the prayer, scaring me, paralyzing me softens them and saddening me to the point pacifies them.” —St. Tikhon of sin.Zadonsk
By smoking an unclean spirit enters a person“For wherever love disappears, hatred immediately appears in its place. Last night after smoking And if God is love, then hatred is the devil made his presence felt through continuous hiccups which pestered me from the time of the Cherubic Hymn until a little before Holy Communion. My nerves were stretchedTherefore, my voice was ‘escaping’ meat one who has love has God within himself, I was shivering and I was exhaustedso he who has hatred within himself nurtures the devil within him. That's why smoking is futile” —St. It is a silly whim, a desecration of Basil the lips, a large and unnecessary irritation, a fog that covers voluntarily.Great
The taste of a cigarette I cannot compare “Do not ask for love from your neighbor, for if you ask and he does not respond, you will be troubled. Instead show your love for your neighbour and you will be at rest, and so will bring your neighbour to anything but something diabolicallove. And how do I know this smoking? How do I allow myself to do something like this?” —St. Dorotheos of Gaza
I came to church, falling on my knees with a contrite heart before “Love should never be sacrificed for the Holy Altarsake of some dogmatic difference.” —St. How could I serve my enemy every day and not the Lord with zeal? Lord, help me to be free from all evil, because I am an evil man, dirty, full Nektarios of sins.Aegina
The Lord knows our weaknesses. He “No term is ready to forgive us everything, as long as we repent and seek forgiveness. The essential thing is that our hearts not become petrified, that is to stop hesitating to think of our committed sin, to immediately repent, and to leave ourselves to used–and misused–among the Orthodox people in America more often than the mercy of Godterm canonical.” —St—Fr. John Alexander Schmemann, The Problems of KronstadtOrthodoxy in America, The Canonical Problem
“Suffering reminds “Even the wise man of God, but crushes those who forget Himslightest thought that is not founded on love destroys peace.” —St. Mark the Ascetic—Archimandrite Thaddeus Strabulovich
“God permits tribulations and adversities “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to befall people – even the saintly – so that they may persist in humilitypoor and needy. But if we harden our hearts against adversities It has eyes to see misery and tribulations, He also hardens these tribulations against uswant. On It has ears to hear the other hand if we accept them in humility sighs and with a contrite heart, God will mingle tribulation with mercysorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” —St. Isaac the SyrianAugustine of Hippo
“But “Your Lord is love: love Him and in Him all men, as His Children in Christ. Your Lord is fire: do not let your heart be troubled or sadcold, but burn with faith and love. The Your Lord sometimes allows people who are devoted to Him to fall into such dreadful vices; and this is light: do not walk in order to prevent them from falling into a still greater sin – pridedarkness of mind, without reasoning or understanding, or without faith. Your temptation will pass Lord is a God of mercy and you will spend the remaining days bountifulness: be also a source of mercy and bountifulness to your life in humilityneighbors. Only do not forget your sinIf you will be such, you will find salvation yourself with everlasting glory.” —St. Seraphim John of SarovKronstadt
“We must be prepared “To love our brothers is a need that is endemic to accept the will of Godour nature. The Lord permits all sorts of things to happen to us contrary to our willContemporary man does not recognize this need, for if we always have because it our wayis suppressed and suffocated by egoism.” —Archbishop Averky (Taushev), we will not be prepared The Struggle for the Kingdom of HeavenVirtue: Asceticism in a Modern Secular Society, p.” —Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, "Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives"54
“Similarly“Many think that love is a feeling, when but this is not the case. It is a state of the sun goes down and when will. If love were a feeling it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, Who created and arranged all things for your benefit--to have you knowwould not be a commandment. Naturally, loveis accompanied by certain feelings, and praise their Creatorbut in essence it is a state of the will.” —St—Fr. Basil the GreatDaniel Sysoev, How Can I Learn God's Will?
“The Lord gives Himself freely“Love is – the bond of life, for His mercy's sake alonethe mother of the poor and the teacher of the rich. I did not know this before but now every day and every hour every minuteIt is the nurse of orphans, I see clearly the mercy attendant of God. The Lord gives peace even in sleepthe elderly, but without God there is no peace in the soultreasure of the indigent and the common port of all the afflicted.” —St. Silouan the AthoniteGregory of Nyssa
“What should “I guard you in advance against beasts in the form of men, whom you must not only not be heard by little earsreceive, should but if it is possible not be said by big mouthseven meet, but only pray for them, if perchance they may repent…” —St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans, A.D.” —unknown117
“I am incurably convinced “If the Christian recognizes and understands under what condition, under what law he has believed, he will know that he must labor more in the object of opening the mindworld than others, as he must carry on a greater struggle against the assault of opening the mouthdevil. Divine Scripture teaches and forewarns, saying: ‘Son, is when thou comest to shut it the service of God, stand in justice, and in fear, and prepare thyself for temptation’ (Sirach 2:1), and again on something solid: ‘in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience, for gold and silver are tried in the fire’ (Sirach 2:4,5).” —G—St. K. ChestertonCyprian of Carthage, Mortality
“What is slander? It is every sort “The person who has surrendered himself entirely to sin indulges with enjoyment and pleasure in unnatural and shameful passions – licentiousness, unchastity, greed, hatred, guile and other forms of wicked word we would dare not speak vice – as though they were natural. The genuine and perfected Christian, on the other hand, with great enjoyment and spiritual pleasure participates effortlessly and without impediment in front all the virtues and all the supranatural fruits of the person whom we are complaining aboutSpirit – love, peace, patient endurance, faith, humility and the entire truly golden galaxy of virtue – as though they were natural.” —St. Anthony the GreatSymeon Metaphrastis
“If you want “When a man is given over to overcome the spirit passions, he does not see them in himself and does not fight against them, because he lives in them and by them. But when the grace of slanderGod becomes active in him, he begins to discern the passionate and sinful in himself, acknowledge them, and to repent and decide to guard against them. A struggle begins. At first, blame not the person who fallsstruggle begins with deeds, but when released from shameful deeds, then the struggle begins with shameful thoughts and feelings. And here the struggle encounters many steps … The struggle continues. The passions increasingly are torn out of the heart. It even happens that they are entirely torn out … The sign that the demon passions are torn out of the heart is that prompted them the soul begins to sinfeel repulsion and hatred for the passions.” —St. John ClimacusTheophan the Recluse, Unseen Warfare, How the Spiritual Life Proceeds
“You cannot be too gentle“Until you have eradicated evil, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in do not obey your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives. All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other. We condemn others only because we shun knowing ourselves. When we gaze at our own failings, we see such a swamp that nothing in another can equal ; for it. That is why we turn away, and make much of the faults of others. Instead of condemning others, strive to reach inner peace. Keep silent, refrain from judgment. This will raise you above the deadly arrows seek more of slander, insult and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evilwhat it already contains within itself.” —St. Seraphim of SarovMark the Ascetic
“A man may seem to be silent, but if his “Whatever of that which is best has flowed into the heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may we should not pour out without need; for that which has been gathered can be another who talks free of danger from morning till night visible and yet he invisible enemies only when it is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that is not profitableguarded in the interior of the heart.” —Abba Poemen—St. Seraphim of Sarov
“If your tongue “No one professing faith sins, nor does anyone possessing love hate. The tree is used known by its fruit; thus those who profess to chatteringbe Christ's will be recognized by their actions. For the work is a matter not of what one promises now, your heart will remain dim and foreign but of persevering to the luminous intuitions end in the power of the Holy Spiritfaith.” —St. John Ignatius of DalyathaAntioch, Epistle to the Ephesians
“He who does not control his tongue “Indeed, man wishes to be happy even when he is angry, will not control his passions eitherso lives as to make happiness impossible.” —Abba Hyperchius—St. Augustine of Hippo
“Are you angry? Be angry at your sins, beat your soul, afflict your conscience, be strict in judgement and a terrible punisher “The confession of your own sins. This evil works is the benefit first beginning of anger, wherefore God placed it in usgood works.” —St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians 2Augustine of Hippo
“These eight passions should be destroyed as follows: gluttony by self-control; unchastity by desire for God and longing for the blessings held in store; avarice by compassion for “The evil powers love the poor; anger by goodwill darkness and love for all men; worldly dejection by spiritual joy; listlessness by patiencetremble at every light, perseverance and offering thanks especially at that which belongs to God; self-esteem by doing good in secret and by praying constantly with a contrite heart; and pride by not judging or despising anyone in the manner of the boastful Pharisee (cf. Luke 18 : 11–12), and by considering oneself the least of all men. When the intellect has been freed in this way from the passions we have described and been raised up to God, it will henceforth live the life of blessedness, receiving the pledge of the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 1 : 22). And when it departs this life, dispassionate and full of true knowledge, it will stand before the light of the Holy Trinity and with the divine angels will shine in glory through all eternitythose who please Him.” —St. John of Damascus, On the Virtues and the Vices, from The Philokalia: The Complete Text (Vol. 2)Nikolai Velimirovich
“We must consider all evil things, even the passions which war against us, “There is no benefit to be not our own, but of our enemy gained from a pure life when one possesses heretical dogma. And likewise the devilopposite is true. This Correct dogma is very importantof no benefit when one leads a corrupt life. You can only conquer a passion when you Let us not think that holding faith alone is alone sufficient for salvation if we do not consider it as part of youalso show forth a pure life.” —St. Nikon of OptinaJohn Chrysostom
“A sinful soul, full “The one who has not yet obtained divine knowledge activated by love makes a lot of passions, cannot have peace and rejoice in the Lord, even if it had charge over all earthly riches, even if it ruled over the whole world. If it was suddenly said to such a king, happily feasting and sitting on his throne, 'King, now you will die,' his soul would be troubled and religious works he would tremble with fear, and he would see his powerlessnessperforms. But how many beggars there are, whose only wealth is love for God, and the one who, if you said to them, 'You will die now,' would answer peacefully, 'Let God's will be done. Glory has been deemed worthy to obtain this says with conviction the words which the patriarch Abraham spoke when he was graced with the Lorddivine appearance, that He has remembered me ‘I am but earth and wants to take me to Himselfashes.'” ’” —St. Silouan Maximus the AthoniteConfessor
“To reach satisfaction in alldesire its possession in nothing.To come to possession in alldesire the possession of nothing.To arrive at being alldesire to be nothing.To come to the knowledge of alldesire the knowledge of nothing.To come to the pleasure you have “Do notyou must go by the way say that ‘mere faith in which our Lord Jesus Christ can save me’, for this is impossible unless you enjoy notacquire love for Him through works.To come to the knowledge you have notyou must go by the way For in which you know not.To come to the possession you have notyou must go by the way in which you possess not.To come by the what you are notyou must go by a way in which you are not.When you turn toward somethingyou cease to cast yourself upon concerns mere believing, ‘even the alldemons believe and tremble’ (James 2:19).For to go from all to the allyou must deny yourself The action of all love consists in all.And when you come to the possession heartfelt good deeds towards one's neighbor, magnanimity, patience, and sober use of the allyou must possess it without wanting anything.Because if you desire to have something in allyour treasure in God is not purely your allthings.” —St. John of Maximus the Cross, Ascent of Mount CarmelConfessor
“Man’s will“Our faith then must be different from the faith of devils. For our faith purifies the heart; but their faith makes them guilty. For they do wickedly, and therefore say they to the Lord, ‘What have we to do with You?’ When you hear the devils say this, do you think that they do not acknowledge Him? ‘We know,’ they say, ‘who You are: You are the Son of God.’ This Peter says, and is commended; the devil says it, and is condemned. Whence comes this, but that though the words be the same, the heart is different? Let us then make a distinction in our faith, and not be content to believe. This is no such faith as purifies the heart. ‘Purifying their hearts,’ it is said, ‘by faith.’ But by what, out and what kind of cowardicefaith, save that which the Apostle Paul defines when he says, tends away ‘Faith which works by love.’ That faith distinguishes us from sufferingthe faith of devils, and manfrom the infamous and abandoned conduct of men. ‘Faith,’ he says. What faith? ‘That which works by love, against his own will’ and which hopes for what God does promise. Nothing is more exact or perfect than this definition. There are then in faith these three things. He in whom that faith is which works by love, must necessarily hope for that which God does promise. Hope therefore is the associate of faith. For hope is necessary as long as we see not what we believe, lest perhaps through not seeing, remains utterly dominated and by despairing to see, we fail. That we see not, does make us sad; but that we hope we shall see, comforts us. Hope then is here, and she is the fear associate of deathfaith. And then charity also, by which we long, and strive to attain, andglow with desire, and hunger and thirst. This then is taken in his desire also; and so there will be faith, hope, and charity. For how shall there not be charity there, since charity is nothing else but love? And this faith is itself defined as that ‘which works by love.’ Take away faith, and all you believe perishes; take away charity, and all that you do perishes. For it is the province of faith to livebelieve, clings of charity to his slavery do. For if you believe without love, you do not apply yourself to pleasuregood works; or if you do, it is as a servant, not as a son, through fear of punishment, not through love of righteousness. Therefore I say, that faith purifies the heart, which works by love.” —St. Maximus Augustine of Hippo, Sermon III on the ConfessorNew Testament, Section XI
“Sin makes man “Refuse to listen to the Devil when he whispers to you: ‘Give me now, and you will give tomorrow to God.’ No, no! Spend all the hours of your life in a coward; but a life way pleasing to God. Keep in your mind the Truth thought that after the present hour, you will not be given another, and that you will have to render a strict account for every minute of Christ makes Him boldthis present hour.” —St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Theophan the Statues, VIII. 2Recluse
“Of all the good things in the world, “Human life is dearest to men, and men love life better than truth, although there is no life in truthbut of brief duration. The highest good, then, ‘All flesh is lifegrass, but truth and all the goodliness thereof is as the foundation flower of life. He who loves life must also love truth. But what is the way to truth? 'I am the way', says the Lordfield. 'I am the way'The grass withers, that none should think that there is some other way to the truth besides flower fades; but the Lord Jesusword of our God shall stand forever’ (Isa. It was for that He was born as a man40: 6). Let us hold fast to show men the way. And for this commandment that He was crucifiedabides, to make and despise the way plain by His bloodunreality that passes away.” —St. Nikolai VelimirovichBasil the Great
“See how many “We see the water of a river flowing uninterruptedly and great the evils it has brought passing away, and all that floats on us – this self-justificationits surface, this holding fast to our own willrubbish or beams of trees, this obstinacy in being all pass by. So does our own guidelife. All this I was the product of an infant, and that hateful arrogance towards Godtime has gone. Whereas the products of humility are self-accusationI was an adolescent, distrust in our own sentimentsand that too has passed. I was a young man, hatred of our own willand that too is far behind me. By these one The strong and mature man that I was is made worthy of being redeemedno more. My hair turns white, of having his human nature restored I succumb to its proper stateage, through but that too passes; I approach the cleansing operation end and will go the way of Christ's holy preceptsall flesh. Without humility it is impossible I was born in order to obey the Commandments or at any time to go towards anything gooddie. As Abba Mark says: without a contrite heart it is impossible to be free from wickedness or to acquire virtueI die that I may live.Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom!” —St. Dorotheos Tikhon of Gaza, Discourses and SayingsVoronezh
“Begin gradually, do not trust yourself“You should look downward. Do not depend on your own understanding, reject your Remember: you are earth and you will, and return to the Lord will give you true understandingearth.” —St. Macarius Ambrose of Optina, Living Without Hypocrisy
“If you deny yourself and constantly renounce your own opinions“Just as a pauper, your own willseeing the royal treasures, your all the more acknowledges his own righteousness-or what amounts to poverty; so also the same thing: spirit, reading the knowledge, understanding, will, and righteousness accounts of fallen nature-in order to plant within you the knowledge great deeds of God, the will of GodHoly Fathers, and involuntarily is all the righteousness more humbled in its way of God taught us in the holy Gospel by God Himself, then fallen nature will open fire within you and declare a savage war against the Gospel and against Godthought. Fallen spirits will come to the help of fallen nature” —St.John Climacus
Do “Do not fall into despondency on this account. By your firmness in the struggle, show the tenacity of your purpose and the stability of your free will. When thrown down, get up. When duped shun poverty and disarmed, rearm yourself afresh. When defeatedaffliction, again rush to the fight. It is extremely good for you to see within yourself both your own fall and the fall of the whole of mankind. It is essential for you fuel that gives wings to recognize and study this fall in your own experience, in your heart and mindprayer. It is essential for you to see the infirmity of your knowledge and intellect, and ” —Evagrios the weakness of your will.” —St. Ignatius Brianchaninov (Bryanchaninov) of Caucasus, The Arena, chapter 8Solitary
“The natural passions become good in “Prayer is a refuge for those who struggle whenare shaken, an anchor for those tossed by waves, wisely unfastening them from a walking stick for the things infirm, a treasure house for the poor, a stronghold for the rich, a destroyer of the fleshsicknesses, use them to gain heavenly thingsa preserver of health. For example they He who can change appetite into sincerely pray is richer than everyone else, even though he is the movement poorest of all. On the contrary, he who does not have recourse to prayer, even though he sit on a spiritual longing for divine things; pleasure into pure joy for king's throne, is the cooperation poorest of the mind with divine gifts; fear into care to evade future misfortune due to sin and sadness into corrective repentance for present evil.” all…” —St. Maximus the ConfessorJohn Chrysostom
“How good “What is the meaning of the exclamation so often sung in church: ‘Lord, have mercy upon us’? It is the lament of the guilty, condemned sinner, imploring forgiveness of an irritated justice. We are all under the eternal curse and doomed to eternal fire for our innumerable sins, and it is only the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, interceding for us before the Heavenly Father, that saves us from eternal punishment. It is the lament of the repentant sinner, expressing his firm intention to conquer amend and begin a new life, becoming for a Christian. It is the passions! After lament of the victory one feels such lightness of heartrepentant sinner, ready to forgive others, such peace as he himself was and greatness is immeasurably forgiven by God, the Judge of spirit!his deeds.” —St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ, pg. 406
“He “It seems that we do not understand one thing: it is not good when we return the love of those who believeslove us, fears; he who fears is humble; he yet hate those who is humble becomes gentlehate us.” —StWe are not on the right path if we do this. Maximus We are the Confessorsons of light and love – the sons of God, his children. As such, we must have His qualities and His attributes of love, peace, and kindness towards all.” —Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
“For every humble person “Pride is gentle, trying to imagine a world and every gentle person is invariably humblelive in it. A person is humble when he knows that his very being is on loan to himHumility receives the world as God created it.” —St. Maximus the ConfessorSophrony of Essex
“A humble person lives on earth as if in “We suffer because we have no humility and we do not love our brother. From love of our brother comes the Kingdom love of Heaven - always happyGod. People do not learn humility, peaceful and satisfied with everythingbecause of their pride cannot receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, and therefor the whole world suffers.” —St. Anthony of OptinaSilouan the Athonite
“Not every quiet man “Some suffer much from poverty and sickness, but are not humbled, and so they suffer without profit. But one who is humblehumbled will be happy in all circumstances, but every humble man because the Lord is quiethis riches and joy, and all people will wonder at the beauty of his soul.” —St. Isaac Silouan the SyrianAthonite
“If “My joy, I beg you wish , acquire the Spirit of Peace. That means to bring oneself to such a state that our spirit will not be truly humble, then consider yourself lower than all, worthy of being trampled on disturbed by all; for you yourself daily, hourly trample upon anything. For one must go through many sorrows to enter the law Kingdom of Heaven. This is the Lord, way all righteous men were saved and therefore upon inherited the Lord Himself.” Heavenly Kingdom…” —St. John Seraphim of KronstadtSarov
“You wish “My will, therefore, He took to be greatHimself, my grief. In confidence I call it grief, begin from because I preach His Cross. Mine is the leastwill which He called His Own, for as Man He bore my grief, as Man He spake, and therefore said, ‘Not as I will, but as Thou wilt. You are thinking to construct some mighty fabric in height; first think of ’ Mine was the foundation of humility. And how great soever a mass of building one may wish grief, and design to place above mine the heaviness with which He bore it, for no man exults when at the greater the building point to die. With me and for me He Suffers, for me He is to besad, the deeper does he dig his foundationfor me He is heavy.” —StIn my stead therefore, and in me He grieved Who had no cause to grieve for Himself. Augustine
“A humble person lives on earth Not Thy Wound, but mine, hurt Thee, Lord Jesus; not Thy Death, but our weakness, even as if in the Kingdom of Heaven Prophet saith: ‘For He is afflicted for our sakes’-- always happyand we, Lord, esteemed Thee afflicted, when Thou grievedst not for Thyself, peaceful and satisfied with everything.” —Stbut for me. Anthony of Optina
“In them [And what wonder if He grieved for all, Who wept for one? What wonder if, in the Lives hour of death, He is heavy for all, Who wept when at the Saints] it is clearly and obviously demonstrated: There is no spiritual death point to raise Lazarus from which one cannot be resurrected by the Divine power of the risen and ascended Lord Christ; there is no tormentdead? Then, indeed, there is no misfortuneHe was moved by a loving sister's tears, there is no miseryfor they touched His human heart, there is no suffering which the Lord will not change either gradually or all at once into quite--here by secret grief He brought it to pass that, compunctionate joy because even as His Death made an end of faith in Himdeath, and His Stripes healed our scars, so also His Sorrow took away our sorrow.” —St. Justin PopovichAmbrose of Milan, (+397), Ch. 7, Book II, Exposition on the Christian Faith
“A servant “Peace is not absence of the Lord is he who in body stands before menstruggle, but in mind knocks at Heaven with prayerabsence of uncertainty and confusion.” —St. John Climacus—Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh
“In the Christian East – in fact“Humility is perfect quietness of heart, it is to expect nothing, in the East in general – we love old age because we think to wonder at nothing that it is made for prayingdone to me, to feel nothing done against me. When one It is oldto be at rest when nobody praises me, and feels the nearness of God across when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the increasingly transparent surface of biological lifeLord, one becomes where I can go in consciousness a childand shut the door, returned and kneel to the my Fatherin secret, made light and am at peace as in spirit by the proximity a deep sea of deathcalmness, transparent to another kind of lightwhen all around and above is trouble.” —Andrew Murray
A civilization in which one no longer prays is a civilization in which old age has no meaning“However great the afflictions we suffer, what are they compared with the promised future reward. One walks backward towards death, pretending to be young; it’s an agonizing spectacle, because a wonderful possibility is offered, a journey towards ultimate relinquishment, and it is not taken advantage of” —St.Macarius the Great
We need old people “Shun the praise of men and love the one who pray, who smile, who live with a disinterested love, who marvel; they alone can show young people that that living is worth in the fear of the effortLord, and that oblivion is not the last wordreprimands you.” —St.Pachomius
Every monk whose spiritual practice has born fruit is called in “When people begin to praise us, let us hurry to remember the Eastmultitude of ours transgressions, whatever his age, 'a beautiful old man.' He is beautiful with the beauty and we will see that rises from the heart. In him all the periods we are truly unworthy of his life have come into harmony, as with a symphony, one might that which they sayand do in our honor. And especially the original child is found again: shining with a transfigured shining, the beautiful old man has the eyes of a child” —St.” —Olivier ClémentJohn Climacus
“It is of great significance if there is a person who truly prays in a family. Prayer attracts God“…Don's grace and all the members of the family feel t be frightened at your burden; our Lord will help you to carry it, even those whose hearts have grown cold. Pray always” —St.” —Elder Thaddeus of VitovnicaJohn Vianney
“Prayer is “Every tribulation reveals the place state of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadnessour will.” —St. John ChrysostomMark the Ascetic
“He who angers you“Every affliction tests our will, controls you!showing whether it is inclined to good or evil. That is why an unforeseen affliction is called a test, because it enables a man to test his hidden desires.” —Bishop Melchisedek Pleska—St. Mark the Ascetic
“[The desire for] equality is from “Many are the Devilwiles of the enemy to despoil us of inner peace, because it comes entirely from envy.so watch!” —Fr—St. Alexander SchmemannTheophan the Recluse
“In your prayer seek only righteousness and every situation confusion is from the kingdom of Goddevil, that is, virtue and spiritual knowledge; from whom may the Lord shield and everything else 'will be given to you' (Matt. 6:33)protect us.” —St. Evagrius Leo of PonticusOptina
“Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions “It should be noted that when the fallen spirit wants to get dominion over Christ's ascetics, he does not act imperiously or domineeringly, but tries to draw a man to consent to the proposed delusion, and after getting his consent he takes possession of pride and envythe person who has given his consent. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy SpiritDavid, and raises in describing his the fallen angel attacks man , has very rightly said: "He lurketh in secret as a lion in his den, that he may ravish the poor; to Heavenravish the poor, when he getteth him into his net."” —St. Ephrem Ignaty Bryanchaninov, The Arena, chapter 11, On the SyrianSolitary Life
“Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue“The devil presents minor sins as insignificant in our eyes, it is by mercy that we shall because otherwise he would not be savedable lead us into major ones.” —St. John ChrysostomMark the Ascetic
“The goodness of God is so rich in graces“Do not leave unobliterated any fault, that however small, for it seeks a cause may lead you on to have mercy on a persongreater sins.” —St. Anthimus of ChiosMark the Ascetic
“The Holy Spirit has accomplishing “Obedience is necessary not only for monks, but for all people. Even the Lord was obedient. The proud and self-regarding do not allow grace to live in them, and therefore they never have spiritual peace, while in each believer the work obedient soul the grace of Christthe Holy Spirit enters easily and gives joy and peace. Each Christian is Whoever bears even a communicant of little grace in himself joyfully submits himself to all direction. He knows that God directs even the heavens and the spirit. This is something so necessarynetherworld, and himself, and his business, that and everything in fact whoever does not have the Spirit world, and therefore he is not of Christalways at peace.” —St. Theophan Silouan the RecluseAthonite, Writings, XV.2
“The Church fact that I am a monk and you are a layman is nothing but the world on of no importance. The Lord listens equally to the way monk and to deification; for the Church, man of the world is no longer provided both are true believer. He looks for a tomb but heart full of true faith into which to send his Spirit. For the heart of a wombman is capable of containing the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God are one.” —Olivier Clément—St. Seraphim of Sarov
“The church “He who honours the Lord does what the Lord bids. When he sins or is an earthly heaven in which the super-celestial God dwells and walks aboutdisobedient, he patiently accepts what comes as something he deserves. ” —St. Germanus of ConstantinopleMark the Ascetic
“Nothing “It is more abiding than a great error to think that you must undertake important and great labors, whether for heaven, or, as the Church: she 'progressives' think, in order to make one's contribution to humanity. That is your salvation; she not necessary at all. It is your refugenecessary only to do everything in accordance with the Lord's commandments.” —St. John ChrysostomTheophan the Recluse
“There “When we are immersed in sins, and our mind is no need to weep much over occupied solely with worldly cares, we do not notice the destruction state of a church; after all, each of us, according our soul. We are indifferent to God's mercywho we are inwardly, has or should have his own church - the heart - go in there and pray, as much as you have strength and timewe persist along a false path without being aware of it.” —St. If this church is not well made and is abandoned John (without inward prayerMaximovitch), then the visible church will be of little benefit.” —Archbishop BarlaamShanghai and San Francisco
“Our prayer reflects our attitude towards God. He who “We have to be aware that what is being pounded in upon us is careless all of salvation one piece; it has a different attitude toward God from him who has abandoned sin and is zealous for virtue but has not yet entered within himself and works for the Lord only outwardly. Finallycertain rhythm, he who has entered within and carries the Lord within himselfa certain message to give us, standing before Himthis message of self-worship, has yet another attitude. The first man is negligent in prayerof relaxing, just as he is negligent in lifeof letting go, and he prays in church and at home merely according to the established customof enjoying yourself, without attention or feeling. The second man reads many prayers and goes often to church, trying at of giving up any thought of the same time to keep his attention from wandering and to experience feelings other world … It is actually an education in accordance with the prayers which are read, although he is seldom successfulatheism. The third man, wholly concentrated within, stands with his mind before God, and prays We have to Him in his heart without distraction, without long verbal prayers, even when standing for a long time at prayer in his home or in church. … Every prayer must come from fight back by knowing just what the heart and any other prayer world is no prayer at all. Prayer-book prayers, your own prayers and very short prayers, all must issue forth from the heart trying to do to God, seen before youus…” —Fr.” —St. Theophan the RecluseSeraphim Rose of Platina
“It is very important to know how to pray. Many times even we, “I saw the monks in the monasteries, pray, but we only think we pray. It is not enough to attend the church services and just be there like snares that would be enough. We have to work the prayer from the inside enemy spreads out. No matter how many prayers we say with our mouth, it is nothing if over the prayer is not coming from the heart world and if we don't apply the teachings of Orthodoxy in our everyday life. Now more than everI said groaning, lay people have to pray from the heart, because this will be our only salvation. In the heart is the root of all passions and that is where we need to direct our struggles. If in the later years Christianity became lukewarm and superficial, we have to end all that now, this is not going to be enough anymore. If we will not pray ‘What can get through from the heart, we will not be able such snares?’ Then I heard a voice saying to sustain the psychological attacksme, because the evil one has hidden brainwashing methods that are unknown to us‘Humility. The greatest sin today is carelessness’” —St. We pray carelessly, we repent carelessly, even if we do it. Times will come when only Anthony the ones that have the Spirit of God will be able to know good from evil. The human mind itself on its own will not be able to tell the difference. There will be great deceptions and only the Holy Spirit will give us the discernment we need so we can save ourselves. Pray that you will not be deceived! Only through prayer can we receive the Holy Spirit. If we don't pray and just persevere in our laziness and unrepentant ways, we will completely lose the Holy Spirit and His guidance. May it not be that we lose the guidance of the Holy Spirit!” —Elder Justin (Pârvu) of Romania, The truth about the times–Spirituality of the end of times, 2010Great
“It is sometimes well during prayer “Learn to say a few words of your own, breathing fervent faith and love to the Lord. Yeshumility, let us not always converse with God in the words of others, not always remain children in faith and hope; we must also show our own mind, indite a good matter from our own heart also. Moreover, we grow too accustomed to the words of others and grow cold in prayer. And how pleasing this lipsing of our own is, coming from a believing, loving, and thankful heartfor it will cover all your sins. It is impossible to explain this; it is only needful to say that when you All sins are praying to repugnant before God with your own words the soul trembles with joy, it becomes wholly inflamed, vivified, and beatified. You will utter few words, but you will experience such blessedness as you would not have obtained saying the longest most touching prayers repugnant of others, pronounced out all is pride of habit and insincerelythe heart.” —St. John of Kronstadt
“Chastisement through Do not consider yourself learned and wise; otherwise, all your effort will be destroyed and your boat will reach the trials imposed on us is a spiritual rod, teaching us humility when in our foolishness we think too much of ourselves.” —Stharbor empty. Thalassios the Libyan
“Goodness is If you have great authority, do not confirmed without trialthreaten anyone with death. Every Christian is tested by something: one by povertyKnow, another by illnessthat according to nature, a third by various thoughts, a fourth by some calamity or humiliation, while another by various doubts. And, through this, firmness of faith, hope you too are susceptible to death and love of God are tested.” —Stthat every soul sheds its body from itself as the final garment. Ambrose of Optina
“Sometimes men are tested by pleasure, sometimes by distress or by physical suffering. By means of His prescriptions In Byzantium there existed an unusual and instructive custom during the Physician crowning of souls administers the remedy according to emperors in the cause Church of the passions lying hidden in the soulDivine Wisdom [St.” —StSophia]. Maximus The custom was that when the patriarch placed the crown on the emperor's head, at the Confessorsame time, Philokaliahe handed him a silk purse filled with dirt from the grave.
“If you want, or rather intendThen, even the emperor would recall death and to take a splinter out of another person, then do not hack at it with a stick instead of a lancet, for you will only drive it in deeperavoid all pride and become humble.” —St. John ClimacusAnthony the Great, The Prologue of Ochrid
“To exalt oneself is one thing“What made our Lord Jesus Christ lay aside His garments, gird Himself with a towel, and, pouring water into a basin, not begin to do so anotherwash the feet of those who were below Him, and if not to humble oneself is something less entirelyteach us humility? For it was humility He showed us by the example of what He then did. A man may always And indeed those who want to be passing judgement on othersaccepted into the foremost rank cannot achieve this otherwise than through humility; for in the beginning, while another the thing that caused downfall from heaven was a movement of pride. So, if a man passes judgement neither on others nor on himself. A thirdlacks extreme humility, if he is not humble with all his heart, howeverall his mind, though actually guiltlessall his spirit, may always be passing judgement on himselfall his soul and body – he will not inherit the kingdom of God.” —St. John ClimacusAnthony the Great, Early Fathers from the Philokalia, E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer, Faber and Faber, London, 1954, pp. 45-46
“If “People who are filled with egoism and pride because of their education, resemble satellites that orbit in the sky, giving one the impression that they are stars. If, however, you observe them carefully you will see their crooked steps and see that it is all a man accuses himselfhuman sham… Internally-oriented people, he is protected on all sidesaccount of their humility, are the true stars that move at dizzying speeds, but noiselessly and humbly, without anyone understanding how they move even though they are immense planets. They hide in the depths of heaven and give men the impression that they are little oil lamps aflame with a humble light.” —St. PoemenPaisios of Mt. Athos
“It is not then wealth that is “Wouldst thou comprehend the foundation height of pleasure, nor poverty God? First comprehend the lowliness of sadnessGod. Condescend to be humble for thine own sake, but our own judgment and the fact seeing that the eyes of our mind neither see clearly nor remain fixed in one placeGod condescended to be humble for thy sake too, but flutter abroadfor it was not for his own.” —St. John ChrysostomAugustine of Hippo
“One who knows oneself“The greatness of a man consisteth of humility, knows God: and one who knows God is worthy for in proportion as a man descendeth to humility, he becometh exalted to worship Him as is rightgreatness. Therefore, my beloveds in ” —Paradise of the LordHoly Fathers, know yourselvesVol.” —St. Anthony the Great2
“God “It is truth and light, God's judgement is nothing else than our coming into contact easier to measure the entire sea with truth and light. In the day of the Great Judgement all men will appear naked before this penetrating light of truth. The ‘books’ will be opened. What are these ‘books’? They are our hearts. Our hearts will be opened by the penetrating light of God, and what is in these hearts will be revealed. If in those hearts there is love for God, those hearts will rejoice in seeing God's light. If, on the contrary, there is hatred for God in those hearts, these men will suffer by receiving on their opened hearts this penetrating light of truth which they detested all their life. So that which will differentiate between one man and another will not be a decision of tiny cup than to grasp God, a reward or a punishment from Him, but that which was in each one's heart; what was there during all our life will be revealed in the Day of Judgement. If there is a reward and a punishment during this revelation – and there really is – it does not come from God but from ineffable greatness with the love or hate which reigns in our heart. Love has bliss in it, hatred has despair, bitterness, grief, affliction, wickedness, agitation, confusion, darkness, and all the other interior conditions which compose hellhuman mind.” —St. Symeon Basil the New TheologianGreat
“In whatever state “You don't have a person is, he sometimes finds himself making pure and intense prayerssoul. For even from that first and lowest sort, which has to do with recalling the future judgment, the one who is still subject to the punishment of terror and the fear of judgment is occasionally so struck with compunction that he is filled with no less joy of spirit from the richness of his supplication than the one who, examining the kindnesses of God and going over them in the purity of his heart, dissolves into unspeakable gladness and delightYou are a Soul. For, according to the words of the Lord, the one who realizes that more has been forgiven him begins to love moreYou have a body.” —St—C. S. John CassianLewis
“If a man's self “This is not kept clean the wisdom and bright, his glimpse power of God will : to be blurredvictorious through weakness, exalted through humility, rich through poverty.” —C. S—St. LewisGregory Palamas
“The pure heart sees God as “You will lose nothing of what you have renounced for the Lord’s sake. For in a mirrorits own time it will return to you greatly multiplied.” —Abba Philemon—St. Mark the Ascetic
“The blessedness of seeing God is justly promised “God often isolates those whom He chooses, so that we have nowhere to the pure of heart. For the eye that is unclean would not be able turn except to see the brightness of the true lightHim, and what would be happiness to clear minds would be a torment then He reveals Himself to those that are defiled. Therefore, let the mists of worldly vanities be dispelled, and the inner eye be cleansed of all the filth of wickedness, so that the soul's gaze may feast serenely upon the great vision of Godus.” —St—Fr. Leo the GreatSeraphim Rose of Platina
“God rests within gentle hearts. The gentle and merciful shall sit fearless in His regions, and will inherit Heavenly glory“Where can I flee? A place cannot save you because there is no place you can flee from yourself.” —St. John ClimacusNikon of Optina
“That which “No one and nothing can harm a man if he does not harm himself; on the contrary, if one does not avoid sin, a thousand means of salvation will not help him. Consequently, the only evil is sin: Judas fell while in the presence of the word communicates by soundSavior, but the painting shows silently by representationrighteous Lot was saved while living in Sodom.” —St. Basil the GreatNikon of Optina, November 15-16/28-29, 1922, Optina Monastery, The Orthodox Word, 1980, vol. 16, no. 2 (91), on the 40 Martyrs of SebasteMarch-April
“Do not call God just, for His justice “If our purpose is not manifest in to fight the things concerning you. And if David calls Him just spiritual fight and upright (cf. Ps. 24:8, 144:17), His Son revealed to us that He is good and kind. ‘He is gooddefeat,’ He sayswith God's help, ‘to the evil and demons of malice, we should take every care to guard our heart from the impious’ (cf. Luke 6:35). How can you call God demon of dejection, just when you come across the Scriptural passage on the wage given to the workers? ‘Friend, I do thee no wrong I will give unto this last even as unto thee. Is thine eye evil because I am good?’ (Matt. 20:12-15). How can a man call God just when he comes across the passage on the prodigal son who wasted his wealth with riotous livingmoth devours clothing and a worm devours wood, how for the compunction alone which he showed, the father ran so dejection devours a man’s soul. It persuades him to shun every helpful encounter and fell upon stops him accepting advice from his neck true friends or giving them a courteous and gave him authority over all his wealth? (Luke 15:11 ffpeaceful reply.). None other but His very Son said these things concerning HimSeizing the entire soul, lest we doubt it; fills it with bitterness and thus He bare witness concerning Himlistlessness. WhereThen it suggests to the soul that we should go away from other people, then, is God's justice, for whilst we since they are sinners Christ died for us! (cfthe cause of its agitation. Rom. 5:8). But if here He is merciful, we may believe It does not allow the soul to understand that He will its sickness does not change.” —Stcome from without, but lies hidden within, only manifesting itself when temptations attack the soul because of our ascetic efforts. Isaac the Syrian, Homily LX
“God chastises with loveA man can be harmed by another only through the causes of the passions which lie within himself. It is for this reason that God, the Creator of all and the Doctor of men’s souls, who alone has accurate knowledge of the soul’s wounds, does not for tell us to forsake the company of men; He tells us to root out the sake causes of revenge---far be it!---but in seeking evil within us and to make whole his image. And he does not harbour wrath until such time as correction recognize that the soul’s health is no longer possible, for he does achieved not seek vengeance for by a man’s separating himself. This is from his fellows, but by his living the ascetic life in the aim company of loveholy men. Love's chastisement is When we abandon our brothers for correctionsome apparently good reason, we do not eradicate the motives for dejection but does not aim at retribution. … The man who chooses to consider God as avengermerely exchange them, presuming that since the sickness which lies hidden within us will show itself again in this manner he bears witness to His justice, the same accuses Him of being bereft of goodnessother circumstances. Far be it that vengeance could ever be found in that Fountain of love and Ocean brimming with goodness!” —St. Isaac the SyrianJohn Cassian
“Among all “A life lived in the world can be as good, in the eyes of God, as one spent in a monastery. It is indeed only the keeping of God's actions there is none which is not entirely a matter commandments, love of mercyall, love and compassion: this constitutes the beginning and end a true sense of His dealings with ushumility that matter, wherever we are.” —St. Isaac the Syrian—Elder Macarius of Optina
“We must hate avarice“Those who, self-esteem and sensual pleasure, as mothers because of the vices and stepmothers rigor of their own ascetic practice, despise the virtuesless zealous, think that they are made righteous by physical works. Because of them But we are commanded not to love ‘the world’ even more foolish if we rely on theoretical knowledge and ‘the things that are in the world’ (1 John 2:15); not so that we should hate God's creation through lack of discernment, but so that we should eliminate disparage the occasions for these three passionsignorant.” —St. Mark the Ascetic
“‘The world’ is the general name for all the passions. When we wish to call the passions by a common name“When you get bitter and annoyed, we call them the world. But when we wish to distinguish them by their special nameseven if only in thought, we call them you ruin the passionsspiritual atmosphere. The passions are You stop the following: love of riches, desire for possessions, bodily pleasure Holy Spirit from which comes sexual passion, love of honour which gives rise to envy, lust for power, arrogance working and pride of position, you allow the craving devil to adorn oneself with luxurious clothes and vain ornamentsincrease evil. You should always pray, the itch for human glory which is a source of rancour love and resentmentforgive, rejecting each and physical fear. Where these passions cease to be active, there the world is dead; for though living in the flesh, they did not live for the flesh. See for which of these passions you are alive. Then you will know how far you are alive to the world and how far every bad thought within you are dead to it.” —St. Isaac the SyrianPorphyrios of Kavsokalyvia
“Just as a man whose head “When you are praying alone, and your spirit is under water cannot inhale pure airdejected, so a man whose thoughts and you are plunged into wearied and oppressed by your loneliness, remember then, as always, that God the cares of this world cannot absorb Trinity looks upon you with eyes brighter than the sun; also all the angels, your own Guardian Angel, and all the sensation Saints of the world to comeGod.” —St. Isaac the SyrianJohn of Kronstadt
“We don't understand “A remedy against straying thoughts is mental attention, attention to the fact that happiness the Lord is in eternity before us and not in vanitywe are before Him.” —Elder Paisios of Mt—St. AthosTheophan the Recluse
“Why do you beat the air and run in vain? Every occupation has a purpose, obviously. Tell me then, what is the purpose “The roots of all evil thoughts are the activity of the world? Answerobvious vices, I challenge you! It is vanity of vanity: all is vanitywhich we keep trying to justify in our words and actions.” —St. John ChrysostomMark the Ascetic
“The sun shines on all alike, “Guard your speech from boasting and vainglory beams on all activities. For instance, I am vainglorious when I fastyour thoughts from presumption; and when I relax the fast in order to otherwise you may be unnoticed, I am again vainglorious over my prudence. When well-dressed I am quite overcome abandoned by vainglory, God and when I put on poor clothes I am vainglorious againfall into sin. When I talk I am defeated, and when I am silent I am again defeated by it. However I throw this prickly-pearFor man cannot do anything good without the help of God, a spike stands uprightwho sees everything.” —St. John ClimacusMark the Ascetic
“Watch your heart during all your life — examine it, listen to it, and see what prevents its union with the most blessed Lord. Let this be for you the science of all sciences, and with God’s help, you will easily observe what estranges you from God, and what draws you towards Him and unites you to Him. It is "The higher a person’s position in society the evil spirit more than anything that stands between our hearts and God; he estranges God from us by various passions, or by the desire of the flesh, by the desires should help others without ever reminding them of the eyes, and by worldly pridehis position.” —St—Tsar St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in ChristNicholas II
"Have “If you ever observed the life of the heart? Try it even for a short time and see what you find. Something unpleasant happens, and you get irritated; some misfortune occurs, and you pity yourself; you see someone whom you dislike, and animosity wells up within you; you meet one of want your equals who has now outdistanced you on the social scalesins to be absolved by Christ, and you begin then don't speak to envy him; others about any virtue that you think of your talents and capabilitiesmay have, and you begin to grow proud… All this is rottenness: vainglory, carnal desire, gluttony, laziness, malice-one on top of the other, they destroy because God will treat our sins the heartsame way we treat our virtues.” —St. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San FranciscoMark the Ascetic
“As water and fire oppose one another when combined“If any man is able in power to continue in purity, to the honour of the flesh of our Lord, let him continue so are self-justification and humility opposed to one anotherwithout boasting; if he boasts, he is undone; if he become known apart from the bishop, he has destroyed himself.” —St. Mark the AsceticIgnatius of Antioch
“Fire and water do not mix, neither can you mix judgment of others with “Guarding the mouth wakes up the desire conscience to repent. If a man commits a sin before you at the very moment of his deathGod, pass no judgment, because the judgment of God if it is hidden from men. It has happened with knowledge that men have sinned greatly in the open but have done greater deeds in secret, so that those who would disparage them have been fooled, with smoke instead of sunlight in their eyesa man keeps silence.” —St. John ClimacusIsaac the Syrian
“Christians“Silence is more profitable than speech, above all menfor as it has been said, are forbidden to correct the stumblings ‘The words of sinners by force… it is necessary to make a man better not by force but by persuasion. God gives the crown to those who wise men are kept from evil, not by force, but by choiceheard even in quiet.” ’” —St. John ChrysostomBasil the Great
“I have seen pride lead to humility. And I remembered him who said: Who hath known the mind of the Lord? The pit and offspring of conceit is a fall; but a fall is often an occasion of humility “Never give your opinion if you are not asked for those who are willing to use it to their advantage, even if you think that your view is the best.” —St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 15, Section 38—Josemaria Escriva
“Humility is the “Not only thing that no devil can imitatefor every idle word must man give an account, but for every idle silence.” —St. John ClimacusAmbrose of Milan
“An angel fell from Heaven “Somewhere we know that without any other passion except pridesilence words lose their meaning, and so we may ask whether it is possible to ascend to Heaven by humility alonethat without listening speaking no longer heals, that without any other of the virtuesdistance closeness cannot cure.” —St. John Climacus—Henri Nouwen
“Run from pride, for it is a passion more treacherous than any other“Let your mouth continually administer blessing; then the scorn of anyone will never hurt you.” —St. John ChrysostomIsaac the Syrian
“Pride more than anything else“Just as swine run to a place where there is mire, deprives people and bees dwell where there are fragrances and incense, likewise demons gather where there are carnal songs and the grace of the Holy Spirit settles where there are spiritual melodies, sanctifying both their good deeds mouth and help from God. Where there is no humility, pride takes its placesoul.” —St. Macarius of OptinaJohn Chrysostom
“‘Exile “A psalm implies serenity of soul; it is separation from everything in order to keep the mind inseparable from Godauthor of peace, which calms bewildering and seething thoughts. An exile loves For, it softens the wrath of the soul, and produces continual weepingwhat is unbridled it chastens. A psalm forms friendships, unites those separated, conciliates those at enmity.’ From ParadiseWho, indeed, we must become exiled from can still consider as an enemy him with whom he has uttered the world if we hope same prayer to return.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of PlatinaGod?
“Prayer is superior to all good works. It begets tears of repentanceSo that psalmody, bringing about choral singing, a bond, as it were, greatly contributes to peace in one’s thoughtstoward unity, leads and joining the people into a harmonious union of one to think only of God Who is the ultimate Peacechoir, and brings forth produces also the love greatest of Godblessings, charity. Prayer alone purifies the rational part A psalm is a city of refuge from the soul through the vision of Goddemons, Who causes the purification a means of inducing help from the angels; it also preserves the desiring part of the soul , a weapon in purity before God.” —St. Kallistos Telikoudesfears by night, a rest from toils by day, a safeguard for infants, On an adornment for those at the Practice height of Hesychasmtheir vigor, The Philokaliaa consolation for the elders, Vola most fitting ornament for women. 5
“Day and night I pray It peoples the Lord for love, and solitudes; it rids the Lord gives me tears to weep for market place of excesses; it is the whole world. But if I find fault with any manelementary exposition of beginners, or look on him with an unkind eyethe improvement of those advancing, my tears will dry upthe solid support of the perfect, and my soul sink into despondency. Yet do I begin again to entreat forgiveness the voice of the Lord, and Church. It brightens the Lord feast days; it creates a sorrow which is in His mercy forgives me, a sinneraccordance with God.
BrethrenFor, before a psalm is the face work of my God I write: Humble your heartsangels, a heavenly institution, and while yet on this earth you will see the mercy of the Lord, and know your Heavenly Creator, and your souls will never have their fill of lovespiritual incense.” —St. Silouan Basil the AthoniteGreat
“Here are those of whom I speak and who are called heretics by me. They are “Through the ones who say that in Holy Spirit comes our restoration to paradise, our present age there is no one in ascension into the kingdom of heaven, our midst who is able return to observe the commandments and be like adoption of sons, our liberty to call God our Father, our being made partakers of the holy fathers…. Those who declare this is impossible have fallen not into one particular heresy but into all grace of Christ, our being called children of themlight, so to speak – a heresy surpassing all others our sharing in its impiety eternal glory, and greatest blasphemy. They are buried underneath it…. The one who speaks , in such a manner turns word, our being brought into a state of all ‘fullness of Scripture upside down…. These antichrists affirmblessing, ‘It is impossible, impossible’. Why then is it impossible? Tell me. In what other way did the saints shine on earth ’ both in this world and did they become lamps of in the world? If it were impossibleto come, they would never have succeeded of all the good gifts that are in it. For they were men like store for us, and possessed no more than we do except a will directed toward the good. They had zealby promise hereof, patiencethrough faith, humility, and love for God. Therefore, acquire all this and your soul which today is beholding the reflection of their grace as hard as rock shall become a fountain of tears inside you. Howeverthough they were already present, if you refuse to suffer such anguish and affliction, at least do not say that all this is impossiblewe await the full enjoyment.” —St. Symeon Basil the New Theologian, The Discourses, Discourse XXIX: The Heresy of PusillanimityGreat
“…The ambition of men“Humility consists, who have no fear of not in condemning our conscience, but in recognizing God, rushes into high posts, 's grace and exalted office is now publicly known as the prize of impiety. The result is, that the worse a man blasphemes, the fitter the people think him to be a bishopcompassion. Clerical dignity is a thing of the past” —St. There is a complete lack of men shepherding Mark the Lord’s flock with knowledge.Ascetic
Ambitious men are constantly throwing away the provision for the poor on their own enjoyment and the distribution of gifts. There is no precise knowledge of canons. There is complete immunity in sinning; for when men have been placed in office by the favour of men, they are obliged to return the favour by continually showing indulgence to offenders. Just judgment is a thing of the past; and everyone walks according to his heart’s desire. Vice knows no bounds; the people know no restraint. Men in authority are afraid to speak, for those who have reached power by human interest are the slaves of those to whom they owe their advancement. And now the very vindication “The source of Orthodoxy is looked upon in some quarters as an opportunity for mutual attack; and men conceal their private illself-will delusion and pretend that their hostility demonic deception is all for the sake of the truth. Others, afraid of being convicted of disgraceful crimes, madden the people into fratricidal quarrels, that their own doings may be unnoticed in the general distressfalse thought…” —St. Hence the war admits of no truce, for the doers Ignatius Brianchaninov (Bryanchaninov) of ill deeds are afraid of a peace, as being likely to lift the veil from their secret infamy.Caucasus
All “Spiritual deception is the while unbelievers laugh; state of all men of weak faith are shaken; faith is uncertain; souls are drenched in ignorancewithout exception, because adulterators and it has been made possible by the fall of the word imitate the truthour original parents. The mouths All of true believers are dumb, while every blasphemous tongue wags free; holy things us are trodden under foot; the better laity shun the churches as schools of impiety; and lift their hands in the deserts with sighs and tears subject to their Lord in heavenspiritual deception. Even you must have heard what Awareness of this fact is going on in most of our cities, how our people with wives and children and even our old men stream out before the wallsgreatest protection against it. Likewise, and offer their prayers in the open air, putting up with greatest spiritual deception of all the inconvenience of the weather with great patience, and waiting for help is to consider oneself free from the Lordit.” —St. Basil the Great, Letter 92, To the Italians and GaulIgnatius Brianchaninov (Bryanchaninov) of Caucasus
“He who in his “Knowing the perpetual impurity of our spiritual state must bring us humility of heart is proud of his tears and secretly condemns those who do not weep is like a man who asks the king for a weapon against his enemy and then commits suicide with it.” —St. John Climacus—Tonia Howell
“Do not grow conceited if you shed tears when you pray. For it “Where there is Christ who pride and at the same time one has touched your eyesa vision – it can not be from God, but by all means – from the evil one.” —St. Mark the Ascetic—Archimandrite Seraphim Alexiev
“And here also we have diligently “If you are silent in a good way, desiring to considerbe with God, that never accept any physical or spiritual appearances, either outside or inside yourself, even if it is far more secure and safe that every man should do that for himself whiles he is yet alivemight be an image of Christ, or an angel, or some Saint, which he desireth that others or if light should do for him after his death. For far more blessed it is, to depart free out of this worldappear, than being or imprint itself in prison to seek for release: and therefore reason teacheth usthe mind...Be attentive, that we should with our whole soul contemn this present worldyou may not come to believe something, at least because we see that even if it is now gone something good, and past: be not captivated by it before consulting those who are experienced and are able to offer unto God analyze the daily sacrifice of tearsmatter, and the daily Sacrifice of His Body and Bloodso that you do not suffer harm... For this Sacrifice doth especially save our souls from everlasting damnation, which in mystery doth renew unto us the death of the Son of God: who although being risen from death, doth not now die any more, nor death shall not any further prevail against him: yet living in himself immortally, and without all corruption, he is again sacrificed for us in this mystery of the holy oblation: for there his body is received, there his flesh is distributed for the salvation of the people: there His Blood is not now shed betwixt displeased with the hands of infidels, but poured into the mouths of the faithful. Wherefore let us hereby meditate what manner of sacrifice this person who isattentive to himself, ordained for useven if he, which for our absolution doth always represent the passion out of the only Son fear of God: for what right believing Christian can doubtdeception, does not accept even that in the very hour of the sacrifice, at the words of the Priest, the heavens be openedwhich is from Him, without consulting and the quires of Angels are present in that mystery of Jesus Christ; that high things are accompanied with low, and earthly joined to heavenly, and that one thing is made of visible and invisible?” testing…” —St. Gregory the Great, Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great, Book 4, ch. 58Sinai
“… One must clean the royal house from every impurity “Children, I beseech you to correct your hearts and adorn it with every beautythoughts, then the king so that you may enter into itbe pleasing to God. In a similar way one must first cleanse Consider that although we may reckon ourselves to be righteous and frequently succeed in deceiving men, we can conceal nothing from God. Let us therefore strive to preserve the earth holiness of the heart our souls and uproot to guard the weeds purity of sin and the passionate deeds and soften it our bodies with sorrows and all fervor. Ye are the narrow way temple of lifeGod, sow in it says the divine Apostle Paul; If any man defile the seed temple of virtueGod, water it with lamentation and tears, and only then does the fruit of dispassion and eternal life grow. For the Holy Spirit does not dwell in a man until he has been cleansed from passions of the soul and bodyhim shall God destroy.” —St. Paisius Velichkovsky, ‘Field Flowers’Nicholas of Myra
“God, Who is by nature good and dispassionate, loves all men equally as His handiwork. But He glorifies “Those who suffer for the virtuous man because in his will he is united to God. At the same time, in His goodness he is merciful to the sinner and by chastising him in this life brings him back to the path sake of virtuetrue devotion receive help. Similarly, a man of good and dispassionate judgment also loves all men equally. He loves the virtuous man because of his nature This must be learnt through obeying God's law and the probity of his intention; and he loves the sinner, too, because of his nature and because in his compassion he pities him for foolishly stumbling in darknessour own conscience.” —St. Maximus Mark the ConfessorAscetic
“I “When you are wronged and your heart and feelings are hardened, do not know how I came into the worldbe distressed, for this has happened providentially; Nor what but be glad and reject the things here in it are. What my sight is, O my Godthoughts that arise within you, And what the objects knowing that I see, I cannot tell. How all we men if they are vain, And have no proper judgement of reality! Yesterday destroyed at least I came and tomorrow I shall gothe stage when they are only provocations, And I think to their evil consequences will be immortal yonder. That Thee are my God I confess to everyone, and yet deny Thee daily in my deeds. I teach that Thee have made each living thing; And yet without Thee struggle to have all. Thy rule extends abovecut off, below And yet I am not feared to strive against Thee. Let me whereas if the needy one, me most miserable; Disburden all thoughts persist the sickness of my soul Crushed, alas and broken into bits. By vanity, by foolish arrogance. Grant me to evil may be humble, grant me a hand of help; And cleanse my soul’s pollution. And give me tears of repentance; Love’s tears, tears of liberty; Tears cleansing my mind’s darkness. And filling me with heavenly radiance! For Thee it is, the world’s Light; The Light of my poor eyes, I wish expected to see – I who fill my heart with life’s evils, Suffering much of affliction and of envy. From those who have worked my exiles: From those, rather, who are my benefactors; Who are my masters, my true friends: To whom, O Christ, instead of ill give blessing: Eternal, rich, divine; Prepared by Thee for all the ages; For those who deeply long for Thee, love Theedevelop.” —St. Symeon the New Theologian, On Mark the right attitude to LifeAscetic
“Ask with tears“Struggle to become immortal from now, seek with obedience, knock with patienceby dying here on the earth to your bad self. For thus he who asks receivesIn this way, and he who seeks findsyou won't be sad, and to him that knocketh it shall but you'll be openedvery glad, living together with Christ.” —St. John Climacus—Elder Porphyrios
“The passions “On the one hand He is Being, eternally Being of the flesh may be described as belonging to Eternal Being, above every cause and word…And on the left other handfor our sake he is also Becoming, selfso that He who gives us our being might also give us our well-conceit as belonging to the right handbeing.” —St. Maximus Gregory the ConfessorTheologian, Oration 38
“When the soul leaves the “For this He assumed my body, the enemy advances to attack it, fiercely reviling it and accusing it of its sins in a harsh and terrifying manner. The devout soul, however, even though in the past it has often been wounded by sin, is not frightened by the enemy’s attacks and threats. Strengthened by the Lord, winged by joy, filled with courage by the holy angels that guide it, and encircled and protected by the light I may become capable of faith, it answers the enemy with great boldness: ‘Fugitive from heaven, wicked slaveHis Word; taking my flesh, what have I to do with you? You have no authority over He gives meHis Spirit; Christ the Son of God has authority over me and over all things. Against Him have so He bestowing and I sinnedreceiving, before Him shall I stand on trial, having His Precious Cross as a sure pledge of His saving love towards me. Flee from He prepares for me, destroyer! You have nothing to do with the servants treasure of ChristLife.’ When the soul says all this fearlesslyHe takes my flesh, the devil turns his back, howling aloud and unable to withstand the name of Christ. Then the soul swoops down on the devil from above, attacking him like a hawk attacking a crow. After this it is brought rejoicing by the holy angels to the place appointed for it in accordance with its inward statesanctify me; He gives me His Spirit that He may save me.” —St. Theognostos, On the Practice of the Virtues, Philokalia, Vol. 2John Chrysostom
“If you wish “Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to be savedflight, the power of death is broken, O my soulparadise is unlocked, to go first on the most sorrowful path which curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been indicated herebrought back, to enter into the Heavenly Kingdom speech of kindliness diffused, and receive eternal spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life – then refine your fleshhas been inplanted on the earth, taste voluntary bitternessangels communicate with men without fear, and endure difficult sorrows, as all the Saints tasted and enduredmen now hold speech with angels. And when a man Why is preparing himself and gives himself the command to endure for the sake of this? Because God all sorrows and pain which come upon himis now on earth, then light and painless seem for him man in heaven; on every side all sorrows, unpleasantnesses and attacks of devils and menthings commingle. He became Flesh. He does did not fear death, and nothing can separate such a one from the love of Christbecome God. He was God. Have you heardWherefore He became flesh, my beloved soulso that He Whom heaven did not contain, how the Holy Fathers spent their lives? O my soul! Imitate them at least a littlemanger would this day receive.” —St. Paisius VelichkovskyJohn Chrysostom, Homily on the Nativity
“If you rebuke yourself, accuse yourself, and judge yourself before God for your sins, with a sensitive conscience, even for “This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world;So let no one threaten.This is the night of the Most Gentle One;Let no one be cruel.This is the night of the Humble One;Let no one be proud.Now is the day of joy;Let us not revenge.Now is the day of good will;Let us not be mean.In this you will day of peace --Let us not be justifiedconquered by anger.If you are sorrowful Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for your sins, or you weepour sake;So, or sighrich one, invite the poor to your sigh will table.Today we receive a Gift for which we did not be hidden from Him ask;So let us give alms to those who implore and, as Stbeg us.This present day throws open the doors of heaven to our prayers; Let us open our doors to those who ask our forgiveness. John Chrysostom saysToday the Divinity took upon himself the seal of our humanity, ‘If you only lament In order for your sins, then He will receive this for your salvationhumanity to be decorated by the seal of Divinity.’” ” —St. Moses of OptinaIsaac the Syrian, Homily on the Nativity
“A “This being He placed in Paradise, whatever the Paradise may have been, having honoured him with the gift of Free Will (in order that God might belong to him as the result of his choice, no less than to Him who had implanted the seeds of it), to till the immortal plants, by which is meant perhaps the Divine Conceptions, both the simpler and the more perfect; naked in his simplicity and inartificial life, and without any covering or screen; for it was fitting that he who was from the beginning should be such. Also He gave him a Law, as a material for his Free Will to act upon. This Law was a Commandment as to what plants he might partake of, and which one he might not touch. This latter was the Tree of Knowledge; not, however, because it was evil from the beginning when planted; nor was it forbidden because God grudged it to us…Let not the enemies of God wag their tongues in that direction, or imitate the Serpent…But it would have been good heart produces if partaken of at the proper time, for the tree was, according to my theory, Contemplation, upon which it is only safe for those who have reached maturity of habit to enter; but which is not good thoughtsfor those who are still somewhat simple and greedy in their habit; just as solid food is not good for those who are yet tender, and have need of milk. (Hebrews 5: its thoughts correspond 12) But when through the Devil's malice and the woman's caprice, to which she succumbed as the more tender, and which she brought to bear upon the man, as she was the more apt to persuade, alas for my weakness! (for that of my first father was mine), he forgot the Commandment which had been given to what him; (Genesis 3:5) he yielded to the baleful fruit; and for his sin he was banished, at once from the Tree of Life, and from Paradise, and from God; and put on the coats of skins…that is, perhaps, the coarser flesh, both mortal and contradictory. This was the first thing that he learned – his own shame; (Romans 1:22-31) and he hid himself from God. Yet here too he makes a gain, namely death, and the cutting off of sin, in order that evil may not be immortal. Thus his punishment is changed into a mercy; for it stores up is in itselfmercy, I am persuaded, that God inflicts punishment.” —St. Thalassios Gregory the Theologian, Oration 38, XII, On Theophany, On the Birth of our Saviour (On the LibyanNativity of Christ)
“Fasting “It is no wonder that the shepherds were able to know of the world's redemption before rulers, for the purification Angels made their announcement not to kings or judges but to countryfolk. It is not to be wondered at, then, if innocence merited to know the Grace of Christ before power did and simple country manners merited to recognize the Truth before proud dominion. For what the Shepherds recognized the rulers were unable to recognize; hence the Blessed Apostle says: 'What none of the soul rulers of this age recognized,' and bodyso forth. At the Birth of Christ, therefore, the Angels rejoiced together with the Shepherds, giving God high glory, for in close and even joined choruses, so to speak, they preached the glory of God.” —St. John ChrysostomMaximus of Turin, Homily on the Nativity, sec. 2
“Fasting “The Angel-Messenger of the pre-eternal Counsel of the Holy Trinity comes to the earth. This is wonderfulnot an ordinary messenger; it is the Only-begotten Son of God Himself. He brings peace to men. ‘Peace be unto you’, he said more than once to His disciples. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you’, He says to the apostles at the Mystical Supper, ‘not as the world giveth, give I unto you’. And appearing after His Resurrection, because it tramples again He says: ‘Peace be unto you’. ‘For he is our sins like a dirty weedpeace’, the holy Apostle Paul says concerning Him: ‘He came to the earth to reconcile man unto God by the cross, while it cultivates having slain the enmity thereby. And having come, He preached peace to those afar off and raises truth like a flower.” —Stto those near, because through Him we both have access unto the Father’. Basil the Great
“Fasting The wall that separated heaven and earth is destroyed; the sword that barred the way to the tree of life disappears. Unto man that had sinned comes his Creator, calling him into His embrace! By the mother mouths of health; the friend apostles, the Holy Spirit cries out: ‘In Christ, be ye reconciled to God’. You that had sinned came not to God, but the Son of chastityGod, before Whom you sinned, came to you! He calls everyone to Himself; He gives forgiveness to everyone who merely thirsts for this. For without the partner desire of humilityman himself, without at least his little effort, God's peace cannot settle in him. The Lord forces no one to come to Him, but calls everyone: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’. Come all ye who are heavy laden with sins, who are exhausted from your labours and who do not find rest! You shall find that inner peace, which you will find nothing on earth more desirable than. The soul will feel unearthly peace and joy.” —St. Symeon John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco, Epistle on the New theologianNativity, 1962
“Many fast with body, but do not fast with soul: many fast from food and drink, but do not fast from evil thoughts, actions and words, and what “I saw that there was no tragedy in God. Tragedy is to be found solely in the benefit fortunes of it?! Many fast a day and two more, but from anger, resentment and vengeance will not fast; many refrain from wine, meat and fish, but with their tongue they eat people similar to themselves, and what is the benefit of it?! There are those who do man whose gaze has not reach for food with their hands, but provide them for bribery, embezzlement and robbery, and what is gone beyond the benefit confines of it?! True and true fasting is abstaining from every evilthis earth. If you want, Christian, to benefit from your fasting, fast carnally, fast mentally, and fast always!” —Archimandrite Sophrony
When you instruct fasting to your stomach, impose it on your evil thoughts “The Christian world nowadays presents a terrifying and lusts. Let your mind fast from vain thoughts and memory from resentment, and your will from evil wanting, cheerless picture of profound religious and your eyes from evil lookingmoral decay. Turn away your eyes from beholding vanity, let your ears fast from shameful songs and whispers The servants of slander, let your tongue fast Antichrist do their utmost to completely displace God from defamationpeople’s lives, condemnationin order that mankind, blasphemycontent with its material well-being, lieswould not feel any need to turn to God in prayer, flatterywould not think of God at all, filth and every empty and rotten wordbut would live as though God did not exist. Let your hands fast from Thus the robbery entire structure of another's goodscontemporary life in the so-called ‘free’ world, where there is no open and your feet from the clothing bloody persecution of evil work. Repent andfaith, abstaining from every evil wordwhere everyone has the right to believe as he wishes, deed represents a far greater danger to a Christian’s soul by drawing the Christian wholly down to earth and thought, learn every virtue and you will always fast before Godmaking him forget heaven.” —St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
“As salt The entire modern culture, which is needed for all kinds aimed at purely worldly achievements, and the resultant whirlwind of foodeveryday life, so humility is needed keep a person in such a state of constant bustle and absent-mindedness that he has no opportunity for all kinds of virtuesany soul-searching, and spiritual life within him gradually becomes extinguished.” —St. Isaac the Syrian—Archbishop Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse
“Virtue is not “In advising against being carried away by artificial practices such as Transcendental Meditation I am but repeating the age-old message of the manifestation Church … The way of many the Fathers requires firm faith and various works performed long patience, whereas our contemporaries want to seize every spiritual gift, including even direct contemplation of the Absolute God, by the bodyforce and speedily, but and will often draw a heart parallel between prayer in the Name of Jesus and yoga or Transcendental Meditation and the like. I must stress the danger of such errors … He is deluded who endeavors to divest himself mentally of all that is most wise transitory and relative in its hope order to cross some invisible threshold, to realize his eternal origin, his identity with the Source of all that exists, in order to return and unites merge with him, the nameless transpersonal Absolute. Such exercises have enabled many to rise to suprarational contemplation of being, to experience a right aim certain mystical trepidation, to godly works. Often, know the state of silence of mind can accomplish that which is good without bodily works, but when mind goes beyond the boundaries of time and space. In such like states man may feel the peacefulness of being withdrawn from the body without wisdom continually changing phenomena of the heart can gain no profit for all it visible world, may doeven have a certain experience of eternity.” —St. Isaac But the God of Truth, the SyrianLiving God, Homily 40is not in all this.
“Let it be known to you It is man's own beauty, created in the image of God, that if in your life you have mastered every virtue is contemplated and every good deed such seen as mercydivinity, prayerwhereas he himself still continues within the confines of his creatureliness. This is a vastly important concern. The tragedy of the matter lies in the fact that man sees a mirage which, fast, and other virtues but have no humility in youhis longing for eternal life, your toil will be he mistakes for a genuine oasis. This impersonal form of ascetics leads finally to an assertion of the divine principle in vainthe very nature of man. For humility in all these virtues Man is then drawn to the solid foundationidea of self-deification—the cause of the original Fall. Without it, we cannot master any The man who is blinded by the imaginary majesty of what he contemplates has in fact set his foot on the virtues and all these virtues will become impure, filthy, and path to self-destruction. He has discarded before the revelation of a personal God because they … The movement into the depths of his own being is nothing else but attraction towards the non-being from which we were not sown with humility and lovecalled by the will of the Creator.” —St—Archimandrite Sophrony of Mt. John ChrysostomAthos, His Life is Mine, 115-116
“Fasting “Blessed is the mother mind that prays, worships God without imagination, for Christ had no imagination, being God. Adam lost his paradise after falling into imagination, because he imagined, at the instigation of health; Lucifer, that if he tasted from the forbidden tree, he would never die. The Holy Fathers say that the greatest disease and temptation during prayer is the friend imagination of chastitythe mind, which they called the ‘soul cuttlefish with eight tentacles’ or ‘octopus’. Imagination is also called the ‘bridge for demons’. During the prayer offered from the heart, it is most difficult to preserve the imagination; it is even harder than keeping the partner of humilitymind away from thoughts.” —StLet's not forget that everything limited, represented is not God. Symeon In the New theologianmeantime, if we stop at the images, we are being deceived and we can neither pass through the narrow gate to the heart nor reach God.” —Archimandrite Cleopas (Ilie) of Romania
“What can sin do where there is penitence? And “Yes, one must disregard doubts, just like lustful and blasphemous thoughts; pay no attention to them. Disregard them, and your enemy, the devil, will not be able to withstand it; he'll leave you, since he's proud and cannot bear the disdain. But if you enter into conversation with them – since the lustful thoughts, blasphemies and doubts are not yours – he'll bombard you, swamp you, kill you.” —Elder Barsanuphius of what use is love where there is pride?” —Abba EliasOptina
“Pride “Christ said, 'I came not to send peace, but a sword' and 'division'. Christ summoned us to war on the plane of the spirit, and our weapon is poverty 'the sword of the soulSpirit, which imagines itself to be richis the word of God.' Our battle is waged in extraordinarily unequal conditions. We are tied hand and foot. We dare not strike with fire or sword: our sole armament is love, even for enemies. This unique war in which we are engaged is indeed a holy war. We wrestle with the last and being in darkness, thinks it has lightonly enemy of mankind death. Our fight is the fight for universal resurrection.” —St—Archimandrite Sophrony of Mt. John ClimacusAthos, His Life is Mine
“Modern society calls “But since our discourse has now turned to the subject of blasphemy, I desire to ask one favour of you all, in return for this my address, and speaking with you; which is, that you will correct on my behalf the blasphemers of this city. And should you hear anyone in the public thoroughfare, or in the midst of the beggar bum forum, blaspheming God; go up to him and panhandler rebuke him; and gives should it be necessary to inflict blows, spare not to do so. Smite him on the bum's rushface; strike his mouth; sanctify your hand with the blow; and if they are accused, and be brought to court, go. But And if a judge before the Greeks used to court demands an answer, boldly say that people in need he blasphemed the King of angels, for if those who blaspheme the earthly king are to be punished, how much more insulting is it to Him (the ambassadors King)…” —St. John Chrysostom, Conversations on Statues, address to the people of the godsAntioch, Conversation 1, pt.” —Peter Maurin1 12
“Every family should have a room where Christ is welcome “I ask you to try something. If someone grieves you, or dishonors you, or takes something of yours, then pray like this: ‘Lord, we are all your creatures. Pity your servants, and turn them to repentance,’ and then you will perceptibly bear grace in your soul. Induce your heart to love your enemies, and the person Lord, seeing your good will, shall help you in all things, and will Himself show you experience. But whoever thinks evil of the hungry his enemies does not have love for God and thirsty strangerhas not known God.” —St. John ChrysostomSilouan the Athonite, Writing, IX.21
“Who “Where there is the greedy man? One for whom plenty pride there cannot be grace, and if we lose grace we also lose both love of God and assurance in prayer. The soul is then tormented by evil thoughts and does not suffice. Who defrauds others? One who keeps for himself what belongs to everyone. Aren’t you greedy, don’t you defraudunderstand that she must humble herself and love her enemies, when you keep for yourself what was given there is no other way to give away? When someone steals a man’s clothes, we call him a thiefplease God. Shouldn’t we give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does not?” —St. Basil Silouan the GreatAthonite
“The bread you do not use is the bread whole therapeutic method of the hungryOrthodox Church is not aimed simply at making human beings morally and socially balanced, but at re-establishing their relationship with God and one another. The garment hanging in your wardrobe is This comes about through the garment healing of the person who is naked. The shoes you do not wear are soul's wounds and the shoes cure of one who is barefoot. The money you keep locked away is the money of passions through the Sacraments and the poorChurch's ascetic practice. ” —Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, The acts Science of charity you do not perform are the injustices you commit.” —St. Basil the GreatSpiritual Medicine: Orthodox Psychotherapy in Action
“You are not making a gift “The acquisition of of what holiness is yours to not the poor manexclusive business of monks, but you are giving him back what is hisas certain people think. You have been appropriating things that People with families are meant also called to be for holiness, as are those in all kinds of professions, who live in the world, since the common use of everyone. The earth belongs commandment about perfection and holiness is given not only to everyonemonks, not but to the richall people.” —St. Ambrose of Milan—Hieromartyr Onuphry Gagaluk
“Do not consider your riches as belonging to yourselves alone“Many passions are hidden in our souls; open wide your hand they can be brought to those who light only when the objects that rouse them are in needpresent.” —St. Cyril of AlexandriaMaximus the Confessor, Four Hundred Texts on Love
“The man who loves his neighbor as himself possesses no more than his neighbor…thus“What is holiness? Freedom from every sin and the fullness of every virtue. This freedom from sin and this virtuous life are only attained by a few zealous persons, and that not suddenly, as much as your wealth increasesbut gradually, so much does your love decrease.” by prolonged and manifold sorrows, sicknesses, and labors, by fasting, vigilance, prayer, and that not by their own strength, but by the grace of Christ…” —St. Basil the GreatJohn of Kronstadt
“If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door“A wise heart can transfer an affliction into a blessing, you will not find Him in the chaliceeven sin!! He benefits from it: contrition, humility, keenness and sympathy for sinners.” —St—H.H. John ChrysostomPope Shenouda III
“A rich “Humility and suffering free a man is not one who has muchfrom all sin; for the first cuts out spiritual passions, but one who gives much. For what he gives away remains his foreverand the latter bodily.” —St. John ChrysostomMaximus the Confessor
“A poor man when he reaches out to you does not beg, but offers you the kingdom of God“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” —Elder Arsenie (Papacioc) of Romania—C. S. Lewis
“No one in creation is rich but he that fears God; no one is truly poor but he that lacks “Christ did not come into the truthworld to eliminate suffering, Christ has not even come into the world to explain it. Rather, He came to fill human suffering with His presence.” —St—Fr. Ephrem the SyrianGeorge Calciu
“Do you fast? Then feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick, do “The soul of man is not forget the imprisonedimpure at birth, have pity on the tortured, comfort those who grieve and who weep, be merciful, humble, kind, calm, patient, sympathetic, forgiving, reverent, truthful and pious, so that God might accept your fasting and might plentifully grant you the fruits of repentancebut pure.” —St. John Chrysostom—Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos
“The Lord Himself said in “By nature the Gospel: ‘The last shall be first and the first, last’ (Matt 20:16). Thus, may Divine mercy shine forth with His love upon the poor, soul is passionless… so you must believe that it may make great ones from the little, and that from the weak it may make co-inheritors with His Only Begotten Son. For it exhalts the poverty of this world passions do not belong to Heaven, to which the earthly kingdom cannot rise, so that the rustic comes to the place where he who wears the purple does not merit to comesoul by nature.” —St Gregory of Tours, Via Patrum. Isaac the Syrian
“In all your undertakings “Just as in legal marriage, the pleasure derived from procreation cannot exactly be called a gift of God, because it is carnal and constitutes a gift of nature and in every way not of lifegrace (even though that nature has been created by God); even so the knowledge that comes from profane education, whether you are living in obedienceeven if well used, is a gift of nature, or are and not submitting your work of grace-a gift which God accords to anyoneall without exception through nature, and which one can develop by exercise. This last point-that no one acquires it without effort and exercise-is an evident proof that it is a question of a natural, whether in outward or in not a spiritual matters, let it be your rule and practice to ask yourself: Am I really doing this in accordance with God's will?” —Stgift. John Climacus
“Those It is our sacred wisdom that should legitimately be called a gift of God and not a natural gift, since even simple fishermen who submit to receive it from on high become, as Gregory the Theologian says, sons of Thunder, whose word has encompassed the Lord with simple heart will run very bounds of the good raceuniverse. If they keep their minds on a leashBy this grace, they will not draw even publicans are made merchants of souls; and even the wickedness burning zeal of persecutors is transformed, making them Pauls instead of Sauls, turning away the demons onto themselvesearth to attain ‘the third heaven’ and ‘hear ineffable things’. By this true wisdom we too can become conformed to the image of God and continue to be such after death.” —St. John ClimacusGregory Palamas, Triads in Defence of the Holy Hesychasts, Philosophy does not save, pages 29-30
“A hypocrite “We know that even the facts that a marriage means relations between a man and a woman and that a choice of gender is someone who teaches his neighbor something he makes no effort to do himselfnot an intellectual and volitional one, but a Divine choice, are now being disputed.” —StChildren are already being taught this. They are told: ‘You should choose yourself whether you are a boy or a girl’; that is, what was founded by God is being destroyed by people, ostensibly for the sake of freedom. Poemen
“I prefer a man who sins But then, what is freedom like? If freedom ruins the Divine plan of the world and repents to one who does of mankind, then it is not sin and does not repentfreedom, but slavery. The first has good thoughts, for he admits And we know that he is sinful. But the second has falsedevil enslaves a man, soul-destroying thoughts, for he imagines himself because the most dangerous captivity is to be righteousnot free from sin, when a person cannot live in accordance with his or her calling.” —Abba Poemen the Great—His Holiness Patriarch Kirill
“At meals don't speak about food: “Fiery lust, the desire for marriage, sexual union … and all the other things that's vulgar and unworthy of you. Speak about something noble , as most people think, the body seeks for -- of it is not the body as such … but the soul or of , which through the mind -- body seeks pleasure by their means… Let no one think he is being driven towards these things and you will have dignified this dutycompelled by his own body… the body cannot be moved to anything apart from the soul.” —Josemaria Escriva—St. Symeon the New Theologian
“When someone learns to acknowledge every man as being better than himself“Often this demon [of lust] goes away altogether for a while, then he has attained and one can have a false sense of security that one is ‘above’ this passion; but all the Holy Fathers warn that one cannot consider this passion conquered before the grave. Continue your struggle and take refuge in humility, seeing what base sins you are capable of and how you are lost without the constant help of God Who calls you to a life above these sins.” —St—Fr. Sisoes the GreatSeraphim Rose of Platina, Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works by Hieromonk Damascene, p. 803
“It “Pornography is a spiritual gift from God for a man to perceive his sinsthe devil's iconography.” —St—Fr. Isaac the SyrianSeraphim Rose of Platina
“The man who is deemed worthy “Just as the virtues are begotten in the soul, so are the passions. But the virtues are begotten in accordance with nature, the passions in a mode contrary to see himself nature. For what produces good or evil in the soul is greater than he who the will's bias… For our inner disposition is deemed worthy to see angelscapable of operating in one way or another, since it bears within itself both virtue and vice, the first as its natural birthright, the second as the result of the self-incurred proclivity of our moral will.” —St. Isaac the SyrianGregory of Sinai
“The truly blessed “Afflictions, illness, ill health and the pains that our bodies experience are not counted for the ones who can work miracles or see angels; remission of our trespasses. They are the truly blessed furnace in which we are the ones who can see their own sins.” purified…” —St. Anthony the GreatJohn Chrysostom
“The nearer heart of a perfectly healthy man draws becomes weakened for faith and love to Godand his neighbor, and easily gives itself up to carnal desires: to slothfulness, negligence, coldness, gluttony, avarice, fornication, pride. Whilst the more he sees himself heart of a sinnersick man, or a wounded, oppressed, weary heart, is strengthened in faith, hope, and love, and is far removed from carnal passions. It was when Isaiah This is why the prophet saw GodHeavenly Father, Who careth for our salvation, that he declared himself ‘a man chastises us by various sicknesses. The oppression and afflictions of unclean lipssickness make us turn again to God.’” ” —St. MateosJohn of Kronstadt
“The condition of peace among men “Gluttony says that her child is that each should keep a consciousness of his own wrongdoingwar against chastity.” —St. Silouan the AthoniteJohn Climacus
“The way “You can't stop smoking tobacco? What is impossible for man is possible with God's help. Just firmly decide to perfection quit, realizing how harmful it is through for the realization that we are blindsoul and the body, since tobacco weakens the soul, naked and poorincreases and strengthens the passions, darkens the mind, and destroys physical health with a slow death.” —St. Theophan Ambrose of Optina, Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the RecluseHoly Elders of Optina, pg. 70
“The perfect person does “If you wish to live long on the earth, do not only try hurry to live in a carnal manner, to satiate yourself, to avoid evil. Nor does he do good for fear of punishmentget drunk, to smoke, to commit fornication, still less to live in order luxury, to qualify for the hope of a promised rewardindulge yourself. The perfect person does good through love. His actions are not motivated by desire for personal benefit, so he does not have personal advantage as his aim. But as soon as he has realized the beauty carnal way of doing goodlife constitutes death, he does it with all his energies and therefore, in all that he does. He the Holy Scripture, our flesh is not interested in famecalled mortal, or a good reputation, or a human or divine reward‘the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. The rule of ’ If you wish to live long, live through the spirit; for life for a perfect person is to be consists in the image spirit: ‘If ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live,’ both here on earth and likeness of God.” —Stthere in heaven. Clement of Alexandria
“Every day at nightfallOne cannot eat and drink and smoke continually. One cannot turn human life into constant eating, drinking, and smoking, although there are men who do eat, before sleep comes upon youdrink, excite and smoke almost uninterruptedly; and thus the judgment spirit of your conscienceevil has turned life into smoking, demand an account from itand made the mouth, which ought to be employed in thanking and whatever evil counsels you may have taken during praising the day … pierce themLord, tear them to piecesinto a smoking furnace. The less and lighter the food and drink you take, the lighter and do penance for them.” —Stmore refined your spirit will become. John Chrysostom
“As Smoking is a whim. From this comes foot pain and depression. That the devil is the father of the cigarette I became more wretched you drew nearer especially figured out today: something impacted negatively upon me from head to toe. I felt that the enemy nested in my sides and in my heart and he opposed mestrongly, preventing me from saying the prayer, scaring me, paralyzing me and saddening me to the point of sin.” —St. Augustine
“Sin is By smoking an unclean spirit enters a person. Last night after smoking the devil made his presence felt through continuous hiccups which pestered me from the fruit time of free willthe Cherubic Hymn until a little before Holy Communion. There My nerves were stretched, my voice was ‘escaping’ me, I was shivering and I was exhausted. That's why smoking is futile. It is a time when sin did not existsilly whim, a desecration of the lips, a large and there will be unnecessary irritation, a time when it will not existfog that covers voluntarily.” —St. Isaac the Syrian
“Prove your love and zeal for wisdom in actual deedsThe taste of a cigarette I cannot compare to anything but something diabolical.” —St. Callistus XanthopoulosAnd how do I know this smoking? How do I allow myself to do something like this?
“Without loveI came to church, deedsfalling on my knees with a contrite heart before the Holy Altar. How could I serve my enemy every day and not the Lord with zeal? Lord, help me to be free from all evil, even the most brilliantbecause I am an evil man, dirty, count as nothingfull of sins.” —Thérèse de Lisieux
“Do The Lord knows our weaknesses. He is ready to forgive us everything, as long as we repent and seek forgiveness. The essential thing is that our hearts not leave unobliterated any faultbecome petrified, that is to stop hesitating to think of our committed sin, however smallto immediately repent, for it may lead you on and to leave ourselves to greater sinsthe mercy of God.” —St. Mark the AsceticJohn of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ
“Everyday I lay “Suffering is an indication of another Kingdom which we look to. If being a foundation for building my repentanceChristian meant being ‘happy’ in this life, and again with my own hands I demolish itwe wouldn't need the Kingdom of Heaven.” —St—Fr. Ephrem the SyrianSeraphim Rose of Platina
“Having fulfilled a commandment“Suffering reminds the wise man of God, expect temptations; because love toward Christ is tested by difficultiesbut crushes those who forget Him.” —St. Mark the Ascetic
“Do not be surprised “God permits tribulations and adversities to befall people – even the saintly – so that when you draw near to virtue, grievous they may persist in humility. But if we harden our hearts against adversities and intense tribulations come to you on all sides: for virtue is not considered virtue, He also hardens these tribulations against us. On the other hand if it does not involve hard workwe accept them in humility and with a contrite heart, God will mingle tribulation with mercy.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Directions on Spiritual Training, The Philokalia
“A certain brother had succumbed “But do not be troubled or sad. The Lord sometimes allows people who are devoted to the sin of lust, repeating Him to fall into such dreadful vices; and this is in order to prevent them from falling into a still greater sin every day, but every day he would also beseech the Lord's mercy, with tears and prayers– pride. By acting this way, his bad habit always fooled him Your temptation will pass and he would repeat you will spend the sin again; but again, after sinning, he would go to the Church and, upon seeing the holy and venerable icon remaining days of our Lord Jesus Christ, would fall to his knees and with bitter tears would say: ‘Spare me, Lord, and rid of me this tortuous temptation, because it plagues me terribly and harms me with its bitter pleasuresyour life in humility. My face is Only do not worthy to look upon Your holy icon, so that my heart might be consoledforget your sin.” —St.’Seraphim of Sarov
That was “We must be prepared to accept the sort will of thing he would say, but whenever he left the Church, he would again fall in the mireGod. Yet he never lost his hopes for salvation, and immediately after sinning, he would again return to the Church and say the same things, praying to the benevolent The Lord God: ‘Lord, be my warrantor that from now on I won't sin again; but please, Lord, forgive permits all sorts of my sins, from the beginning, up things to happen to now.’ And after making these grandiose promises, he would again return us contrary to the sameour will, terrible sin. And one could discern the sweet benevolence and infinite goodness of the Lordfor if we always have it our way, in tolerating and enduring this incorrigible and grave violation and we will not be prepared for the ingratitude Kingdom of this man, and how, in His great compassion, the Lord desired the repentance Heaven.” —Elder Thaddeus of this man and his definitive return; because this sin was being repeatedVitovnica, not for one, two or three years, but for ten and more."Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives"
Brothers“Similarly, can you see when the immeasurable tolerance sun goes down and infinite benevolence of the Lord? How He shows forbearance and kindness every timewhen it rises, when you are asleep or awake, by enduring our gross iniquities and sins? What is more staggering and provokes our wonder with regard give thanks to God's wealth of compassion, is that although our brother kept promising Who created and would agree arranged all things for your benefit--to desist from that sinhave you know, love, he proved himself a liarand praise their Creator.” —St. Basil the Great
One day“The Lord gives Himself freely, after our brother had fallen into that sin again, he went running to the Church, mourning and moaning and in tears, beseeching the compassion of the merciful God to spare him and save him from the mire of incontinencefor His mercy's sake alone. While I did not know this brother was begging the benevolent God, the wicked devil, the destruction of our souls, realized that he had achieved nothing, because while he was sewing with sin, the man was fraying it with his repentance. So the devil impudently appeared before him visibly, and, turning his face towards the venerable icon of our Lord Jesus Christ, started to cry out, saying: ‘What ‘s it going to be with us two, Jesus Christ? Your infinite sympathy defeats me and degrades me, whenever you accept this lecher, this wanton, who lies to you but now every day and disregards your authority. Why then don't you burn him? Why are You so forbearing and tolerant towards him? You are supposed to be the one who will judge the adulterous and the licentious and will eliminate all sinners. In factevery hour every minute, You are not a fair judge, because, wherever Your authority considers it befitting, You judge unfairly and You overlook things. With me, because of I see clearly the small infraction mercy of prideGod. The Lord gives peace even in sleep, you cast me down from heaven, whereas with him, who but without God there is a liar, a lecher and a prodigal, because he merely knelt before You, You imperturbably grant him Your favorno peace in the soul. So, why do they call You a fair judge? From what I can see, You simply give Yourself to people out of Your great goodness, and You overlook justice” —St.’ As Silouan the devil was saying these, all choked up by his bitterness, flames and smoke came out of his nostrils.Athonite
After the devil had finished speaking, he became silent, and immediately, a voice was “What should not be heard coming out of the altar saying: ‘You wicked and pestilent dragon, your wickedness wasn't satiated by swallowing the whole world, and now you are trying to grab and swallow this man who found refuge in the infinite mercy of My compassion? Can you present any sins that are heavier than the precious blood which I shed for this man, on the Cross? Mark well, that My crucifixion and My death forgave his sins. Besideslittle ears, you didn't send him away when he headed towards sin, but you accepted him with joy and you neither abhorred him nor hindered him, because you hoped to win him. Well then, I, Who am so merciful and benevolent, who had instructed my high Apostle Peter to forgive any man who sins daily up to seventy times seven, will I should not forgive and spare this man? Yes, I say to you, and because he sought refuge in Me, I will not turn away from him, until I have made him mine. Because I was crucified for the sinners and it was for them that I extended my immaculate arms, so that everyone who wants to be saved, will seek refuge in me and be saved. I do not avoid anyone, nor do I send anyone away, not even if someone sins a thousand times in one day and then comes to Me a thousand times; he won't leave dismayed. Because I did not come to call the righteous to repent, but the sinnerssaid by big mouths.’” —unknown
As soon “I am incurably convinced that the object of opening the mind, as these words were heard, of opening the devil stood fixed in placemouth, trembling, unable is to escape. And the voice spoke shut it again: ‘Listen, impostor, with regard to what you said about me being unfair : because I am fair to everyone, and in whichever condition I might find them, I will judge them accordingly. Look at this man, I found him in repentance and returning back, fallen on his knees in front of Me, and your conquerorsomething solid. I will therefore accept him and save his soul, because he did not despair about his salvation” —G. And you, when seeing the honor that I grant him, will impale yourself out of envy and be put to shameK.’Chesterton
And just as the brother lay there, prone and weeping, he gave up his soul; instantly, a fury as great as a fire fell upon the devil, and it consumed him. Therefore my brothers let us learn from this incident “What is slander? It is every sort of God's immeasurable compassion and philanthropy, what a kind God wicked word we have, and that would dare not speak in front of the person whom we must never despair or not tend to our salvationare complaining about.” —St—St. Amphilochios, On Masturbation and Anthony the Futility of DespairGreat
“Do not be surprised that “If you fall every day; do want to overcome the spirit of slander, blame not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the angel person who guards you will honor your patience. While a wound is still fresh and warm it is easy to healfalls, but old, neglected and festering ones are hard the demon that prompted them to cure, and require for their care much treatment, cutting, plastering and cauterization. Many from long neglect become incurable. But with God all things are possiblesin.” —St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 5, Section 30
“The life “You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the righteous was radiantheart of him who receives. All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other. We condemn others only because we shun knowing ourselves. How did When we gaze at our own failings, we see such a swamp that nothing in another can equal it become radiant if it wasn’t by patience? Love patience. That is why we turn away, and make much of the faults of others. Instead of condemning others, O monkstrive to reach inner peace. Keep silent, as refrain from judgment. This will raise you above the mother deadly arrows of courageslander, insult and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evil.” —St. Ephrem the SyrianSeraphim of Sarov
“Seek in everything the deep meaning“A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. All the events But there may be another who talks from morning till night and yet he is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that take place around us and with us have their meaning. Nothing happens without a cause…” —Stis not profitable. Nektary of Optina” —Abba Poemen
“…should we fall, we should not despair and so estrange ourselves from the Lord's love. For if He so chooses, He can deal mercifully with our weakness. Only we should not cut ourselves off from Him or feel oppressed when constrained by His commandments, nor should we lose heart when we fall short of our goal…let us always be ready “If your tongue is used to make a new start. If you fall, rise up. If you fall again, rise up again. Only do not abandon your Physicianchattering, lest you be condemned as worse than a suicide because of your despair. Wait on Him, heart will remain dim and He will be merciful, either reforming you, or sending you trials, or through some other provision foreign to the luminous intuitions of which you are ignorantthe Holy Spirit.” —St. Peter John of DamascusDalyatha
“Faintness of heart “He who does not control his tongue when he is a sign of despondencyangry, and negligence is the mother of both. A cowardly man shows that he suffers from two diseases: love of his flesh and lack of faith; for love of one's flesh is a sign of unbelief. But he who despises the love of the flesh proves that he believes in God with will not control his whole heart and awaits the age to come … A courageous heart and scorn of perils comes from one of two causes: passions either from hardness of heart or from great faith in God. Pride accompanies hardness of heart, but humility accompanies faith. A man cannot acquire hope in God unless he first does His will with exactness. For hope in God and manliness of heart are born of the testimony of the conscience, and by the truthful testimony of the mind we possess confidence towards God.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Homily 40—Abba Hyperchius
“Within the heart are unfathomable depths. The heart is a small vessel“Are you angry? Be angry at your sins, beat your soul, afflict your conscience, be strict in judgement and yet dragons and lions are therea terrible punisher of your own sins. And there also are poisonous creatures and all This is the treasures benefit of wickedness; rough and uneven paths are there and gaping chasms. Likewiseanger, wherefore God is there; there are angels, there is life and the Kingdom, there is light and the apostles and the heavenly cities and the treasures of grace. All things lie within that little spaceplaced it in us.” —St. Macarius the Great “Just as the Lord is solicitous about our salvationJohn Chrysostom, so too the murder of men, the devil, strives to lead a man into despair.Homilies on Ephesians 2
A lofty “These eight passions should be destroyed as follows: gluttony by self-control; unchastity by desire for God and longing for the blessings held in store; avarice by compassion for the poor; anger by goodwill and love for all men; worldly dejection by spiritual joy; listlessness by patience, perseverance and offering thanks to God; self-esteem by doing good in secret and by praying constantly with a contrite heart; and sound soul does pride by not despair over misfortunesjudging or despising anyone in the manner of the boastful Pharisee (cf. Luke 18 : 11–12), and by considering oneself the least of whatever sort they may beall men. Our When the intellect has been freed in this way from the passions we have described and been raised up to God, it will henceforth live the life is as of blessedness, receiving the pledge of the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 1 : 22). And when it were a house departs this life, dispassionate and full of temptations and trials; but we true knowledge, it will not renounce stand before the Lord for as long as He allows light of the tempter to remain Holy Trinity and with us and for as long as we must wait to be revived the divine angels will shine in glory through patience all eternity.” —St. John of Damascus, On the Virtues and secure passionless!the Vices, from The Philokalia: The Complete Text, Vol. 2
Judas the betrayer was fainthearted and unskilled in battle“We must consider all evil things, and so even the enemy, seeing his despairpassions which war against us, attacked him and forced him to hang himselfbe not our own, but Peter, of our enemy the devil. This is very important. You can only conquer a firm rock, passion when he fell into great sin, like one skilled in battle did you do not despair nor lose heart, but shed bitter tears from a burning heart, and the enemy, seeing these tears, his eyes scorched consider it as by fire, fled far form him wailing in painpart of you.” —St.Nikon of Optina
And so brothers, St“To reach satisfaction in alldesire its possession in nothing.To come to possession in alldesire the possession of nothing.To arrive at being alldesire to be nothing.To come to the knowledge of alldesire the knowledge of nothing. Antioch teaches, when despair attacks us let us To come to the pleasure you have notyou must go by the way in which you enjoy not yield .To come to it, but being strengthened and protected the knowledge you have notyou must go by the light of faith, with great courage let us say way in which you know not.To come to the evil spirit: ‘What possession you have notyou must go by the way in which you possess not.To come by the what you are notyou must go by a way in which you are not.When you turn toward somethingyou cease to us, estranged cast yourself upon the all.For to go from God, a fugitive from heaven and evil servant? You dare do nothing all to us. Christ, the Son allyou must deny yourself of God, has authority both over us and over everything. It is against Him that we have sinned, and before Him that we will be justifiedall in all. And when you come to the possession of the allyou, destroyer, leave usmust possess it without wanting anything. Strengthen by His venerable Cross, we trample under foot Because if you desire to have something in allyour treasure in God is not purely your serpent's head’ (St. Antioch Discourse 27)all.” —St. Seraphim John of Sarovthe Cross, Little Russian PhilokaliaAscent of Mount Carmel
“I think it needs “How we debase our God-like immortal soul by attaching ourselves to be pointed out with utmost charity that the religion perishable, tarnishable, fleeting glitter of compromise gold and silver, and by averting our gaze from the higher eternal, all-rejoicing light, or by attaching ourselves to corruptible sweetness that soon passes away, and is self-deception harmful and weakening both to soul and body, and that there exist today only two absolutely irreconcilable alternatives for man: faith in turning away our gaze from the eternal, spiritual sweetness; from the world and sweetness of the religion intuition of selfGod, whose fruit is death; and or to vain earthly glory, turning away our eyes from the glory of the faith in Christ higher heavenly calling: from the Son glory of God's children, in Whom alone is the heirs of the eternal lifeKingdom of God.O, earthly vanity! O, attachment to worldly things! Look upwards, Christian!” —Fr—St. Seraphim Rose John of PlatinaKronstadt, My Life in Christ
“Keep your mind “As in hell the theater, when the audience departs, and the kings remove their costumes, they are revealed to be what they are; so also when death arrives and the theater of this life is dissolved, everyone puts off their masks of wealth or poverty and do not despairdeparts. Some are revealed as truly wealthy, others poor.” —St. Silouan the AthoniteJohn Chrysostom
“Stand at “A sinful soul, full of passions, cannot have peace and rejoice in the brink of Lord, even if it had charge over all earthly riches, even if it ruled over the abyss of despairwhole world. If it was suddenly said to such a king, happily feasting and when sitting on his throne, 'King, now you will die,' his soul would be troubled and he would tremble with fear, and he would see that his powerlessness. But how many beggars there are, whose only wealth is love for God, and who, if you cannot bear it anymoresaid to them, 'You will die now,' would answer peacefully, draw back a little'Let God's will be done. Glory to the Lord, that He has remembered me and have a cup of teawants to take me to Himself.'” —Elder Sophrony of Essex—St. Silouan the Athonite
“So “Sometimes in every testthe affliction of your soul you wish to die. It is easy to die, and does not take long; but are you prepared for death? Remember that after death the Judgment of your whole life will follow. You are not prepared for death, and if it were to come to you, let us you would shudder all over. Therefore do not waste words in vain. Do not say: "Thank ‘It is better for me to die,’ but say rather, ‘How can I prepare for death in a Christian manner?’ By means of faith, by means of good works, and by bravely bearing the miseries and sorrows that happen to you, my Godso as to be able to meet death fearlessly, peacefully, and without shame, not as a rigorous law of nature, because this was needed for my salvationbut as a fatherly call of the eternal, heavenly, holy, and blessed Father unto the everlasting kingdom."” —Elder Paisios —St. John of Mt. AthosKronstadt
“Only “Nevertheless one who regards only the benumbed soul doesn't praydissolution of the body is greatly disturbed, and makes it a hardship that this life of ours should be dissolved by death; it is, he says, the extremity of evil that our being should be quenched by this condition of mortality. Preserve in yourselves Let him, then, observe through this gloomy prospect the feeling excess of need, and you will always have stimulation for prayerthe Divine benevolence.” ”” —St. Theophan the RecluseGregory of Nyssa, The Great Catechism, §VIII
“Make sure “Man is, by nature, afraid of both death and the dissolution of the body; but there is this most startling fact: that you do he who has put on the faith of the Cross despises even what is naturally fearful, and for Christ's sake is not limit your prayer merely to a particular part afraid even of the day. Turn to prayer at anytimedeath.” —St John Chrysostom. Athanasius the Great
“The “Limitless and without consolation would have been our sorrow for close ones who are dying, if the Lord knows that I love you had not given us eternal life. Our life would be pointless if it ended with death. What benefit would there then be from virtue and good deed? Then they would be correct who say: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’ But man was created for immortality, and by His resurrection Christ opened the gates of the Heavenly Kingdom, of eternal blessedness for those who have believed in Him and have lived righteously. Our earthly life is a preparation for the future life, and this preparation ends with our death. ‘It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment’ (Heb 9:27). Then a man leaves allhis earthly cares; the body disintegrates, but I cannot speak with God and people in order to rise anew at the same timeGeneral Resurrection. Often this spiritual vision begins in the dying even before death, and while still seeing those around them and even speaking with them, they see what others do not see.” —St. Arsanius the GreatJohn (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily on Life After Death
“A Christian…is not his own master“Let the crowds of wild beasts; he puts his time at God's disposallet tearings, breakings, and dislocations of bones; let cutting off of members; let shatterings of the whole body; and let all the dreadful torments of the devil come upon me: only let me attain to Jesus Christ.” —St. Ignatius of Antioch
“Do not seek “Man’s will, out of cowardice, tends away from suffering, and man, against his own will, remains utterly dominated by the perfection fear of the Law death, and, in human virtueshis desire to live, for it is not found perfect in them. Its perfection is hidden in the Cross of Christclings to his slavery to pleasure.” —St. Mark Maximus the AsceticConfessor
“The knowledge of the Cross is concealed “Sin makes man a coward; but a life in the sufferings Truth of the CrossChrist makes Him bold.” —St. Isaac John Chrysostom, Homilies on the SyrianStatues, VIII. 2
“It “Of all the good things in the world, life is dearest to men, and men love life better than truth, although there is no life in truth. The highest good, then, is life, but truth is the foundation of life. He who loves life must also love truth. But what is impossible the way to believe truth? 'I am the way', says the Lord. 'I am the way', that Christ none should think that there is Risensome other way to the truth besides the Lord Jesus. It was for that He was born as a man: to show men the way. And for this that He was crucified, while we are afraid of death…” to make the way plain by His blood.” —St. Gregory PalamasNikolai Velimirovich
“God had one son “See how many and great the evils it has brought on earth without sinus – this self-justification, this holding fast to our own will, this obstinacy in being our own guide. All this was the product of that hateful arrogance towards God. Whereas the products of humility are self-accusation, distrust in our own sentiments, but never hatred of our own will. By these one is made worthy of being redeemed, of having his human nature restored to its proper state, through the cleansing operation of Christ's holy precepts. Without humility it is impossible to obey the Commandments or at any time to go towards anything good. As Abba Mark says: without sufferinga contrite heart it is impossible to be free from wickedness or to acquire virtue.” —St. AugustineDorotheos of Gaza, Discourses and Sayings
“Nevertheless one who regards only the dissolution of the body is greatly disturbed, and makes it a hardship that this life of ours should be dissolved by death; it is, he says“Begin gradually, the extremity of evil that our being should be quenched by this condition of mortalitydo not trust yourself. Let himDo not depend on your own understanding, thenreject your will, observe through this gloomy prospect and the excess of the Divine benevolenceLord will give you true understanding.”” ” —St. Gregory Macarius of Nyssa, The Great CatechismOptina, §VIIILiving Without Hypocrisy
“Man is“If you deny yourself and constantly renounce your own opinions, your own will, your own righteousness-or what amounts to the same thing: the knowledge, understanding, by naturewill, afraid and righteousness of both death and fallen nature-in order to plant within you the dissolution knowledge of God, the body; but there is this most startling fact: that he who has put on will of God, and the faith righteousness of God taught us in the Cross despises even what is naturally fearfulholy Gospel by God Himself, then fallen nature will open fire within you and declare a savage war against the Gospel and for Christ's sake is not afraid even against God. Fallen spirits will come to the help of deathfallen nature.” —St. Athanasius the Great
“Let Do not fall into despondency on this account. By your firmness in the struggle, show the tenacity of your purpose and the crowds stability of wild beasts; let tearingsyour free will. When thrown down, get up. When duped and disarmed, breakingsrearm yourself afresh. When defeated, again rush to the fight. It is extremely good for you to see within yourself both your own fall and dislocations of bones; let cutting off of members; let shatterings the fall of the whole body; of mankind. It is essential for you to recognize and study this fall in your own experience, in your heart and let all mind. It is essential for you to see the dreadful torments infirmity of your knowledge and intellect, and the devil come upon me: only let me attain to Jesus Christweakness of your will.” —St. Ignatius Brianchaninov (Bryanchaninov) of AntiochCaucasus, The Arena, chapter 8
“Everything will happen suddenly“Do not fall into despair because of stumbling. It may even happen tonightI do not mean that you should not feel contrition for them, but that you should not think them incurable. Maybe For it is more expedient to be bruised than dead. There is, indeed, a Healer for the man who has begun already? Today you are deprived stumbled, even He Who on the Cross asked that mercy be shown to His crucifiers, He Who pardoned His murders while He hung on the Cross. ‘All manner of one thingsin’, tomorrow of another. God He said, ‘and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men’, that is giving it to us a little at a time, and we stupid people don’t understandthrough repentance.” —St.Isaac the Syrian
I “Do not say this to you : ‘I have sinned much, and therefore I counsel you, even if the sky were am not bold enough to fall downbefore God.’ Do not despair. Simply do not increase your sins in despair and, even if with the help of the earth would rise upAll-merciful One, even if the whole world were destroyedyou will not be put to shame. For He said, as it is due ‘he who comes to do Me I will not cast out.’ (John. 6:37) And so, today, tomorrow, don’t be concerned with what God bold and believe that He is going pure and cleanses those who draw near to doHim. Let them burn If you want to accomplish true repentance, show it with your bodydeeds. If you have fallen into pride, show humility; if into drunkenness, let them fry show sobriety; if into defilement, show purity of life. For itis said, let them take your possessions – don’t concern yourself‘Turn away from evil and do good.’ (I Pet. Give them away – they are not yours3:11)” —St. Gennadios (II) Scholarios, Patriarch of Constantinople, The Golden Chain, The Golden Chain, 87-89
You need your soul and Christ. Even if “The natural passions become good in those who struggle when, wisely unfastening them from the things of the whole world were flesh, use them to fall apart, no one gain heavenly things. For example they can take these two change appetite into the movement of a spiritual longing for divine things away from you against your will. Guard these two, ; pleasure into pure joy for the cooperation of the mind with divine gifts; fear into care to evade future misfortune due to sin and don’t loose themsadness into corrective repentance for present evil.” —St. Kosmas AitolosMaximus the Confessor
“Certainly in times of tranquility “How good it is to conquer the cross should give you joy. But maintain passions! After the same faith in times of persecution. Otherwise you will be a friend of Jesus in times victory one feels such lightness of heart, such peace and his enemy during war.greatness of spirit!” —St. Cyril John of JerusalemKronstadt
“Only struggle a little more. Carry your cross without complaining. Don't think you are anything special. Don't justify your sins and weaknesses, but see yourself as you really are. And, especially“He who believes, love one anotherfears; he who fears is humble; he who is humble becomes gentle.” —Fr—St. Seraphim Rose of PlatinaMaximus the Confessor
“Remember that each of us has his own cross. The Golgotha of this cross “For every humble person is our heart: it gentle, and every gentle person is being lifted or implanted through a zealous determination to live according to the Spirit of Godinvariably humble. Just as salvation of the world A person is by the Cross of God, so our salvation humble when he knows that his very being is by our crucifixion on our own crossloan to him.” —St. Theophan Maximus the RecluseConfessor
“Everyone carries their own cross, both Christians and non-Christians, believers and pagans. The difference is that for some, their crosses serve “A humble person lives on earth as a means of attaining if in the Kingdom of Heaven- always happy, while for the others they bring no such value. For the Christian, the cross gradually becomes lighter peaceful and more joyful, while for the nonbeliever it becomes heavier and more burdensomesatisfied with everything. Why is this so? Because where the one carries their cross with faith and devotion to God, the other carries it with grumbling and anger” —St.Anthony of Optina
Therefore, Christian, do not shun your lifelong cross“Not every quiet man is humble, but, on the contrary, thank Jesus Christ that He honored you to follow and imitate Himevery humble man is quiet.” —St. Innocent of Alaska, Indication Of The Way Into The Kingdom Of HeavenIsaac the Syrian
“Everyone has a cross “If you wish to carry. Why? Since be truly humble, then consider yourself lower than all, worthy of being trampled on by all; for you yourself daily, hourly trample upon the leader law of our faith endured the crossLord, we will also endure it. On one hand, the cross is sweet and light, but, on therefore upon the other, it can also be bitter and heavyLord Himself. It depends on our will. If you bear Christ’s cross with love then it will be very light; like a sponge or a cork” —St. But if you have a negative attitude, it becomes heavy; too heavy to lift.” —Elder Ephraim John of Katounakia, 20th Century staretz on Mt. Athos, Suffering; TrialsKronstadt
“When you meet with suffering“You wish to be great, contemptbegin from the least. You are thinking to construct some mighty fabric in height; first think of the foundation of humility. And how great soever a mass of building one may wish and design to place above it, the Crossgreater the building is to be, your thought should be: what is this compared with what I deserve?the deeper does he dig his foundation.” —Josemaria Escriva—St. Augustine of Hippo
“Many people, finding daily life unsatisfying, try to live in a fantasy world “In them [the Lives of their own. Underlying the whole of modern culture Saints] it is clearly and obviously demonstrated: There is no spiritual death from which one cannot be resurrected by the common denominator Divine power of the worship of oneself risen and one's own comfortascended Lord Christ; there is no torment, there is no misfortune, there is no misery, there is no suffering which is deadly to any idea the Lord will not change either gradually or all at once into quite, compunctionate joy because of spiritual lifefaith in Him.” —Fr—St. Seraphim Rose of PlatinaJustin Popovich
“A servant of the Lord is he who in body stands before men, but in mind knocks at Heaven with prayer.” —St. John Climacus “In the Christian East – in fact, in the East in general – we love old age because we think that it is made for praying. When one is old, and feels the nearness of God across the increasingly transparent surface of biological life, one becomes in consciousness a child, returned to the Father, made light in spirit by the proximity of death, transparent to another kind of light. A civilization in which one no longer prays is a civilization in which old age has no meaning. One walks backward towards death, pretending to be young; it’s an agonizing spectacle, because a wonderful possibility is offered, a journey towards ultimate relinquishment, and it is not taken advantage of. We need old people who pray, who smile, who live with a disinterested love, who marvel; they alone can show young people that that living is worth the effort, and that oblivion is not the last word. Every monk whose spiritual practice has born fruit is called in the East, whatever his age, 'a beautiful old man.' He is beautiful with the beauty that rises from the heart. In him all the periods of his life have come into harmony, as with a symphony, one might say. And especially the original child is found again: shining with a transfigured shining, the beautiful old man has the eyes of a child.” —Olivier Clément “It is of great significance if there is a person who truly prays in a family. Prayer attracts God's grace and all the members of the family feel it, even those whose hearts have grown cold. Pray always.” —Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica “A Christian should never and for no reason worry, for God's Providence carries him in its arms. Our only care should be that we would ever remain faithful to the Lord.” —St. Ignatius Brianchaninov (Bryanchaninov) of Caucasus “Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.” —St. John Chrysostom “He who angers you, controls you!” —Bishop Melchisedek Pleska “[The desire for] equality is from the Devil, because it comes entirely from envy.” —Fr. Alexander Schmemann “In your prayer seek only righteousness and the kingdom of God, that is, virtue and spiritual knowledge; and everything else 'will be given to you' (Matt. 6:33).” —St. Evagrius of Ponticus “Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.” —St. Ephrem the Syrian “Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.” —St. John Chrysostom “The goodness of God is so rich in graces, that it seeks a cause to have mercy on a person.” —St. Anthimus of Chios “The Holy Spirit has accomplishing in each believer the work of Christ. Each Christian is a communicant of the spirit. This is something so necessary, that in fact whoever does not have the Spirit is not of Christ.” —St. Theophan the Recluse “The Church is nothing but the world on the way to deification; for the Church, the world is no longer a tomb but a womb.” —Olivier Clément “The church is an earthly heaven in which the super-celestial God dwells and walks about. ” —St. Germanus of Constantinople “Nothing is more abiding than the Church: she is your salvation; she is your refuge.” —St. John Chrysostom “There is no need to weep much over the destruction of a church; after all, each of us, according to God's mercy, has or should have his own church - the heart - go in there and pray, as much as you have strength and time. If this church is not well made and is abandoned (without inward prayer), then the visible church will be of little benefit.” —Archbishop Barlaam “Our prayer reflects our attitude towards God. He who is careless of salvation has a different attitude toward God from him who has abandoned sin and is zealous for virtue but has not yet entered within himself and works for the Lord only outwardly. Finally, he who has entered within and carries the Lord within himself, standing before Him, has yet another attitude. The first man is negligent in prayer, just as he is negligent in life, and he prays in church and at home merely according to the established custom, without attention or feeling. The second man reads many prayers and goes often to church, trying at the same time to keep his attention from wandering and to experience feelings in accordance with the prayers which are read, although he is seldom successful. The third man, wholly concentrated within, stands with his mind before God, and prays to Him in his heart without distraction, without long verbal prayers, even when standing for a long time at prayer in his home or in church. … Every prayer must come from the heart and any other prayer is no prayer at all. Prayer-book prayers, your own prayers and very short prayers, all must issue forth from the heart to God, seen before you.” —St. Theophan the Recluse “It is very important to know how to pray. Many times even we, the monks in the monasteries, pray, but we only think we pray. It is not enough to attend the church services and just be there like that would be enough. We have to work the prayer from the inside out. No matter how many prayers we say with our mouth, it is nothing if the prayer is not coming from the heart and if we don't apply the teachings of Orthodoxy in our everyday life. Now more than ever, lay people have to pray from the heart, because this will be our only salvation. In the heart is the root of all passions and that is where we need to direct our struggles. If in the later years Christianity became lukewarm and superficial, we have to end all that now, this is not going to be enough anymore. If we will not pray from the heart, we will not be able to sustain the psychological attacks, because the evil one has hidden brainwashing methods that are unknown to us. The greatest sin today is carelessness. We pray carelessly, we repent carelessly, even if we do it. Times will come when only the ones that have the Spirit of God will be able to know good from evil. The human mind itself on its own will not be able to tell the difference. There will be great deceptions and only the Holy Spirit will give us the discernment we need so we can save ourselves. Pray that you will not be deceived! Only through prayer can we receive the Holy Spirit. If we don't pray and just persevere in our laziness and unrepentant ways, we will completely lose the Holy Spirit and His guidance. May it not be that we lose the guidance of the Holy Spirit!” —Elder Justin (Pârvu) of Romania, The truth about the times–Spirituality of the end of times, 2010 “It is sometimes well during prayer to say a few words of your own, breathing fervent faith and love to the Lord. Yes, let us not always converse with God in the words of others, not always remain children in faith and hope; we must also show our own mind, indite a good matter from our own heart also. Moreover, we grow too accustomed to the words of others and grow cold in prayer. And how pleasing this lipsing of our own is, coming from a believing, loving, and thankful heart. It is impossible to explain this; it is only needful to say that when you are praying to God with your own words the soul trembles with joy, it becomes wholly inflamed, vivified, and beatified. You will utter few words, but you will experience such blessedness as you would not have obtained saying the longest most touching prayers of others, pronounced out of habit and insincerely.” —St. John of Kronstadt “This is how you pray continually – not by offering prayer in words, but by joining yourself to God through your whole way of life, so that your life becomes one continuous and uninterrupted prayer.” —St. Basil the Great “Chastisement through the trials imposed on us is a spiritual rod, teaching us humility when in our foolishness we think too much of ourselves.” —St. Thalassios the Libyan “Goodness is not confirmed without trial. Every Christian is tested by something: one by poverty, another by illness, a third by various thoughts, a fourth by some calamity or humiliation, while another by various doubts. And, through this, firmness of faith, hope and love of God are tested.” —St. Ambrose of Optina “Sometimes men are tested by pleasure, sometimes by distress or by physical suffering. By means of His prescriptions the Physician of souls administers the remedy according to the cause of the passions lying hidden in the soul.” —St. Maximus the Confessor, Philokalia “If you want, or rather intend, to take a splinter out of another person, then do not hack at it with a stick instead of a lancet, for you will only drive it in deeper.” —St. John Climacus “To exalt oneself is one thing, not to do so another, and to humble oneself is something less entirely. A man may always be passing judgement on others, while another man passes judgement neither on others nor on himself. A third, however, though actually guiltless, may always be passing judgement on himself.” —St. John Climacus “If a man accuses himself, he is protected on all sides.” —St. Poemen “It is not then wealth that is the foundation of pleasure, nor poverty of sadness, but our own judgment and the fact that the eyes of our mind neither see clearly nor remain fixed in one place, but flutter abroad.” —St. John Chrysostom “One who knows oneself, knows God: and one who knows God is worthy to worship Him as is right. Therefore, my beloveds in the Lord, know yourselves.” —St. Anthony the Great “God is truth and light, God's judgement is nothing else than our coming into contact with truth and light. In the day of the Great Judgement all men will appear naked before this penetrating light of truth. The ‘books’ will be opened. What are these ‘books’? They are our hearts. Our hearts will be opened by the penetrating light of God, and what is in these hearts will be revealed. If in those hearts there is love for God, those hearts will rejoice in seeing God's light. If, on the contrary, there is hatred for God in those hearts, these men will suffer by receiving on their opened hearts this penetrating light of truth which they detested all their life. So that which will differentiate between one man and another will not be a decision of God, a reward or a punishment from Him, but that which was in each one's heart; what was there during all our life will be revealed in the Day of Judgement. If there is a reward and a punishment during this revelation – and there really is – it does not come from God but from the love or hate which reigns in our heart. Love has bliss in it, hatred has despair, bitterness, grief, affliction, wickedness, agitation, confusion, darkness, and all the other interior conditions which compose hell.” —St. Symeon the New Theologian “In whatever state a person is, he sometimes finds himself making pure and intense prayers. For even from that first and lowest sort, which has to do with recalling the future judgment, the one who is still subject to the punishment of terror and the fear of judgment is occasionally so struck with compunction that he is filled with no less joy of spirit from the richness of his supplication than the one who, examining the kindnesses of God and going over them in the purity of his heart, dissolves into unspeakable gladness and delight. For, according to the words of the Lord, the one who realizes that more has been forgiven him begins to love more.” —St. John Cassian “If a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred.” —C. S. Lewis “The pure heart sees God as in a mirror.” —Abba Philemon “The blessedness of seeing God is justly promised to the pure of heart. For the eye that is unclean would not be able to see the brightness of the true light, and what would be happiness to clear minds would be a torment to those that are defiled. Therefore, let the mists of worldly vanities be dispelled, and the inner eye be cleansed of all the filth of wickedness, so that the soul's gaze may feast serenely upon the great vision of God.” —St. Leo the Great “God rests within gentle hearts. The gentle and merciful shall sit fearless in His regions, and will inherit Heavenly glory.” —St. John Climacus “That which the word communicates by sound, the painting shows silently by representation.” —St. Basil the Great, on the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste “Do not call God just, for His justice is not manifest in the things concerning you. And if David calls Him just and upright (cf. Ps. 24:8, 144:17), His Son revealed to us that He is good and kind. ‘He is good,’ He says, ‘to the evil and to the impious’ (cf. Luke 6:35). How can you call God just when you come across the Scriptural passage on the wage given to the workers? ‘Friend, I do thee no wrong I will give unto this last even as unto thee. Is thine eye evil because I am good?’ (Matt. 20:12-15). How can a man call God just when he comes across the passage on the prodigal son who wasted his wealth with riotous living, how for the compunction alone which he showed, the father ran and fell upon his neck and gave him authority over all his wealth? (Luke 15:11 ff.). None other but His very Son said these things concerning Him, lest we doubt it; and thus He bare witness concerning Him. Where, then, is God's justice, for whilst we are sinners Christ died for us! (cf. Rom. 5:8). But if here He is merciful, we may believe that He will not change.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Homily LX “God chastises with love, not for the sake of revenge---far be it!---but in seeking to make whole his image. And he does not harbour wrath until such time as correction is no longer possible, for he does not seek vengeance for himself. This is the aim of love. Love's chastisement is for correction, but does not aim at retribution. … The man who chooses to consider God as avenger, presuming that in this manner he bears witness to His justice, the same accuses Him of being bereft of goodness. Far be it that vengeance could ever be found in that Fountain of love and Ocean brimming with goodness!” —St. Isaac the Syrian “Among all God's actions there is none which is not entirely a matter of mercy, love and compassion: this constitutes the beginning and end of His dealings with us.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “We must hate avarice, self-esteem and sensual pleasure, as mothers of the vices and stepmothers of the virtues. Because of them we are commanded not to love ‘the world’ and ‘the things that are in the world’ (1 John 2:15); not so that we should hate God's creation through lack of discernment, but so that we should eliminate the occasions for these three passions.” —St. Mark the Ascetic “‘The world’ is the general name for all the passions. When we wish to call the passions by a common name, we call them the world. But when we wish to distinguish them by their special names, we call them the passions. The passions are the following: love of riches, desire for possessions, bodily pleasure from which comes sexual passion, love of honour which gives rise to envy, lust for power, arrogance and pride of position, the craving to adorn oneself with luxurious clothes and vain ornaments, the itch for human glory which is a source of rancour and resentment, and physical fear. Where these passions cease to be active, there the world is dead… Someone has said of the Saints that while alive they were dead; for though living in the flesh, they did not live for the flesh. See for which of these passions you are alive. Then you will know how far you are alive to the world and how far you are dead to it.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “Always have the fear of God before your eyes. Remember Him who gives death and lives. Hate the world and all that is in it. Hate the peace that comes from the flesh. Renounce this life, so that you may be alive to God.” —St. Anthony the Great “Thus let us live to Him Who while He dies for us is Life; and let us die to ourselves that we may live to Christ; for we cannot live to Him unless first we die to ourselves, that is, to our wills. Let us be Christ's and not our own; ‘for we are not our own, for we are bought at a Great Price’ (1 Cor. 6. 19-20), and truly a Great One, when the Lord is given for a slave, the King for a servant, and God for man. What ought we to render ourselves, if the Creator of the universe for us ungodly men, yet His creation, is unjustly put to death? Do you think you ought not to die to sin? Certainly you ought. Therefore let us die, let us die for the sake of life, since Life dies for the dead, so that we may be able to say with Paul, ‘I live, yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me’ (Gal. 2. 20), He Who for me has died; for that is the cry of the elect. But none can die to himself, unless Christ lives in him; but if Christ be in him, he cannot live to himself. Live in Christ, that Christ may live in you.” —St. Columbanus of Bobbio, Sermons of Columbanus of Bobbio, Sermon X:2 “Just as a man whose head is under water cannot inhale pure air, so a man whose thoughts are plunged into the cares of this world cannot absorb the sensation of the world to come.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “We don't understand that happiness is in eternity and not in vanity.” —St. Paisios of Mt. Athos “Why do you beat the air and run in vain? Every occupation has a purpose, obviously. Tell me then, what is the purpose of all the activity of the world? Answer, I challenge you! It is vanity of vanity: all is vanity.” —St. John Chrysostom “Many times we call ourselves sinners, not in truth, but for showing off and vainglory, so that others will praise us for being humble, for if someone calls us a sinner, we become upset.” —St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite “An evident sinner will turn towards good more easily than a secret sinner hiding under the cloak of visible virtues.” —St. Theophan the Recluse “The sun shines on all alike, and vanity springs out in front of each virtue. When, for example, I keep a fast – I am given over to vanity, and when I in concealing the fasting from others permit myself food, I am again given over to vanity – by my prudence. Dressing up in bright clothing, I am vanquished by love of honour and, having changed over into drab clothing – I am overcome by vanity. If I stand up to speak – I fall under the power of vanity. If I wish to keep silence, I am again given over to it. Wherever this thorn comes up, it everywhere stands with its points upwards. It is vainglorious…, on the surface to honour God, and in deed to strive to please people rather than God… People of lofty spirit bear insult placidly and willingly, but to hear praise and feel nothing of pleasure is possible only for the saints and for the unblameworthy… When thou hearest, that thy neighbour or friend either afront the eyes or behind the eyes slandereth thee, praise and love him… Does this not shew humility, and who can reproach himself, and be intolerant with himself? But who, having been discredited by another, would not diminish in his love for him… Whoever is exalted by natural gifts – a felicitous mind, a fine education, reading, pleasant elocution and other similar qualities, which are readily enough acquired, that person might yet never obtain to supernatural gifts. Wherefore whoever is not faithful in the small things, that one also is not faithful in the large, and is vainglorous. It often happens, that God Himself humbles the vainglorious, sending a sudden misfortune… If prayer does not destroy a proud thought, we bring to mind the leaving of the soul from this life. And if this does not help, we threaten it with the shame of the Last Judgement. ‘Rising up to humble oneself’ even here, before the future age. When praisers, or better – flatterers, start to praise us, immediately we betake ourselves to recollection of all our iniquities and we find, that we are not at all worth that which they impute to us.” —St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 22 “The whole year will be fortunate for you, not if you are drunk on the new-moon [New Year' Day], but if both on [that day] and each day, you do those things approved by God. For days come wicked and good, not from their own nature; for a day differs nothing from another day, but from our zeal and sluggishness. If you perform righteousness, then the day becomes good to you; if you perform sin, then it will be evil and full of retribution. If you contemplate these things, and are so disposed, you will consider the whole year favourable, performing prayers and charity every day; but if you are careless of virtue for yourself, and you entrust the contentment of your soul to beginnings of months and numbers of days, you will be desolate of everything good unto yourself.” —St. John Chrysostom “Let your demeanour, your dress, your walking, your sitting down, the nature of your food, the quality of your being, your house and what it contains, aim at simplicity. And let your speech, your singing, your manner with your neighbour, let these things also be in accord with humility rather than with vanity. In your words let there be no empty pretense, in your singing no excess sweetness, in conversation be not ponderous or overbearing. In everything refrain from seeking to appear important. Be a help to your friends, kind to the ones with whom you live, gentle to your servant, patient with those who are troublesome, loving towards the lowly, comforting those in trouble, visiting those in affliction, never despising anyone, gracious in friendship, cheerful in answering others, courteous, approachable to everyone, never speaking your own praises, nor getting others to speak of them, never taking part in unbecoming conversations, and concealing where you may whatever gifts you possess.” —St. Basil the Great “For what purpose does the Lord add day after day, year after year, to our existence? In order that we may gradually put away, cast aside, evil from our souls, each one his own, and acquire blessed simplicity; in order that we may become, for instance, gentle as lambs, simple as infants; in order that we may learn not to have the least attachment to earthly things, but like loving, simple children, may cling with all our hearts to God alone, and love Him with all our hearts, all our souls, all our strength, and all our thoughts, and our neighbor as ourselves. Let us hasten, therefore, to pray to the Lord, fervently and tearfully, to grant us simplicity of heart, and let us strive by every means to cast out the evil from our souls - for instance, evil suspiciousness, malevolence, malignity, malice, pride, arrogance, boastfulness, scornfulness, impatience, despondency, despair, irascibility and irritability, fearfulness and faint-heartedness, envy, avarice, gluttony, and satiety; fornication, mental and of the heart, and actual fornication; the love of money, and in general the passion for acquisition; slothfulness, disobedience, and all the dark horde of sins. Lord, without Thee we can do nothing! Bless us Thyself in this work, and give us the victory over our enemies and our passions. So be it!” —St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ “If you are a scholar, a student in any educational establishment, or an official in some ministry, an officer in any of the branches of the military service, or a technologist, a painter, a sculptor, a manufacturer, a mechanic – remember that the first science for each one of you is to be a true Christian, to believe sincerely in the Holy Trinity, to converse daily with God in prayer, to take part in the Divine service, to observe the rules and regulations of the Church, and to bear in your heart, before your work, during your work, and after your work, the name of Jesus, for He is our light, our strength, our holiness, and our help.” —St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ: Part II, Holy Trinity Monastery, pg. 286 “Watch your heart during all your life – examine it, listen to it, and see what prevents its union with the most blessed Lord. Let this be for you the science of all sciences, and with God’s help, you will easily observe what estranges you from God, and what draws you towards Him and unites you to Him. It is the evil spirit more than anything that stands between our hearts and God; he estranges God from us by various passions, or by the desire of the flesh, by the desires of the eyes, and by worldly pride.” —St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ “Have you ever observed the life of the heart? Try it even for a short time and see what you find. Something unpleasant happens, and you get irritated; some misfortune occurs, and you pity yourself; you see someone whom you dislike, and animosity wells up within you; you meet one of your equals who has now outdistanced you on the social scale, and you begin to envy him; you think of your talents and capabilities, and you begin to grow proud… All this is rottenness: vainglory, carnal desire, gluttony, laziness, malice – one on top of the other, they destroy the heart.” —St. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco “Always to want your own way, becoming accustomed to having it, always to seek the easy path – all this leads straight to depression. But love, quietness, and contemplation of the inner life cleanse our hearts.” —Sayings of the Egyptian Fathers “As water and fire oppose one another when combined, so are self-justification and humility opposed to one another.” —St. Mark the Ascetic “Fire and water do not mix, neither can you mix judgment of others with the desire to repent. If a man commits a sin before you at the very moment of his death, pass no judgment, because the judgment of God is hidden from men. It has happened that men have sinned greatly in the open but have done greater deeds in secret, so that those who would disparage them have been fooled, with smoke instead of sunlight in their eyes.” —St. John Climacus “Christians, above all men, are forbidden to correct the stumblings of sinners by force… it is necessary to make a man better not by force but by persuasion. God gives the crown to those who are kept from evil, not by force, but by choice.” —St. John Chrysostom “I have seen pride lead to humility. And I remembered him who said: Who hath known the mind of the Lord? The pit and offspring of conceit is a fall; but a fall is often an occasion of humility for those who are willing to use it to their advantage.” —St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 15, Section 38 “Humility is the only thing that no devil can imitate.” —St. John Climacus “It was pride that changed angels into devils.” —St. Augustine of Hippo “An angel fell from Heaven without any other passion except pride, and so we may ask whether it is possible to ascend to Heaven by humility alone, without any other of the virtues.” —St. John Climacus “Run from pride, for it is a passion more treacherous than any other.” —St. John Chrysostom “Pride more than anything else, deprives people of both their good deeds and help from God. Where there is no humility, pride takes its place.” —St. Macarius of Optina “‘Exile is separation from everything in order to keep the mind inseparable from God. An exile loves and produces continual weeping.’ From Paradise, we must become exiled from the world if we hope to return.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina “Prayer is superior to all good works. It begets tears of repentance, greatly contributes to peace in one’s thoughts, leads one to think only of God Who is the ultimate Peace, and brings forth the love of God. Prayer alone purifies the rational part of the soul through the vision of God, Who causes the purification of the angels; it also preserves the desiring part of the soul in purity before God.” —St. Kallistos Telikoudes, On the Practice of Hesychasm, The Philokalia, Vol. 5 “Time is continually passing; it is decreasing more and more. Every day that passes is another step toward death. We should know that even one tear of repentance is equivalent to a spiritual bath. Just as the body feels refreshed when it bathes, and just as clothes become clean when they are washed, similarly, the tears of a repentant soul purify the heart, purify the mind, purify the body, purify life, purify speech, and purify a person’s every action. Let us kneel and pray with extreme humility! Every repentant soul is given words: it is granted enlightened prayer.” —Elder Ephraim of Philotheou and Arizona “Day and night I pray the Lord for love, and the Lord gives me tears to weep for the whole world. But if I find fault with any man, or look on him with an unkind eye, my tears will dry up, and my soul sink into despondency. Yet do I begin again to entreat forgiveness of the Lord, and the Lord in His mercy forgives me, a sinner. Brethren, before the face of my God I write: Humble your hearts, and while yet on this earth you will see the mercy of the Lord, and know your Heavenly Creator, and your souls will never have their fill of love.” —St. Silouan the Athonite “Here are those of whom I speak and who are called heretics by me. They are the ones who say that in our present age there is no one in our midst who is able to observe the commandments and be like the holy fathers…. Those who declare this is impossible have fallen not into one particular heresy but into all of them, so to speak – a heresy surpassing all others in its impiety and greatest blasphemy. They are buried underneath it…. The one who speaks in such a manner turns all of Scripture upside down…. These antichrists affirm, ‘It is impossible, impossible’. Why then is it impossible? Tell me. In what other way did the saints shine on earth and did they become lamps of the world? If it were impossible, they would never have succeeded in it. For they were men like us, and possessed no more than we do except a will directed toward the good. They had zeal, patience, humility, and love for God. Therefore, acquire all this and your soul which today is as hard as rock shall become a fountain of tears inside you. However, if you refuse to suffer such anguish and affliction, at least do not say that all this is impossible.” —St. Symeon the New Theologian, The Discourses, Discourse XXIX: The Heresy of Pusillanimity “There is yet another special, most terrible and destructive type of sin. This is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. Even the prayers of the Church cannot help one who is found in this condition. The Apostle John the Theologian speaks of this directly when he entreats us to pray for a brother who has sinned, but points out the uselessness of prayer for the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself says that this sin – the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit – is not forgiven and will not be forgiven either in this age or in the future. He pronounced these terrible words against the Pharisees who, though they clearly saw that he worked everything according to the will of God and by God's power, nevertheless distorted the truth. They perished in their own blasphemy and their example is instructive and urgent for all those who would sin mortal sin: by an obdurate and conscious adversity to the undoubted Truth and thereby blaspheming the Spirit of truth – God's Holy Spirit. We must note that even blasphemy against the Lord Jesus Christ can be forgiven man (according to His own words) since it can be committed in ignorance or temporary blindness. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit could be forgiven, says St Athanasios the Great, only if a man ceased from it and became repentant. But the very nature of the sin is such that it makes it virtually impossible for a man to return to the truth. One who is blind can regain his sight and love the one who revealed the truth to him and one who is soiled with vices and passions can be cleansed by repentance and become a confessor of the Truth, but who and what can change a blasphemer who has seen and known the Truth and who has stubbornly refused and hated it? This horrible condition is similar to the condition of the devil himself who believes in God and trembles but who nevertheless hates Him, blasphemes Him and is in adversity to Him.” —Metropolitan Philaret of New York “…The ambition of men, who have no fear of God, rushes into high posts, and exalted office is now publicly known as the prize of impiety. The result is, that the worse a man blasphemes, the fitter the people think him to be a bishop. Clerical dignity is a thing of the past. There is a complete lack of men shepherding the Lord’s flock with knowledge. Ambitious men are constantly throwing away the provision for the poor on their own enjoyment and the distribution of gifts. There is no precise knowledge of canons. There is complete immunity in sinning; for when men have been placed in office by the favour of men, they are obliged to return the favour by continually showing indulgence to offenders. Just judgment is a thing of the past; and everyone walks according to his heart’s desire. Vice knows no bounds; the people know no restraint. Men in authority are afraid to speak, for those who have reached power by human interest are the slaves of those to whom they owe their advancement. And now the very vindication of Orthodoxy is looked upon in some quarters as an opportunity for mutual attack; and men conceal their private ill-will and pretend that their hostility is all for the sake of the truth. Others, afraid of being convicted of disgraceful crimes, madden the people into fratricidal quarrels, that their own doings may be unnoticed in the general distress. Hence the war admits of no truce, for the doers of ill deeds are afraid of a peace, as being likely to lift the veil from their secret infamy. All the while unbelievers laugh; men of weak faith are shaken; faith is uncertain; souls are drenched in ignorance, because adulterators of the word imitate the truth. The mouths of true believers are dumb, while every blasphemous tongue wags free; holy things are trodden under foot; the better laity shun the churches as schools of impiety; and lift their hands in the deserts with sighs and tears to their Lord in heaven. Even you must have heard what is going on in most of our cities, how our people with wives and children and even our old men stream out before the walls, and offer their prayers in the open air, putting up with all the inconvenience of the weather with great patience, and waiting for help from the Lord.” —St. Basil the Great, Letter 92, To the Italians and Gaul “He who in his heart is proud of his tears and secretly condemns those who do not weep is like a man who asks the king for a weapon against his enemy and then commits suicide with it.” —St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 7 “Do not grow conceited if you shed tears when you pray. For it is Christ who has touched your eyes.” —St. Mark the Ascetic “And here also we have diligently to consider, that it is far more secure and safe that every man should do that for himself whiles he is yet alive, which he desireth that others should do for him after his death. For far more blessed it is, to depart free out of this world, than being in prison to seek for release: and therefore reason teacheth us, that we should with our whole soul contemn this present world, at least because we see that it is now gone and past: and to offer unto God the daily sacrifice of tears, and the daily Sacrifice of His Body and Blood. For this Sacrifice doth especially save our souls from everlasting damnation, which in mystery doth renew unto us the death of the Son of God: who although being risen from death, doth not now die any more, nor death shall not any further prevail against him: yet living in himself immortally, and without all corruption, he is again sacrificed for us in this mystery of the holy oblation: for there his body is received, there his flesh is distributed for the salvation of the people: there His Blood is not now shed betwixt the hands of infidels, but poured into the mouths of the faithful. Wherefore let us hereby meditate what manner of sacrifice this is, ordained for us, which for our absolution doth always represent the passion of the only Son of God: for what right believing Christian can doubt, that in the very hour of the sacrifice, at the words of the Priest, the heavens be opened, and the quires of Angels are present in that mystery of Jesus Christ; that high things are accompanied with low, and earthly joined to heavenly, and that one thing is made of visible and invisible?” —St. Gregory the Great, Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great, Book 4, ch. 58 “Reflect, O brother: For this sacred food and drink, which are the Body and Blood of Christ, all our forefathers from the first-created Adam, and all the prophets hungered and thirsted, but did not receive them; but you, so distant from them by your unworthiness, partake of this Divine meal. Thank God for His unspeakable mercy, that He makes you worthy of this. And at the same time understand this also: that even if you had or shall have the purity of angels or the holiness and sanctity of St. John the Baptist– even then, without the special mercy of God, you could not be worthy of this Divine Mystery.” —Abbot Nazarius, Little Russian Philokalia Vol. II, p. 65 “… One must clean the royal house from every impurity and adorn it with every beauty, then the king may enter into it. In a similar way one must first cleanse the earth of the heart and uproot the weeds of sin and the passionate deeds and soften it with sorrows and the narrow way of life, sow in it the seed of virtue, water it with lamentation and tears, and only then does the fruit of dispassion and eternal life grow. For the Holy Spirit does not dwell in a man until he has been cleansed from passions of the soul and body.” —St. Paisius Velichkovsky, ‘Field Flowers’ “God, Who is by nature good and dispassionate, loves all men equally as His handiwork. But He glorifies the virtuous man because in his will he is united to God. At the same time, in His goodness he is merciful to the sinner and by chastising him in this life brings him back to the path of virtue. Similarly, a man of good and dispassionate judgment also loves all men equally. He loves the virtuous man because of his nature and the probity of his intention; and he loves the sinner, too, because of his nature and because in his compassion he pities him for foolishly stumbling in darkness.” —St. Maximus the Confessor “I do not know how I came into the world; Nor what the things here in it are. What my sight is, O my God, And what the objects that I see, I cannot tell. How all we men are vain, And have no proper judgement of reality! Yesterday at least I came and tomorrow I shall go, And I think to be immortal yonder. That Thee are my God I confess to everyone, and yet deny Thee daily in my deeds. I teach that Thee have made each living thing; And yet without Thee struggle to have all. Thy rule extends above, below And yet I am not feared to strive against Thee. Let me the needy one, me most miserable; Disburden all the sickness of my soul Crushed, alas and broken into bits. By vanity, by foolish arrogance. Grant me to be humble, grant me a hand of help; And cleanse my soul’s pollution. And give me tears of repentance; Love’s tears, tears of liberty; Tears cleansing my mind’s darkness. And filling me with heavenly radiance! For Thee it is, the world’s Light; The Light of my poor eyes, I wish to see – I who fill my heart with life’s evils, Suffering much of affliction and of envy. From those who have worked my exiles: From those, rather, who are my benefactors; Who are my masters, my true friends: To whom, O Christ, instead of ill give blessing: Eternal, rich, divine; Prepared by Thee for all the ages; For those who deeply long for Thee, love Thee.” —St. Symeon the New Theologian, On the right attitude to Life “Ask with tears, seek with obedience, knock with patience. For thus he who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” —St. John Climacus “The passions of the flesh may be described as belonging to the left hand, self-conceit as belonging to the right hand.” —St. Maximus the Confessor “When the soul leaves the body, the enemy advances to attack it, fiercely reviling it and accusing it of its sins in a harsh and terrifying manner. The devout soul, however, even though in the past it has often been wounded by sin, is not frightened by the enemy’s attacks and threats. Strengthened by the Lord, winged by joy, filled with courage by the holy angels that guide it, and encircled and protected by the light of faith, it answers the enemy with great boldness: ‘Fugitive from heaven, wicked slave, what have I to do with you? You have no authority over me; Christ the Son of God has authority over me and over all things. Against Him have I sinned, before Him shall I stand on trial, having His Precious Cross as a sure pledge of His saving love towards me. Flee from me, destroyer! You have nothing to do with the servants of Christ.’ When the soul says all this fearlessly, the devil turns his back, howling aloud and unable to withstand the name of Christ. Then the soul swoops down on the devil from above, attacking him like a hawk attacking a crow. After this it is brought rejoicing by the holy angels to the place appointed for it in accordance with its inward state.” —St. Theognostos, On the Practice of the Virtues, Philokalia, Vol. 2 “If you wish to be saved, O my soul, to go first on the most sorrowful path which has been indicated here, to enter into the Heavenly Kingdom and receive eternal life – then refine your flesh, taste voluntary bitterness, and endure difficult sorrows, as all the Saints tasted and endured. And when a man is preparing himself and gives himself the command to endure for the sake of God all sorrows and pain which come upon him, then light and painless seem for him all sorrows, unpleasantnesses and attacks of devils and men. He does not fear death, and nothing can separate such a one from the love of Christ. Have you heard, my beloved soul, how the Holy Fathers spent their lives? O my soul! Imitate them at least a little.” —St. Paisius Velichkovsky “If you rebuke yourself, accuse yourself, and judge yourself before God for your sins, with a sensitive conscience, even for this you will be justified.If you are sorrowful for your sins, or you weep, or sigh, your sigh will not be hidden from Him and, as St. John Chrysostom says, ‘If you only lament for your sins, then He will receive this for your salvation.’” —St. Moses of Optina “A good heart produces good thoughts: its thoughts correspond to what it stores up in itself.” —St. Thalassios the Libyan “Fasting is for the purification of the soul and body.” —St. John Chrysostom “It is a wonderful thing that, no matter how much we trouble about our health, however much care we take of ourselves, whatever wholesome and pleasant food we eat, whatever wholesome drinks we drink, however much we walk in the fresh air, still, notwithstanding all this, in the end we are subjected to maladies and corruption; whilst the saints, who despised their flesh, and mortified it by continual abstinence and fasting, by lying bare on the earth, by watchfulness, labours, unceasing prayer, have made both their souls and bodies immortal.” —St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ, p. 286 “Fasting is wonderful, because it tramples our sins like a dirty weed, while it cultivates and raises truth like a flower.” —St. Basil the Great “Fasting is the mother of health; the friend of chastity; the partner of humility.” —St. Symeon the New theologian “True fasting lies in rejecting evil, holding one's tongue, suppressing one's hatred, and banishing one's lust, evil words, lying, and betrayal of vows.” —St. Basil the Great “Many fast with body, but do not fast with soul: many fast from food and drink, but do not fast from evil thoughts, actions and words, and what is the benefit of it?! Many fast a day and two more, but from anger, resentment and vengeance will not fast; many refrain from wine, meat and fish, but with their tongue they eat people similar to themselves, and what is the benefit of it?! There are those who do not reach for food with their hands, but provide them for bribery, embezzlement and robbery, and what is the benefit of it?! True and true fasting is abstaining from every evil. If you want, Christian, to benefit from your fasting, fast carnally, fast mentally, and fast always! When you instruct fasting to your stomach, impose it on your evil thoughts and lusts. Let your mind fast from vain thoughts and memory from resentment, and your will from evil wanting, and your eyes from evil looking. Turn away your eyes from beholding vanity, let your ears fast from shameful songs and whispers of slander, let your tongue fast from defamation, condemnation, blasphemy, lies, flattery, filth and every empty and rotten word. Let your hands fast from the robbery of another's goods, and your feet from the clothing of evil work. Repent and, abstaining from every evil word, deed and thought, learn every virtue and you will always fast before God.” —St. Tikhon of Zadonsk “As salt is needed for all kinds of food, so humility is needed for all kinds of virtues.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “Virtue is not the manifestation of many and various works performed by the body, but a heart that is most wise in its hope and unites a right aim to godly works. Often, the mind can accomplish that which is good without bodily works, but the body without wisdom of the heart can gain no profit for all it may do.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Homily 40 “Let it be known to you that if in your life you have mastered every virtue and every good deed such as mercy, prayer, fast, and other virtues but have no humility in you, your toil will be in vain. For humility in all these virtues is the solid foundation. Without it, we cannot master any of the virtues and all these virtues will become impure, filthy, and discarded before God because they were not sown with humility and love.” —St. John Chrysostom “What can sin do where there is penitence? And of what use is love where there is pride?” —Abba Elias “Pride is poverty of the soul, which imagines itself to be rich, and being in darkness, thinks it has light.” —St. John Climacus “Modern society calls the beggar bum and panhandler and gives him the bum's rush. But the Greeks used to say that people in need are the ambassadors of the gods.” —Peter Maurin “Be like gods to the poor, imitating God's mercy. Humanity has nothing so much in common with God as the ability to do good.” —St. Gregory the Theologian “Every family should have a room where Christ is welcome in the person of the hungry and thirsty stranger.” —St. John Chrysostom “Who is the greedy man? One for whom plenty does not suffice. Who defrauds others? One who keeps for himself what belongs to everyone. Aren't you greedy, don't you defraud, when you keep for yourself what was given to give away? When someone steals a man's clothes, we call him a thief. Shouldn't we give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does not?” —St. Basil the Great “The bread you do not use is the bread of the hungry. The garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of the person who is naked. The shoes you do not wear are the shoes of one who is barefoot. The money you keep locked away is the money of the poor. The acts of charity you do not perform are the injustices you commit.” —St. Basil the Great “You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor man, but you are giving him back what is his. You have been appropriating things that are meant to be for the common use of everyone. The earth belongs to everyone, not to the rich.” —St. Ambrose of Milan “Do not consider your riches as belonging to yourselves alone; open wide your hand to those who are in need.” —St. Cyril of Alexandria “The man who loves his neighbor as himself possesses no more than his neighbor…thus, as much as your wealth increases, so much does your love decrease.” —St. Basil the Great “When you are weary of praying and do not receive, consider how often you have heard a poor man calling, and have not listened to him.” —St. John Chrysostom “Do not ever say: ‘These beggars annoy me!’ So many millions of men live on earth and all are beggars before the Lord; emperors as well as laborers, the wealthy as well as servants, all are beggars before the Lord and the Lord never said: ‘These beggars annoy me!’” —St. Nikolai Velimirovich “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.” —St. John Chrysostom “A rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much. For what he gives away remains his forever.” —St. John Chrysostom “A poor man when he reaches out to you does not beg, but offers you the kingdom of God.” —Elder Arsenie (Papacioc) of Romania “No one in creation is rich but he that fears God; no one is truly poor but he that lacks the truth.” —St. Ephrem the Syrian “Be careful not to despise one of the least of these who are scorned and sick in this world. For this contempt and affront of yours doesn’t stop at those unfortunate fellows, but ascends through them to the presence of the Creator and Fashioner, whose image they bear. You will be greatly astonished in that day, if you see the Holy Spirit of God resting in them more than in your heart.” —Elder Joseph the Hesychast, Monastic Wisdom, Seventh Letter, p. 67 “Do you fast? Then feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick, do not forget the imprisoned, have pity on the tortured, comfort those who grieve and who weep, be merciful, humble, kind, calm, patient, sympathetic, forgiving, reverent, truthful and pious, so that God might accept your fasting and might plentifully grant you the fruits of repentance.” —St. John Chrysostom “The Lord Himself said in the Gospel: ‘The last shall be first and the first, last’ (Matt 20:16). Thus, may Divine mercy shine forth with His love upon the poor, so that it may make great ones from the little, and that from the weak it may make co-inheritors with His Only Begotten Son. For it exhalts the poverty of this world to Heaven, to which the earthly kingdom cannot rise, so that the rustic comes to the place where he who wears the purple does not merit to come.” —St Gregory of Tours, Via Patrum “In all your undertakings and in every way of life, whether you are living in obedience, or are not submitting your work to anyone, whether in outward or in spiritual matters, let it be your rule and practice to ask yourself: Am I really doing this in accordance with God's will?” —St. John Climacus “Those who submit to the Lord with simple heart will run the good race. If they keep their minds on a leash, they will not draw the wickedness of the demons onto themselves.” —St. John Climacus “A hypocrite is someone who teaches his neighbor something he makes no effort to do himself.” —St. Poemen “I prefer a man who sins and repents to one who does not sin and does not repent. The first has good thoughts, for he admits that he is sinful. But the second has false, soul-destroying thoughts, for he imagines himself to be righteous.” —Abba Poemen the Great “At meals don't speak about food: that's vulgar and unworthy of you. Speak about something noble -- of the soul or of the mind -- and you will have dignified this duty.” —Josemaria Escriva “When someone learns to acknowledge every man as being better than himself, then he has attained humility.” —St. Sisoes the Great “It is a spiritual gift from God for a man to perceive his sins.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “The man who is deemed worthy to see himself is greater than he who is deemed worthy to see angels.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “The truly blessed are not the ones who can work miracles or see angels; the truly blessed are the ones who can see their own sins.” —St. Anthony the Great “The nearer a man draws to God, the more he sees himself a sinner. It was when Isaiah the prophet saw God, that he declared himself ‘a man of unclean lips.’” —St. Mateos “The condition of peace among men is that each should keep a consciousness of his own wrongdoing.” —St. Silouan the Athonite “The way to perfection is through the realization that we are blind, naked and poor.” —St. Theophan the Recluse “Blessed is the man who knows his own weakness, because this knowledge becomes to him the foundation, root, and beginning of all goodness.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “The perfect person does not only try to avoid evil. Nor does he do good for fear of punishment, still less in order to qualify for the hope of a promised reward. The perfect person does good through love. His actions are not motivated by desire for personal benefit, so he does not have personal advantage as his aim. But as soon as he has realized the beauty of doing good, he does it with all his energies and in all that he does. He is not interested in fame, or a good reputation, or a human or divine reward. The rule of life for a perfect person is to be in the image and likeness of God.” —St. Clement of Alexandria “Every day at nightfall, before sleep comes upon you, excite the judgment of your conscience, demand an account from it, and whatever evil counsels you may have taken during the day … pierce them, tear them to pieces, and do penance for them.” —St. John Chrysostom “As I became more wretched you drew nearer to me.” —St. Augustine of Hippo “Sin is the fruit of free will. There was a time when sin did not exist, and there will be a time when it will not exist.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “Prove your love and zeal for wisdom in actual deeds.” —St. Callistus Xanthopoulos “Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.” —Thérèse de Lisieux “Do not leave unobliterated any fault, however small, for it may lead you on to greater sins.” —St. Mark the Ascetic “Every day I lay a foundation for building my repentance, and again with my own hands I demolish it.” —St. Ephrem the Syrian “The Lord is hidden in His commandments, and He is to be found there in the measure that He is sought.” —St. Mark the Ascetic “Having fulfilled a commandment, expect temptations; because love toward Christ is tested by difficulties.” —St. Mark the Ascetic “Do not be surprised that when you draw near to virtue, grievous and intense tribulations come to you on all sides: for virtue is not considered virtue, if it does not involve hard work.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Directions on Spiritual Training, The Philokalia “The purpose of temptations is to reveal hidden passions … so that you can battle against them in order to heal the soul. They are examples of divine mercy.” —St. Anatoly of Optina “In one day, brethren, you can gain all eternity. And in one day, brethren, you can lose all eternity. You are given thousands of days on earth to determine your own personal, eternal salvation or your own personal, eternal damnation. But blessed a hundredfold be the day in which you repent of all your unclean deeds, words and thoughts, and return to God crying out for mercy! That day will be worth more to you than a thousand other days.” —St. Nikolai Velimirovich “A certain brother had succumbed to the sin of lust, repeating this sin every day, but every day he would also beseech the Lord's mercy, with tears and prayers. By acting this way, his bad habit always fooled him and he would repeat the sin again; but again, after sinning, he would go to the Church and, upon seeing the holy and venerable icon of our Lord Jesus Christ, would fall to his knees and with bitter tears would say: ‘Spare me, Lord, and rid of me this tortuous temptation, because it plagues me terribly and harms me with its bitter pleasures. My face is not worthy to look upon Your holy icon, so that my heart might be consoled.’ That was the sort of thing he would say, but whenever he left the Church, he would again fall in the mire. Yet he never lost his hopes for salvation, and immediately after sinning, he would again return to the Church and say the same things, praying to the benevolent Lord God: ‘Lord, be my warrantor that from now on I won't sin again; but please, Lord, forgive all of my sins, from the beginning, up to now.’ And after making these grandiose promises, he would again return to the same, terrible sin. And one could discern the sweet benevolence and infinite goodness of the Lord, in tolerating and enduring this incorrigible and grave violation and the ingratitude of this man, and how, in His great compassion, the Lord desired the repentance of this man and his definitive return; because this sin was being repeated, not for one, two or three years, but for ten and more. Brothers, can you see the immeasurable tolerance and infinite benevolence of the Lord? How He shows forbearance and kindness every time, by enduring our gross iniquities and sins? What is more staggering and provokes our wonder with regard to God's wealth of compassion, is that although our brother kept promising and would agree to desist from that sin, he proved himself a liar. One day, after our brother had fallen into that sin again, he went running to the Church, mourning and moaning and in tears, beseeching the compassion of the merciful God to spare him and save him from the mire of incontinence. While this brother was begging the benevolent God, the wicked devil, the destruction of our souls, realized that he had achieved nothing, because while he was sewing with sin, the man was fraying it with his repentance. So the devil impudently appeared before him visibly, and, turning his face towards the venerable icon of our Lord Jesus Christ, started to cry out, saying: ‘What ‘s it going to be with us two, Jesus Christ? Your infinite sympathy defeats me and degrades me, whenever you accept this lecher, this wanton, who lies to you every day and disregards your authority. Why then don't you burn him? Why are You so forbearing and tolerant towards him? You are supposed to be the one who will judge the adulterous and the licentious and will eliminate all sinners. In fact, You are not a fair judge, because, wherever Your authority considers it befitting, You judge unfairly and You overlook things. With me, because of the small infraction of pride, you cast me down from heaven, whereas with him, who is a liar, a lecher and a prodigal, because he merely knelt before You, You imperturbably grant him Your favor. So, why do they call You a fair judge? From what I can see, You simply give Yourself to people out of Your great goodness, and You overlook justice.’ As the devil was saying these, all choked up by his bitterness, flames and smoke came out of his nostrils. After the devil had finished speaking, he became silent, and immediately, a voice was heard coming out of the altar saying: ‘You wicked and pestilent dragon, your wickedness wasn't satiated by swallowing the whole world, and now you are trying to grab and swallow this man who found refuge in the infinite mercy of My compassion? Can you present any sins that are heavier than the precious blood which I shed for this man, on the Cross? Mark well, that My crucifixion and My death forgave his sins. Besides, you didn't send him away when he headed towards sin, but you accepted him with joy and you neither abhorred him nor hindered him, because you hoped to win him. Well then, I, Who am so merciful and benevolent, who had instructed my high Apostle Peter to forgive any man who sins daily up to seventy times seven, will I not forgive and spare this man? Yes, I say to you, and because he sought refuge in Me, I will not turn away from him, until I have made him mine. Because I was crucified for the sinners and it was for them that I extended my immaculate arms, so that everyone who wants to be saved, will seek refuge in me and be saved. I do not avoid anyone, nor do I send anyone away, not even if someone sins a thousand times in one day and then comes to Me a thousand times; he won't leave dismayed. Because I did not come to call the righteous to repent, but the sinners.’ As soon as these words were heard, the devil stood fixed in place, trembling, unable to escape. And the voice spoke again: ‘Listen, impostor, with regard to what you said about me being unfair : because I am fair to everyone, and in whichever condition I might find them, I will judge them accordingly. Look at this man, I found him in repentance and returning back, fallen on his knees in front of Me, and your conqueror. I will therefore accept him and save his soul, because he did not despair about his salvation. And you, when seeing the honor that I grant him, will impale yourself out of envy and be put to shame.’ And just as the brother lay there, prone and weeping, he gave up his soul; instantly, a fury as great as a fire fell upon the devil, and it consumed him. Therefore my brothers let us learn from this incident of God's immeasurable compassion and philanthropy, what a kind God we have, and that we must never despair or not tend to our salvation.” —St. Amphilochios, On Masturbation and the Futility of Despair “Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the angel who guards you will honor your patience. While a wound is still fresh and warm it is easy to heal, but old, neglected and festering ones are hard to cure, and require for their care much treatment, cutting, plastering and cauterization. Many from long neglect become incurable. But with God all things are possible.” —St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 5, Section 30 “The life of the righteous was radiant. How did it become radiant if it wasn’t by patience? Love patience, O monk, as the mother of courage.” —St. Ephrem the Syrian “Seek in everything the deep meaning. All the events that take place around us and with us have their meaning. Nothing happens without a cause…” —St. Nektary of Optina “…should we fall, we should not despair and so estrange ourselves from the Lord's love. For if He so chooses, He can deal mercifully with our weakness. Only we should not cut ourselves off from Him or feel oppressed when constrained by His commandments, nor should we lose heart when we fall short of our goal…let us always be ready to make a new start. If you fall, rise up. If you fall again, rise up again. Only do not abandon your Physician, lest you be condemned as worse than a suicide because of your despair. Wait on Him, and He will be merciful, either reforming you, or sending you trials, or through some other provision of which you are ignorant.” —St. Peter of Damascus “Faintness of heart is a sign of despondency, and negligence is the mother of both. A cowardly man shows that he suffers from two diseases: love of his flesh and lack of faith; for love of one's flesh is a sign of unbelief. But he who despises the love of the flesh proves that he believes in God with his whole heart and awaits the age to come … A courageous heart and scorn of perils comes from one of two causes: either from hardness of heart or from great faith in God. Pride accompanies hardness of heart, but humility accompanies faith. A man cannot acquire hope in God unless he first does His will with exactness. For hope in God and manliness of heart are born of the testimony of the conscience, and by the truthful testimony of the mind we possess confidence towards God.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Homily 40 “Within the heart are unfathomable depths. The heart is a small vessel, and yet dragons and lions are there. And there also are poisonous creatures and all the treasures of wickedness; rough and uneven paths are there and gaping chasms. Likewise, God is there; there are angels, there is life and the Kingdom, there is light and the apostles and the heavenly cities and the treasures of grace. All things lie within that little space.” —St. Macarius the Great “Just as the Lord is solicitous about our salvation, so too the murder of men, the devil, strives to lead a man into despair. A lofty and sound soul does not despair over misfortunes, of whatever sort they may be. Our life is as it were a house of temptations and trials; but we will not renounce the Lord for as long as He allows the tempter to remain with us and for as long as we must wait to be revived through patience and secure passionless! Judas the betrayer was fainthearted and unskilled in battle, and so the enemy, seeing his despair, attacked him and forced him to hang himself, but Peter, a firm rock, when he fell into great sin, like one skilled in battle did not despair nor lose heart, but shed bitter tears from a burning heart, and the enemy, seeing these tears, his eyes scorched as by fire, fled far form him wailing in pain. And so brothers, St. Antioch teaches, when despair attacks us let us not yield to it, but being strengthened and protected by the light of faith, with great courage let us say to the evil spirit: ‘What are you to us, estranged from God, a fugitive from heaven and evil servant? You dare do nothing to us. Christ, the Son of God, has authority both over us and over everything. It is against Him that we have sinned, and before Him that we will be justified. And you, destroyer, leave us. Strengthen by His venerable Cross, we trample under foot your serpent's head’ (St. Antioch Discourse 27).” —St. Seraphim of Sarov, Little Russian Philokalia “Modern men have faith in machines, in material well-being, in the substantiality of all that seems obvious to common sense; this is a petty faith, the faith of petty men. The Christian has faith in God and the world to come, in the insubstantiality of all that is obvious, in the passing of this world and the coming of the new, transfigured world; if there is a faith worthy of men, it is surely this.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina, The Orthodox Word, No. 128, 1986 “I think it needs to be pointed out with utmost charity that the religion of compromise is self-deception and that there exist today only two absolutely irreconcilable alternatives for man: faith in the world and the religion of self, whose fruit is death; and the faith in Christ the Son of God, in Whom alone is eternal life.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina “Keep your mind in hell and do not despair.” —St. Silouan the Athonite “Stand at the brink of the abyss of despair, and when you see that you cannot bear it anymore, draw back a little, and have a cup of tea.” —Elder Sophrony of Essex “So in every test, let us say: "Thank you, my God, because this was needed for my salvation."” —St. Paisios of Mt. Athos “Only the benumbed soul doesn't pray. Preserve in yourselves the feeling of need, and you will always have stimulation for prayer.” —St. Theophan the Recluse “Make sure that you do not limit your prayer merely to a particular part of the day. Turn to prayer at anytime.” —St John Chrysostom “The Lord knows that I love you all, but I cannot speak with God and people at the same time.” —St. Arsanius the Great “A Christian…is not his own master; he puts his time at God's disposal.” —St. Ignatius of Antioch “Do not seek the perfection of the Law in human virtues, for it is not found perfect in them. Its perfection is hidden in the Cross of Christ.” —St. Mark the Ascetic “The knowledge of the Cross is concealed in the sufferings of the Cross.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “It is impossible to believe that Christ is Risen, while we are afraid of death…” —St. Gregory Palamas “God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.” —St. Augustine of Hippo “Let us understand that God is a physician, and that suffering is a medicine for salvation, not a punishment for damnation.” —St. Augustine of Hippo “Everything will happen suddenly. It may even happen tonight. Maybe it has begun already? Today you are deprived of one thing, tomorrow of another. God is giving it to us a little at a time, and we stupid people don’t understand. I say this to you and I counsel you, even if the sky were to fall down, even if the earth would rise up, even if the whole world were destroyed, as it is due to do so, today, tomorrow, don’t be concerned with what God is going to do. Let them burn your body, let them fry it, let them take your possessions – don’t concern yourself. Give them away – they are not yours. You need your soul and Christ. Even if the whole world were to fall apart, no one can take these two things away from you against your will. Guard these two, and don’t loose them.” —St. Kosmas Aitolos “Certainly in times of tranquility the cross should give you joy. But maintain the same faith in times of persecution. Otherwise you will be a friend of Jesus in times of peace and his enemy during war.” —St. Cyril of Jerusalem “Only struggle a little more. Carry your cross without complaining. Don't think you are anything special. Don't justify your sins and weaknesses, but see yourself as you really are. And, especially, love one another.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina “Remember that each of us has his own cross. The Golgotha of this cross is our heart: it is being lifted or implanted through a zealous determination to live according to the Spirit of God. Just as salvation of the world is by the Cross of God, so our salvation is by our crucifixion on our own cross.” —St. Theophan the Recluse “Everyone carries their own cross, both Christians and non-Christians, believers and pagans. The difference is that for some, their crosses serve as a means of attaining the Kingdom of Heaven, while for the others they bring no such value. For the Christian, the cross gradually becomes lighter and more joyful, while for the nonbeliever it becomes heavier and more burdensome. Why is this so? Because where the one carries their cross with faith and devotion to God, the other carries it with grumbling and anger. Therefore, Christian, do not shun your lifelong cross, but, on the contrary, thank Jesus Christ that He honored you to follow and imitate Him.” —St. Innocent of Alaska, Indication Of The Way Into The Kingdom Of Heaven “Everyone has a cross to carry. Why? Since the leader of our faith endured the cross, we will also endure it. On one hand, the cross is sweet and light, but, on the other, it can also be bitter and heavy. It depends on our will. If you bear Christ’s cross with love then it will be very light; like a sponge or a cork. But if you have a negative attitude, it becomes heavy; too heavy to lift.” —Elder Ephraim of Katounakia, 20th Century staretz on Mt. Athos, Suffering; Trials “When you meet with suffering, contempt, the Cross, your thought should be: what is this compared with what I deserve?” —Josemaria Escriva “A Christian without a cross is no Christian at all.” —St. John of Kronstadt “Many people, finding daily life unsatisfying, try to live in a fantasy world of their own. Underlying the whole of modern culture is the common denominator of the worship of oneself and one's own comfort, which is deadly to any idea of spiritual life.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina “Behold, for years and generations, the way of God has been leveled by the cross and by death. How is this with thee, that thou seest the afflictions of the way as if they were out of the way? Doest not thou wish to follow the steps of the saints? Or doest thou wish to go a way which is especially for thee, without suffering? The way unto God is a daily cross. No one can ascend unto heaven with comfort, we know where the way of comfort leads.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Mystic Treatises, Homily LIX “I know of my spiritual poverty, my own nothingness without faith. I am so weak, that it is only by Christ's name that I live and obtain peace, that I rejoice and my heart expands, whilst without Him I am spiritually dead, I am troubled, and my heart is oppressed; without the Lord's Cross I should have been long since the victim of the most cruel distress and despair. Only Christ keeps me alive: and the Cross is my peace and my consolation.” —St. John of Kronstadt “Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him; yesterday I died with Him; today I am quickened with Him; yesterday I was buried with Him; today I rise with Him.” —St. Gregory the Theologian “A Christian should avoid unhealthy religiosity: both the feeling of superiority due to virtue, and the feeling of inferiority due to sinfulness.” —St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia “Understand two thoughts, and fear them. One says, 'You are a saint,' the other, 'You won't be saved.' Both of these thoughts are from the enemy, and there is no truth in them. But think this way: I am a great sinner, but the Lord is merciful. He loves people very much, and He will forgive my sins. Believe in this way, and you will see, the Lord will forgive you. But put no faith in feats of your own, however much you may have striven… Thus God has mercy on us, not for our achievements but gracious, because of His goodness.” —St. Silouan the Athonite “He made Him who was righteous to be a sinner, that He might make sinners righteous.” —St. John Chrysostom “Love sinners, but hate their deeds, and do not disdain sinners for their failings, so that you yourself do not fall into the temptation in which they abide… Do not be angry at anyone and do not hate anyone, neither for their faith, nor for their shameful deeds… Do not foster hatred for the sinner, for we are all guilty… Hate his sins, and pray for him, so that you may be made like unto Christ, who had no dislike for sinners, but prayed for them.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Ascetical Homilies 57,90 “Love every man in spite of his falling into sin. Never mind the sins, but remember that the foundation of the man is the same - the image of God.” —St. John of Kronstadt “Never confuse the person, formed in the image of God, with the evil that is in him: because evil is but a chance misfortune, an illness, a devilish reverie. But the very essence of the person is the image of God, and this remains in him despite every disfigurement.” —St. John of Kronstadt “Firmly purpose in your soul to hate every sin of thought, word, and deed, and when you are tempted to sin resist it valiantly and with a feeling of hatred for it; only beware lest your hatred should turn against the person of your brother who gave occasion for the sin. Hate the sin with all your heart, but pity your brother; instruct him, and pray for him to the Almighty, Who sees all of us and tries our hearts and innermost parts.” —St. John of Kronstadt “For this reason, the man who lives by God's standards and not by man's, must needs be a lover of the good, and it follows that he must hate what is evil. Further, since no one is evil by nature, but anyone who is evil is evil because of a perversion of nature, the man who lives by God's standards has a duty of ‘perfect hatred’ (Psalm 139:22) towards those who are evil; that is to say, he should not hate the person because of the fault, nor should he love the fault because of the person. He should hate the fault, but love the man. And when the fault has been cured there will remain only what he ought to love, nothing that he should hate.” —St. Augustine of Hippo, The City of God, 14:6, Penguin ed., transl. Bettenson “As Jesus Christ is my Witness, I profess that I hate heresy, not the heretic; but as is proper, for the present I shun the heretics because of the heresy, since I have both convicted and rebuked him. Let him renounce his heresy and condemn it by word as well as by deed, and he will cling to all men by the bond of brotherhood, because it is written, ‘Bear ye one another's burden and so fulfill the law of Christ’ (Gal. 6:2).” —Orosius of Braga, Book in Defense Against the Pelagians “Our life and our death is with our neighbor. If we gain our brother, we have gained God, but if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ. This is the great work of a man: always to take the blame for his own sins before God and to expect temptation to his last breath.” —St. Anthony the Great “Unless we look at a person and see the beauty there is in this person, we can contribute nothing to him. One does not help a person by discerning what is wrong, what is ugly, what is distorted. Christ looked at everyone he met, at the prostitute, at the thief, and saw the beauty hidden there. Perhaps it was distorted, perhaps damaged, but it was beauty none the less, and what he did was to call out this beauty.” —Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh “He who busies himself with the sins of others, or judges his brother on suspicion, has not yet even begun to repent or to examine himself so as to discover his own sins.” —St. Maximus the Confessor “As long as we pay attention to the negative sides of various people we meet, we will not find peace and repentance. As long as we keep in ourselves the thought of offense, caused to us by enemies, friends, family and neighbours, we will not find peace and quiet and we will live in a hellish state.” —Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica “The genuineness of a friend is shown at a time of trial, if he shares the distress you suffer.” —St. Thalassios the Libyan “If you are offended by anything, whether intended or unintended, you do not know the way of peace, which through love brings the lovers of divine knowledge to the knowledge of God.” —St. Maximus the Confessor “Especially, do not be disturbed by blasphemous thoughts, which clearly come from the envy of the Enemy. They occur in a person either because of proud self-opinion or the condemnation of others.” —St. Ambrose of Optina “In hell there is democracy and in Heaven there is a Kingdom.” —St. John of Kronstadt “We shall not care what people think of us, or how they treat us. We shall cease to be afraid of falling out of favour. We shall love our fellow men without thought of whether they love us. Christ gave us the commandment to love others but did not make it a condition of salvation that they should love us. Indeed, we may positively be disliked for independence of spirit. It is essential in these days to be able to protect ourselves from the influence of those with whom we come in contact. Otherwise we risk losing both faith and prayer. Let the whole world dismiss us as unworthy of attention, trust or respect – it will not matter provided that the Lord accept us. And vice versa: it will profit us nothing if the whole world thinks well of us and sings our praises, if the Lord declines to abide with us. This is only a fragment of the freedom Christ meant when He said, ‘Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’ (John 8.32). Our sole care will be to continue in the word of Christ, to become His disciples and cease to be servants of sin.” —Archimandrite Sophrony of Essex, His Life is Mine, Chapter 6; pg. 55 “Do not do anything without signing yourself with the sign of the Cross! When you depart on a journey, when you begin your work, when you go to study, when you are alone, and when you are with other people, seal yourself with the Holy Cross on your forehead, your body, your chest, your heart, your lips, your eyes, your ears. All of you should be sealed with the sign of Christ's victory over hell. Then you will no longer be afraid of charms, evil spirits, or sorcery, because these are dissolved by the power of the Cross like wax before fire and like dust before the wind.” —Archimandrite Cleopas (Ilie) of Romania “The Church is a hospital, and not a courtroom, for souls. She does not condemn on behalf of sins, but grants remission of sins. Nothing is so joyous in our life as the thanksgiving that we experience in the Church. In the Church, the joyful sustain their joy. In the Church, those worried acquire merriment, and those saddened, joy. In the Church, the troubled find relief, and the heavy-laden, rest. ‘Come,’ says the Lord, ‘near me, all of you who labor and are heavy-laden (with trials and sins), and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). What could be more desirable than to meet this voice? What is sweeter than this invitation? The Lord is calling you to the Church for a rich banquet. He transfers you from struggles to rest, and from tortures to relief. He relieves you from the burden of your sins. He heals worries with thanksgiving, and sadness with joy. No one is truly free or joyful besides he who lives for Christ. Such a person overcomes all evil and does not fear anything!” —St. John Chrysostom, Homily XV, II Cor. VII VIII, paragraph 6, Themes of Life II, Life Issues II, Holy Monastery of the Paraclete “The goal of human freedom is not in freedom itself, nor is it in man, but in God. By giving man freedom God has yielded to man a piece of His divine authority, but with the intention that man himself would voluntarily bring it as a sacrifice to God, as a most perfect offering.” —St. Theophan the Recluse, The Path to Salvation “When you are depressed, bear in mind the Lord’s command to Peter to forgive a sinner seventy times seven. And you may be sure that He Who gave this command to another will Himself do very much more.” —St. John Climacus “A person who suffers bitterly when slighted or insulted should recognize from this that he still harbours the ancient serpent in his breast. If he quietly endures the insult or responds with great humility, he weakens the serpent and lessens its hold. But if he replies acrimoniously or brazenly, he gives it strength to pour its venom into his heart and to feed mercilessly on his guts. In this way the serpent becomes increasingly powerful; it destroys his soul's strength and his attempts to set himself right, compelling him to live for sin and to be completely dead to righteousness.” —St. Symeon the New Theologian “The time of this present life is a time for harvesting, and each person gathers spiritual food - as pure as possible - and stores it up for the other life. It is not the clever, the noble, the polished speakers, or the rich who win, but whoever is insulted and forbears, whoever is wronged and forgives, whoever is slandered and endures, whoever becomes a sponge and mops up whatever they might say to him. Such a person is cleansed and polished even more. He reaches great heights. He delights in the theoria of mysteries. And finally, it is he who is already inside paradise, while still in this life.” —Elder Joseph the Hesychast and Cave-dweller “Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbours, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness or unforgiveness of your sins, then, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation. You can see for yourself how serious it is.” —St. Tikhon of Zadonsk “When you are ready to stand in the presence of the Lord, let your soul wear a garment woven from the cloth of your forgiveness of others. Otherwise, your prayer will be of no value whatsoever.” —St. John Climacus “Forgiveness is better than revenge.” —St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
“I know of my spiritual poverty“When God forgave you, my own nothingness without faith. I am so weak, that it is only by Christ's name that I live and obtain peace, that I rejoice and my heart expands, whilst without Him I am spiritually dead, I am troubled, and my heart is oppressed; without the Lord's Cross I should have been long since the victim of the most cruel distress and despair. Only Christ keeps me alive: and the Cross is my peace and my consolationmeans He forgave you for eternity.” —St. John —Elder Arsenie (Papacioc) of KronstadtRomania
“Yesterday I was crucified “Love alone harmoniously joins all created things with Him; today I am glorified God and with Him; yesterday I died with Him; today I am quickened with Him; yesterday I was buried with Him; today I rise with Himeach other.” —St. Gregory Thalassios the TheologianLibyan
“Understand two thoughts, and fear them. One says, 'You are a saint,' the other, 'You won't be saved.' Both of these thoughts are “A monk is he who withdrawing from the enemyall men, and there is no truth in themunited with all mankind. But think this way: I am a great sinner, but the Lord … A monk is merciful. He loves people very much, he who regards himself as existing with all men and He will forgive my sins. Believe sees himself in this way, and you will see, the Lord will forgive you. But put no faith in feats of your own, however much you may have striven… Thus God has mercy on us, not for our achievements but gracious, because of His goodnesseach man.” —St. Silouan the AthoniteNilus of Sinai
“He made Him who was righteous “Love towards Christ is without limits, and the same is true of love towards our neighbour. It should radiate everywhere, to be a sinnerthe ends of the earth, that He might make sinners righteousto every person. I wanted to go and live with the hippies at …… in order to show them the love of Christ and how great it is and how it could transfigure them. Love is above everything.” —St. John Chrysostom—Wounded by Love, Elder Porphyrios, pg 188
“Love sinners, but hate their deeds, and do not disdain sinners for their failings, so that you yourself do not fall into the temptation “So God created man in His own image; in which they abide… Do not be angry at anyone and do not hate anyone, neither for their faith, nor for their shameful deeds… Do not foster hatred for the sinner, for we are all guilty… Hate his sins, image of God He created him; male and pray for him, so that you may be made like unto Christ, who had no dislike for sinners, but prayed for female He created them.” —St. Isaac the Syrian, Ascetical Homilies 57,90—Genesis 1:27
“Love every man “For God knows that in spite the day you eat of his falling into sin. Never mind the sinsit your eyes will be opened, but remember that the foundation of the man is the same - the image of and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” —St. John of Kronstadt—Genesis 3:5
“Never confuse the person, formed in the image of God, with the evil that is in him: because evil is but a chance misfortune, “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an illness, a devilish reverie. But the very essence angel of the person is the image of God, and this remains in him despite every disfigurementlight.” —St. John of Kronstadt—2 Corinthians 11:14
“Firmly purpose in your soul to hate every sin of thought, word, and deed, and when you are tempted to sin resist it valiantly and with a feeling of hatred for it; only beware lest your hatred should turn against the person of your brother who gave occasion for the sin. Hate the sin with all your heart, but pity your brother; instruct him, and pray for him to the Almighty, Who sees all of us and tries our hearts and innermost parts“You shall not murder.” —St. John of Kronstadt—Exodus 20:13
“For this reason, the man who lives by God's standards and not by man's, must needs be a lover of “Cursed is the good, and it follows that he must hate what is evil. Further, since no one is evil by nature, but anyone who is evil is evil because of a perversion of nature, the man who lives by God's standards has takes a duty of ‘perfect hatred’ (Psalm 139:22) towards those who are evil; that is bribe to say, he should not hate the slay an innocent person because of the fault, nor should he love the fault because of the person. He should hate the fault, but love the man. And when the fault has been cured there will remain only what he ought to love, nothing that he should hate.” —St. Augustine of Hippo, The City of God, 14—Deuteronomy 27:6, Penguin ed., transl. Bettenson25
“As Jesus Christ is my Witness“He shall judge between the nations, I profess that I hate heresyAnd rebuke many people;They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks;Nation shall not the heretic; but as is properlift up sword against nation, for the present I shun the heretics because of the heresy, since I have both convicted and rebuked himNeither shall they learn war anymore. Let him renounce his heresy and condemn it by word as well as by deed, and he will cling to all men by the bond of brotherhood, because it is written, ‘Bear ye one another's burden and so fulfill the law of Christ’ (Gal. 6” —Isaiah 2:2).” —Orosius of Braga, Book in Defense Against the Pelagians4
“Our life and our death is with our neighbor“But Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.’” —Matthew 26:52
If we gain our brother“You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, we have gained God’ ‘Do not murder, but if we scandalize our brother’ ‘Do not steal, we have sinned against Christ’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” —Luke 18:20
This “So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is the great work of without sin among you, let him throw a manstone at her first.’” —John 8: always to take the blame for his own sins before God and to expect temptation to his last breath.” —St. Anthony the Great7
“Unless we look at “Whoever hates his brother is a person murderer, and see the beauty there is you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in this person, we can contribute nothing to him. One does not help a person by discerning what is wrong, what is ugly, what is distorted. Christ looked at everyone he met, at the prostitute, at the thief, and saw the beauty hidden there. Perhaps it was distorted, perhaps damaged, but it was beauty none the less, and what he did was to call out this beauty.” —Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh—1 John 3:15
“He who busies himself with “And the sins second commandment of othersthe Teaching; Thou shalt not commit murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not commit paederasty, or judges his brother on suspicionthou shalt not commit fornication, has thou shalt not yet even begun to repent or to examine himself so as to discover his own sinssteal, thou shalt not practise magic, thou shalt not practise witchcraft, thou shalt not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is begotten.” —St. Maximus the Confessor—Didache 2:2
“As long as we pay attention to “You shall not take the negative sides life of various people we meet, we will not find peace and repentance. As long as we keep in ourselves the thought of offense, caused to us child by enemiesobtaining an abortion. Nor, friendsagain, family and neighbours, we will not find peace and quiet and we will live in a hellish stateshall you destroy him after he is born.” —Elder Thaddeus —St. Barnabas, Epistle of VitovnicaSt. Barnabas
“If you are offended by anything, whether intended or unintended, you do “The mold in the womb may not know the way of peace, which through love brings the lovers of divine knowledge to the knowledge of Godbe destroyed.” —St. Maximus the Confessor—Tertullian
“Especially“There is no question about that which is bred in the uterus, do not be disturbed by blasphemous thoughtsboth growing, which clearly come and moving from place to place. It remains, therefore, that we must think that the envy point of the Enemy. They occur in a person either because commencement of proud self-opinion or existence is one and the condemnation of otherssame for body and soul.” —St. Ambrose Gregory of OptinaNyssa
“In hell there is democracy and in Heaven there is a Kingdom“We acknowledge, therefore, that life begins with conception, because we contend that the soul begins at conception.” —StLife begins when the soul begins. John of Kronstadt
“We shall not care what people think of For us, or how they treat us. We shall cease to be afraid of falling out of favour. We shall love our fellow men without thought of whether they love us. Christ gave us the commandment to love others but did not make it a condition of salvation that they should love us. Indeed, we may positively be disliked for independence of spirit. It is essential in these days to be able to protect ourselves from not destroy even the influence of those with whom we come fetus in contact. Otherwise we risk losing both faith and prayer. Let the whole world dismiss us womb, while as unworthy yet the human being derives blood from other parts of attention, trust or respect – the body for its sustenance. To hinder a birth is merely a speedier man-killing; nor does it will not matter provided when you take away a life that the Lord accept us. And vice versa: it will profit us nothing if the whole world thinks well of us and sings our praisesis born, if the Lord declines or destroy one that is coming to abide with usbirth. This That is only a fragment of man which is going to be one: you have the freedom Christ meant when He said, ‘Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’ (John 8.32). Our sole care will be to continue fruit already in the word of Christ, to become His disciples and cease to be servants of sinseed.” —Archimandrite Sophrony of Essex—Tertullian, His Life is Mine, Chapter Apology 9:6; pg. 55
“The Church is a hospital“Now the entire process of sowing, forming, and not a courtroom, for souls. She does not condemn on behalf of sins, but grants remission of sins. Nothing is so joyous in our life as completing the thanksgiving that we experience human embryo in the Church. In womb is no doubt regulated by some power, which ministers herein to the Churchwill of God, whatever may be the joyful sustain their joymethod which it is appointed to employ. In Even the Churchsuperstition of Rome, those worried acquire merrimentby carefully attending to these points, and those saddened, joy. In imagined the goddess Alemona to nourish the foetus in the Church, womb; as well as [the troubled find relief, goddesses] Nona and the heavy-laden, rest. ‘ComeDecima,’ says called after the Lordmost critical months of gestation; and Partula, ‘near me, all of you who labor to manage and are heavy-laden (with trials direct parturition; and sins)Lucina, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). What could be more desirable than to meet this voice? What is sweeter than this invitation? The Lord is calling you bring the child to the Church for a rich banquetbirth and light of day. He transfers you from struggles to restWe, on our part, and from tortures believe the angels to reliefofficiate herein for God. He relieves you The embryo therefore becomes a human being in the womb from the burden moment that its form is completed (conception). The law of your sins. He heals worries Moses, indeed, punishes with thanksgivingdue penalties the man who shall cause abortion, inasmuch as there exists already the rudiment of a human being, which has imputed to it even now the condition of life and sadness with joy. No one death, since it is truly free or joyful besides he who lives already liable to the issues of both, although, by living still in the mother, it for Christthe most part shares its own state with the mother. Such a person overcomes all evil and does not fear anything!” —St. John Chrysostom—Tertullian, Homily XVTreatise on the Soul, II CorCh. VII VIIIXXXVII, paragraph 6, Themes On the Formation and State of Life IIthe Embryo, Life Issues II, Holy Monastery Its Relation with the Subject of the Paracletethis Treatise
“The goal blood of human freedom martyrs is not in freedom itself, nor is it in man, but in God. By giving man freedom God has yielded to man a piece the seed of His divine authority, but with the intention that man himself would voluntarily bring it as a sacrifice to God, as a most perfect offeringChurch.” —St. Theophan the Recluse, The Path to Salvation—Tertullian
“When you are depressed, bear in mind “…if we would not kill off the Lord’s command human race born and developing according to Peter God's plan, then our whole lives would be lived according to forgive a sinner seventy times sevennature. And you may be sure that He Who gave this command to another will Himself do very much moreWomen who make use of some sort of deadly abortion drug kill not only the embryo but, together with it, all human kindness.” —St. John ClimacusClement of Alexandria, Christ the Educator, Volume II, page 10
“A person “Those who suffers bitterly when slighted or insulted should recognize from this that he still harbours the ancient serpent in his breast. If he quietly endures the insult or responds with great humility, he weakens the serpent and lessens its hold. But if he replies acrimoniously or brazenly, he gives it strength to pour its venom into his heart and to feed mercilessly on his guts. In this way the serpent becomes increasingly powerful; it destroys his soul's strength and his attempts to set himself right, compelling him to live for sin and to be completely dead to righteousnessuse abortifacients commit homicide.” —St. Symeon the New TheologianClement of Alexandria
“The time of this present life is a time for harvestingwoman who aborts her child to hide her immorality, and each person gathers spiritual food - as pure as possible - and stores it up for aborts at the other lifesame time her own humanity. It is not the clever, the noble, the polished speakers, or the rich who win, but whoever is insulted and forbears, whoever is wronged and forgives, whoever is slandered and endures, whoever becomes a sponge and mops up whatever they might say to him. Such a person is cleansed and polished even more. He reaches great heights” —St. He delights in the theoria Clement of mysteries. And finally, it is he who is already inside paradise, while still in this life.” —Elder Joseph the Hesychast and Cave-dwellerAlexandria
“When you are ready “Women who were reputed believers began to stand in the presence of the Lordresort to drugs for producing sterility. They also girded themselves around, let your soul wear so as to expel what was being gestated. For they did not wish to have a garment woven from the cloth child by either slave or by any common fellow - out of your forgiveness of others. Otherwise, your prayer will be of no value whatsoeverconcern for their family and their excessive wealth.See what a great impiety the lawless one has advanced! He teaches adultery and murder at the same time!” —St. John ClimacusHipploytus, Refutation Of All Heresies
“Forgiveness is better than revenge“He [Novatian] struck the womb of his wife with his heel and produced a hurried an abortion, thereby causing parricide.” —St. Tikhon Cyprian of ZadonskCarthage, Epistle 52 To Cornelius
“When God forgave you“The wealthy, in order that their inheritance may not be divided among several, deny in the very womb their own progeny. By use of' parricidal mixtures they snuff out the fruit of their wombs in the genital organs themselves. In this way life is taken away before it means He forgave you for eternityis born… Who except man himself has taught us ways of repudiating children?” —St.” —Elder Arsenie (Papacioc) Ambrose of RomaniaMilan
“Love alone harmoniously joins all created things with God “Sometimes their sadistic licentiousness goes so far that they procure poison to produce infertility, and when this is of no avail, they find one means or another to destroy the unborn and with each otherflush it from the mother's womb. For they desire to see their offspring perish before it is alive or, if it has already been granted life, they seek to kill it within the mother's body before it is born.” —St. Thalassios the LibyanAugustine of Hippo, The City of God, Book One, Ch. 16
“A monk is he woman who withdrawing from all menhas deliberately destroyed a fetus must pay the penalty for murder… those also who give drugs causing abortions are murderers themselves, is united with all mankind. … A monk is he as well as those who regards himself as existing with all men and sees himself in each manreceive the poison which kills the fetus.” —St. Nilus of SinaiBasil the Great, First Canonical Letter, 188:2 and 188:8
“Love towards Christ is without limits, and the same is true of love towards our neighbour. It should radiate everywhere“Women also who administer drugs to cause abortion, as well as those who take poisons to the ends of the earthdestroy unborn children, to every personare murderesses.” —St. I wanted to go and live with Basil the hippies at …… in order Great, Letter CLXXXVIII: Canonica Prima, to show them Amphilochius, concerning the love of Christ and how great it is and how it could transfigure them. Love is above everything.” —Wounded by Love, Elder PorphyriosCanons, pg 188VII
“So God created man in His own image; in the image “The woman who purposely destroys her unborn child is guilty of God He created him; male murder. The hair-splitting difference between formed and female He created themunformed makes no difference to us.” —Genesis 1:27—St. Basil the Great
“For God knows that in “Why do you sow where the field is eager to destroy the day fruit? Where there are medicines of sterility? Where there is murder before birth? You do not even let a harlot remain only a harlot, but you eat of make her a murderess as well. Indeed, it your eyes will be opened, is something worse than murder and I do not know what to call it; for she does not kill what is formed but prevents its formation. What then? Do you will be like condemn the gifts of God, knowing good and fight with His laws? What is a curse you seek as though it were a blessing. Do you make the anteroom of slaughter? Do you teach the women who are given to you for a procreation of offspring to perpetuate killing? Yet such turpitude … the matter still seems indifferent to many men–even to many men having wives. In this indifference of the married men there is greater evilfilth; for then poisons are prepared, not against the womb of a prostitute, but against your injured wife.” —Genesis 3:5Against her are these innumerable tricks…” —St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, XXIV
“And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel “Some virgins [unmarried women] go so far as to take potions, that they may insure barrenness, and thus murder human beings almost before their conception. Some, when they find themselves with child through their sin, use drugs to procure abortion, and when (as often happens) they die with their offspring, they enter the lower world laden with the guilt not only of lightadultery against Christ but also of suicide and child murder.” —2 Corinthians 11—St. Jerome, Letter to Eustochium, 22:1413
“You shall not murder“The rich women, to avoid dividing the inheritance among many, kill their own unborn in the womb and with lethal extracts terminate their own offspring while yet in the womb.” —Exodus 20:13—St. Ambrose, On the Hexaemeron
“Cursed “For every argument there is the one a counter-argument, but who takes a bribe to slay an innocent personcan argue against life?” —St.” —Deuteronomy 27:25Gregory Palamas, Triads in Defence of the Holy Hesychasts
“He shall judge between “If you can't feed a hundred people, feed just one.”“I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness.”“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the nationsend,it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”And rebuke many “If you are honest and frank, peoplemay cheat you;Be honest and frank anyway.”They shall beat their swords into plowshares“It is a poverty that a child must die,so that you may live as you wish.”And their spears into pruning hooks;“How can you say there are too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers.”“The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between.”Nation shall “Any Country that accepts abortion is not lift up sword against nationteaching its people to love,but to use any violence to get what it wants.”Neither shall they learn war anymore“We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” —Isaiah 2:4“Do not look for big things, just do small things with great love… The smaller the thing the greater must be our love. “But Jesus said “God did not call us to himbe successful, ‘Put but to be faithful.”“Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your sword presence light new light in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the swordhearts of people.’” —Matthew 26:52”“There are no great things, only small things with great love. Happy are those.”“You know the commandments: ‘Do “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not commit adulteryyet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”“Every time you smile at someone,’ ‘Do not murderit is an action of love,’ ‘Do not steala gift to that person,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mothera beautiful thing.’” —Luke 18:20”—Teresa of Calcutta
“So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first“No one heals himself by wounding another.’” —John 8:7” —St. Ambrose of Milan
“Whoever hates his brother “Abortion is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in himthe anti-Christ's demonic parody of the Eucharist. That's why it uses the same holy words ‘This is my body’ with the blasphemous opposite meaning.” —1 John 3:15—Dr. Peter Kreeft
“And “An Irish pro-abortion leader described their vote as a decision to enter the ‘modern’ world. That was extremely well-said. Modernity suggests to us that we are the second commandment masters of history, the Teaching; Thou shalt not commit murderarbiters of life and death. Our compassion for the suffering is always expressed, thou shalt not commit adulteryultimately, thou shalt not commit paederasty, thou shalt not commit fornication, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not practise magic, thou shalt not practise witchcraftin our willingness to kill them, thou shalt not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is begottenwithout remorse.” —Didache 2:2
“You shall not take For many, abortion has become the life sacrament of the child by obtaining an abortion. Normodernity, again, shall you destroy him after he in which we learn to say in blasphemous irony: ‘This is born.” —Stmy body. Barnabas, Epistle of St’” —Fr. BarnabasStephen Freeman
“The mold “Each child with special needs such as this does not come into the world in order to make our lives difficult and make us suffer. They each come into this world for a reason and have their secret inner voice. It remains to us to offer love; to ‘bear one another's burdens’; to experience a collective humbling – to realize, that is, that we are not as powerful and important as we think; and to try to lighten that person's burden and understand their language… These children are better at speaking the womb may not be destroyedlanguage of God.” —Tertullian—Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Labreotiki, When God is Not There, pg. 48
“There is no question about that which is bred in the uterus“O God, both growinggrant us a deeper sense of fellowship with all living things, our little brothers and moving from place sisters to placewhom in common with us you have given this earth as home. It remains, therefore, We recall with regret that in the past we must think that have acted high-handedly and cruelly in exercising our domain over them. Thus, the point voice of commencement the earth which should have risen to you in song has turned into a groan of existence is one travail. May we realize that all these creatures also live for themselves and for you - not for us alone. They too love the same for body goodness of life, as we do, and soulserve you better in their way than we do in ours. Amen.” —St. Gregory of NyssaBasil the Great
“We acknowledgefollow the ways of wolves, thereforethe habits of tigers: or, rather we are worse than they. To them nature has assigned that life begins they should be thus fed, while God has honoured us with conception, because rational speech and a sense of equity. And yet we contend that are become worse than the soul begins at conceptionwild beast. Life begins when the soul begins” —St.John Chrysostom
For us, we may not destroy even “Drink water from the spring where horses drink. The horse will never drink bad water. Lay your bed where the cat sleeps. Eat the fruit that has been touched by a worm. Boldly pick the mushroom on which the insects sit. Plant the tree where the fetus in mole digs. Build your house where the womb, while as yet snake sits to warm itself. Dig your fountain where the human being derives blood birds hide from other parts the heat. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time with the birds – you will reap all of the body for its sustenancedays' golden grains. To hinder a birth is merely a speedier man-killing; nor does it matter when Eat more green – you take away will have strong legs and a life that is bornresistant heart, or destroy one that is coming to birthlike the beings of the forest. That is a man which is going to be one: Swim often and you have will feel on earth like the fruit already fish in the seedwater. Look at the sky as often as possible and your thoughts will become light and clear. Be quiet a lot, speak little – and silence will come in your heart, and your spirit will be calm and full of peace.” —Tertullian—St. Seraphim of Sarov (Nature is talking to you, Apology 9:6are you listening?)
“Now the entire process of sowing, forming, “Nothing is without order and completing the human embryo purpose in the womb is no doubt regulated by some power, which ministers herein to the will of God, whatever may be the method which it is appointed to employ. Even the superstition of Rome, by carefully attending to these points, imagined the goddess Alemona to nourish the foetus in the wombanimal kingdom; as well as [each animal bears the goddesses] Nona and Decima, called after the most critical months wisdom of gestation; and Partula, to manage and direct parturition; and Lucina, to bring the child to the birth Creator and light testifies of dayHim. We, on our part, believe the angels to officiate herein for God. The embryo therefore becomes a human being in the womb from the moment that its form is completed (conception). The law of Moses, indeed, punishes with due penalties the granted man who shall cause abortionand animals many natural attributes, inasmuch such as there exists already the rudiment of a human beingcompassion, love, which has imputed to it feelings… for even now animals bewail the condition loss of life and death, since it is already liable to the issues one of both, although, by living still in the mother, it for the most part shares its their own state with the mother.” —Tertullian, Treatise on the Soul, Ch—St. XXXVII, On the Formation and State of the Embryo, Its Relation with the Subject of this TreatiseJohn Climacus
“The blood “…surely we ought to show kindness and gentleness to animals for many reasons, and chiefly because they are of martyrs is the seed of the Churchsame origin as ourselves.” —Tertullian—St. John Chrysostom
“…if “For animals, man is like God. Just as we would not kill off the human race born and developing according to ask God's plan, then our whole lives would be lived according to nature. Women who make use of some sort of deadly abortion drug kill not only the embryo butfor help, together with it, all human kindnessthey ask man for help.” —St. Clement Paisios of Alexandria, Christ the Educator, Volume II, page 10Mt. Athos
“Those who use abortifacients commit homicide“Concepts create idols; only wonder comprehends anything. People kill one another over idols. Wonder makes us fall to our knees.” —St. Clement Gregory of AlexandriaNyssa
“The woman who aborts her child “…it is not the task of Christianity to provide easy answers to hide her immoralityevery question, aborts at but to make us progressively aware of a mystery. God is not so much the same time her own humanityobject of our knowledge as the cause of our wonder.” —St. Clement of Alexandria—Kallistos Ware
“Women who were reputed believers began “Why not learn to resort to drugs for producing sterilityenjoy the little things! There are so many of them.” —St. They also girded themselves aroundJohn Chrysostom “The unspeakable and prodigious fire hidden in the essence of things, so as in the bush, is the fire of divine love and the dazzling brilliance of His beauty inside every thing.” —St. Maximus the Confessor “Blessed the one who observes with spiritual understanding the choirs of stars shining with glory and the beauty of the heavens and longs to expel what was being gestatedcontemplate the Maker of all things.” —St. For they did not wish to have a child by either slave or by any common fellow - out Ephrem the Syrian “Leave behind the senses and the operations of concern for their family the intellect, and all things sensible and intellectual, and their excessive wealth. See what a great impiety all things in the lawless one has advanced! He teaches adultery world of being and murder at non-being, that thou mayest arise by unknowing towards the same time!union, as far as is attainable, with Him who transcends all knowledge.” —St. HipploytusDionysius the Areopagite, Refutation Of All HeresiesMystical Theology
“He [Novatian] struck “Supernal Triad, Deity above all essence, knowledge and goodness, Guide of Christians to Divine Wisdom: direct our path to the ultimate summit of Thy mystical Lore, most incomprehensible, most luminous and most exalted, where the womb pure, absolute and immutable mysteries of his wife theology are veiled in the dazzling obscurity of the secret Silence, outshining all brilliance with his heel the intensity of their Darkness, and produced a hurried an abortion, thereby causing parricidesurcharging our blinded intellects with the utterly impalpable and invisible fairness of glories surpassing all beauty.” —St. Cyprian of CarthageDionysius the Areopagite, Epistle 52 To CorneliusMystical Theology
“The wealthy“We, therefore, so long as we are beset by the corruptions of the flesh, in no wise behold the brightness of the Divine Power, as it abides unchangeable in itself, in order that their inheritance may the eye of our weakness cannot endure that which shines above us with intolerable lustre from the ray of His Eternal Being. And so when the Almighty shews Himself to us by the chinks of contemplation, He does not be divided among severalspeak to us, but whispers, deny in that though He does not fully develope Himself, yet something of Himself He does reveal to the very womb their own progenymind of man. But then He no longer whispers at all, but speaks, when His appearance is manifested to us in certainty. It is hence that Truth saith in the Gospel, ‘I shall shew you plainly of the Father’ (John 16, 25). Hence John saith, ‘For we shall see Him as He is’ (1 John 3, 2). Hence Paul saith, ‘Then shall I know even as also I am known’ (1 Cor. 13, 12). By use Now in this present time, the Divine whispering has as many veins for our ears as the works of' parricidal mixtures they snuff out creation, which the fruit Divine Being Himself is Lord of their wombs ; for while we view all things that are created, we are lifted up in admiration of the genital organs themselvesCreator. In this way life For as water that flows in a slender stream is taken away before sought by being bored for through veins, with a view to increase it , and as it pours forth the more copiously, in proportion as it finds the veins more open, so we, whilst we heedfully gather the knowledge of the Divine Being from the contemplation of His creation, as it were open to ourselves the ‘veins of His whispering’, in that by the things that we see have been made, we are led to marvel at the excellency of the Maker, and by the objects that are in public view, that issues forth to us, which is born… Who except man himself has taught hidden in concealment. For He bursts out to us in a kind of sound as it were, whilst He displays His works to be considered by us ways , wherein He betokens Himself in a measure, in that He shews how Incomprehensible He is. Therefore, because we cannot take thought of Him as He deserves, we hear not His voice, yea, scarcely His whispering. For because we are not equal to form a full and perfect estimate of the very things that are created, it is rightly said, Mine ear as it were by stealth received the veins of repudiating children?whispering; in that being cast forth from the delights of paradise, and visited with the punishment of blindness, we scarcely take in ‘the veins of whispering’; since His very marvellous works themselves we consider but hastily and slightly. But we must bear in mind, that in proportion as the soul being lifted up contemplates His Excellency, so being held back it shrinks from His Righteous Perfectness.” —St. Ambrose Gregory the Great (Gregory the Dialogist), Book V, Sec. 52, Morals on the Book of MilanJob
“Sometimes their sadistic licentiousness goes “Look at the world around you. It supplies all your bodily needs. It feasts your eyes with its beauty. And its glory reflects the glory of God, so far that they procure poison to produce infertilityit feasts your soul also. Look at the plants and the trees. Can you count all the different species? Can you describe all the different shapes of the leaves, the color and when this is fragrances of no availthe flowers? Look, they find one means or another to destroy too, at the unborn animals and flush it from the mother's wombinsects. For Are you not enthralled by their different sizes and shapes, by the different colors and textures of their skin and fur, by the different ways in which they desire move about and gather food? And the wonder why God has created all this. Has he created the marvelous universe just to see their offspring perish before supply our needs and to feast our eyes and souls? or is there some other purpose in it all? The answer is alive orthat he has created all things--for their own sake. Each creature has its own purpose and destiny, if it which God in his infinite wisdom and love has already been granted life, they seek planned. Do not try to kill it within the motherunderstand God's body before it plans; the human mind is bornhardly better than that of an ant in discerning the ways of God. Simply accept all his plans and rejoice in them.” —St. Augustine of HippoJohn Chrysostom, The City of GodOn Living Simply, Book One, Ch. 16pg 54
“A woman “When you sit down to eat, pray. When you eat bread, do so thanking Him for being so generous to you. If you drink wine, be mindful of Him who has deliberately destroyed given it to you for your pleasure and as a fetus must pay relief in sickness. When you dress, thank Him for His kindness in providing you with clothes. When you look at the sky and the beauty of the penalty for murder… those also stars, throw yourself at God's feet and adore Him who in His wisdom has arranged things in this way. Similarly, when the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give drugs causing abortions are murderers themselvesthanks to God, as well as those who receive the poison which kills the fetuscreated and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love and praise their Creator.” —St. Basil the Great, First Canonical Letter, 188:2 and 188:8
“Women also who administer drugs to cause abortion, “For as well long as those you are on earth, consider yourself a guest in the Household of Christ. If you are at the table, it is He who take poisons to destroy unborn childrentreats you. If you breathe air, it is His air you breathe. If you bathe, it is in His water you are bathing. If you are traveling, it is over His land that you are murderessestraveling.” —StIf you are amassing goods, it is His goods you are amassing. Basil the GreatIf you are squandering, Letter CLXXXVIII: Canonica Primait is His goods that you are squandering. If you are powerful, to Amphilochiusit is by His permission that you are strong. If you are in the company of men, concerning you and the Canonsothers are His guests. If you are out in nature, you are in His garden. If you are alone, VIIHe is present.” —St. Nikolai Velimirovich
“The woman who purposely destroys her unborn child is guilty “Some people see the houses in which they live as their kingdom; and although in their minds they know that death will one day force them to leave, in their hearts they feel they will stay forever. They take pride in the size of murdertheir houses and the fine material with which they are built. The hair-splitting difference between formed They take pleasure in decorating their houses with bright colors, and in obtaining the best and unformed makes no difference most solid furniture to fill the rooms. They imagine that they can find peace and security by owning a house whose walls and roof will last for many generations. We, by contrast, know that we are only temporary guests on earth. We recognize that the houses in which we live serve only as hostels on the road to eternal life. We do not seek peace or security from the material walls around usor the roof above our heads. Rather we want to surround ourselves with a wall of divine grace; and we look upward to heaven as our roof. And the furniture of our lives should be good works, performed in a spirit of love.” —St. Basil the GreatJohn Chrysostom, On Living Simply, pg 11
“Why do “What hinders you sow where the field is eager to destroy the fruitfrom fulfilling Christ’s commandments? Where there are medicines of sterility? Where there is murder before birth? You do not even let a harlot remain only a harlot, but you make her a murderess as well. Indeed, it is something worse than murder and I do not know what to call it; for she does not kill what is formed but prevents its formation. What then? Do you condemn the gifts of God, and fight with His laws? What is a curse you seek as though it were a blessing. Do you make the anteroom of slaughter? Do you teach the women who are given to you for a procreation of offspring to perpetuate killing? Yet such turpitude … the matter still seems indifferent to many men–even to many men having wives. In this indifference of the married men there is greater evil filth; for then poisons are prepared, not against the womb of a prostitute, but against your injured wife. Against her are these innumerable tricks…” —St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, XXIV
“Some virgins [unmarried women] go so far as to take potionsThe flesh and the world: that is, pleasant food and drink which men like, that in which they may insure barrennessdelight both in thought and in fact, which make the heart gross and thus murder human beings almost before their conception. Somehard—a partiality for elegant dress and adornment, or for distinctions and rewards; if the dress or adornments are made of very beautiful coloured and delicate materials, then care and anxiety arise how to avoid staining or soiling them, when they find themselves with child through their sinor getting them dusty or wet, use drugs whilst care and anxiety how to procure abortionplease God in thought, word, and deed vanish and the heart lives for dress and adornment, and when (as often happens) they die with their offspringbecomes entirely engrossed in these things, they enter ceasing to care about God and being united to Him; if such is the lower world laden case with the guilt a priest, then he neglects praying for his people, and becomes not only of adultery against Christ soul-loving, but also of suicide money-loving and child murder.” —St. Jeromeambitious, seeking not the men themselves, Letter but that which appertains to Eustochiumthem, 22:13that is, money, food, drink, their favour, their good opinion and good word, and flattering them.
“The rich womenTherefore fight against every worldly enticement, to avoid dividing the inheritance among manyagainst every material enticement that hinders you from fulfilling Christ’s commandments, love God with all your heart, kill their own unborn in the womb and care with lethal extracts terminate their all your strength for the salvation of your own offspring while yet in soul, and the wombsouls of others, be soul-loving.” —St. Ambrose, On the HexaemeronJohn of Kronstadt
“For every argument there “Let us be satisfied simply with what sustains our present life, not with what pampers it. Let us pray to God for this, as we have been taught, so that we may keep our souls unenslaved and absolutely free from domination by any of the visible things loved for the sake of the body. Let us show that we eat for the sake of living, and not be guilty of living for the sake of eating. The first is a counter-argumentsign of intelligence, but who can argue against life?the second proof of its absence.” —St. Gregory Palamas, Triads in Defence of Maximus the Holy HesychastsConfessor
“If you “[R]eal Orthodox can't feed a hundred people, feed just one.”“I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness.”“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anywaychauvinists. For you seeI recall once, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”“If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.”“It is a poverty that a child must dieconversation with me in 1926, so that you may live as you wishthe blessedly reposed metropolitan [A.”“How can you say Khrapovitsky] related to me the following: "On Athos there are too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers.”“The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between.”“Any Country custom that accepts abortion a monk who does not forgive offences is not teaching its people punished by being made to loveomit the words ‘and forgive us our debts, but to use any violence to get what it wants.”“We can do no great thingsas we forgive our debtors, only small things with great love.”“Do not look for big things, just do small things with great love… The smaller ’ at the thing reading of the greater must be our love. “God did not call us to be successfulLord’s Prayer, but to be faithful.”“Go out into the world today and love until such a time when he has forgiven the people you meetoffence committed against him. Let your presence light new light in And I myself have suggested," added the hearts of people.”“There are no great thingssaint, only small things with great love. Happy are those.”“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has "that the chauvinist-nationalists not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action read the ninth article of the Symbol of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thingFaith.”—Teresa of Calcutta"
“No one heals himself If we were to crystallize this principle of Vladyka, it would read as follows: the Russian, Serbian, and Bulgarian nations can be great only if the goal of their existence be the collective realization of the commandments of the Gospel. Otherwise, "Serbianism", "Russianism", and "Bulgarianism", are reduced to senseless and pernicious chauvinism. If "Serbianism" flourishes not by wounding anotherthe power of evangelical podvigs and not to Orthodox catholicity, then it will choke in its own egoistic chauvinism. What is profitable for Serbdom is profitable for other nationalities as well. Nations pass, the Gospel is eternal. Only in so far as a nation is filled with the eternal evangelical truth and righteousness, does it exist, and itself becomes and remains eternal.” —StOnly such patriotism can be justified from an evangelical point of view. Ambrose This is the patriotism of Milanthe holy apostles, the holy martyrs, the holy fathers. When the emperor-tormentor asked the holy martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus where they were from, they answered: "Are you asking us, O Emperor, about our homeland? Our homeland and our life is the most holy, consubstantial and undivided Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the one God." (On Met. Anthony Khrapovitsky)
“Abortion The blessed Metropolitan Anthony is the anti-most gifted contemporary representative of Russian Orthodox nationalism, a nationalism consecrated and enlightened by Christ's demonic parody ; a nationalism by which all men are brothers in Christ; a nationalism by which the mighty must serve the weak, the wise the unwise, the humble the proud, the first the last. Growing out of patristic Orthodox universal patriotism, the Eucharistblessed Vladyka can only be appreciated from the same apostolic patristic perspective. We can apply to him what St. ThatGregory of Nyssa said about his own brother, St. Basil, after his death: "Wherein lies Basil's why it uses the same holy words ‘This noble origin? Where is his homeland? His origin is his affinity to divinity, and his homeland is my body’ with the blasphemous opposite meaningvirtue."” —Dr—St. Peter KreeftJustin Popovich
“An Irish pro-abortion leader described their vote as a decision “Worldly glory does not lead God's children to enter the ‘modern’ worldheaven. That was extremely well-said” —St. Modernity suggests to us that we are the masters of historyRaphael, the arbiters Newly-revealed Martyr of life and death. Our compassion for the suffering is always expressed, ultimately, in our willingness to kill them, without remorse.Lesvos
For many, abortion “Satan has become the sacrament of modernityno need to tempt those who tempt themselves, in which we learn to say in blasphemous irony: ‘This is my bodyand are continually dragged down by worldly affairs.’” —Fr” —St. Stephen FreemanJohn of Karpathos
“Each child with special needs such as this “The devil does not come into the world in order hunt after those who are lost; he hunts after those who are aware, those who are close to make our lives difficult and make us sufferGod. They each come into this world for a reason He takes from them trust in God and have their secret inner voice. It remains begins to us to offer love; to ‘bear one another's burdens’; to experience a collective humbling – to realizeafflict them with self-assurance, logic, that isthinking, that criticism. Therefore we are should not as powerful and important as we think; and to try to lighten that person's burden and understand their language… These children are better at speaking the language of Godtrust our logical minds.” —Metropolitan Nikolaos —St. Paisios of Mesogaia and Labreotiki, When God is Not There, pgMt. 48Athos
“O God, grant us a deeper sense of fellowship with all living things, our little brothers and sisters “The fundamental Christian eschatology has been destroyed by either the optimism leading to whom in common with us you have given this earth as home. We recall with regret that in the past we have acted high-handedly and cruelly in exercising our domain over them. ThusUtopia, or by the voice of pessimism leading to the earth which should have risen to you Escape. If there are two heretical words in song has turned into a groan of travail. May we realize that all these creatures also live for themselves and for you - not for us alone. They too love the goodness of life, as we doChristian vocabulary, they would be "optimism" and serve you better in their way than we do in ours"pessimism. Amen" These two things are utterly anti-biblical and anti-Christian.” —St—Fr. Basil the GreatAlexander Schmemann
“We follow “Christ is the ways of wolvesonly exit from this world; all other exits – sexual rapture, the habits of tigers: orpolitical utopia, rather we economic independence – are worse than they. To them nature has assigned that they should be thus fed, while God has honoured us with rational speech and a sense but blind alleys in which rot the corpses of equity. And yet we are become worse than the wild beastmany that have tried them.” —St—Fr. John ChrysostomSeraphim Rose of Platina
“Drink water from the spring where horses drink“Everything in this life passes away – only God remains, only He is worth struggling towards. The horse will never drink bad water. Lay your bed where the cat sleeps. Eat the fruit that has been touched by We have a worm. Boldly pick the mushroom on which the insects sit. Plant the tree where the mole digs. Build your house where the snake sits choice: to warm itself. Dig your fountain where the birds hide from follow the heat. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time with the birds – you will reap all way of the days' golden grains. Eat more green – you will have strong legs and a resistant heartthis world, like the beings of the forest. Swim often society that surrounds us, and you will feel on earth like thereby find ourselves outside of God; or to choose the fish in the water. Look at the sky as often as possible and your thoughts will become light and clear. Be quiet a lotway of life, speak little – to choose God Who calls us and silence will come in your for Whom our heart, and your spirit will be calm and full of peaceis searching.” —St—Fr. Seraphim Rose of Sarov (Nature is talking to you, are you listening?)Platina
“Nothing is without order and purpose in the animal kingdom; each animal bears the wisdom of “Let the Creator and testifies hearing of Him. God granted man and animals many natural attributes, such worldly tales be to you as compassiona bitter taste in your mouth, love, feelings… for even animals bewail but the loss discourse of one of their ownholy men as a honeycomb.” —St. John ClimacusBasil the Great
“…surely we ought to show kindness “All the things of this world are no more than earth. Place them in a heap under your feet and gentleness you will be so much nearer to animals for many reasons, and chiefly because they are of the same origin as ourselvesheaven.” —St. John Chrysostom—Josemaria Escriva
“Concepts create idols; only wonder comprehends anything. People kill one another over idols. Wonder makes us fall “A man who has dedicated himself once and for all to our kneesGod goes through life with a restful mind.” —St. Gregory of NyssaIsaac the Syrian
“Why “Do you seek any further reward beyond that of having pleased God? In truth, you know not learn how great a good it is to enjoy the little things! There are so many of themplease Him.” —St. John Chrysostom
“The unspeakable and prodigious fire hidden in the essence of things, as in the bush, is the fire of divine love and the dazzling brilliance of His beauty inside every thing.” —St. Maximus the Confessor “Blessed the one who observes with spiritual understanding the choirs of stars shining with glory and the beauty of the heavens and longs to contemplate the Maker of all things.” —St. Ephrem the Syrian “Look at the world around you. It supplies all your bodily needs. It feasts your eyes with its beauty. And its glory reflects the glory of God, so it feasts your soul also. Look at the plants and the trees. Can you count all the different species? Can you describe all the different shapes of the leaves, the color and fragrances of the flowers? Look, too, at the animals and the insects. Are you not enthralled by their different sizes and shapes, by the different colors and textures of their skin and fur, by the different ways in which they move about and gather food? And the wonder why God has created all this. Has he created the marvelous universe just to supply our needs and to feast our eyes and souls? or is there some other purpose in it all? The answer is that he has created all things--for their own sake. Each creature has its own purpose and destiny, which God in his infinite wisdom and love has planned. Do not try to understand God's plans; the human mind is hardly better than that of an ant in discerning the ways of God. Simply accept all his plans and rejoice in them.” —St. John Chrysostom, On Living Simply, pg 54 “For as long as you are on earth, consider yourself a guest in the Household of Christ. If you are at the table, it is He who treats you. If you breathe air, it is His air you breathe. If you bathe, it is in His water you are bathing. If you are traveling, it is over His land that you are traveling. If you are amassing goods, it is His goods you are amassing. If you are squandering, it is His goods that you are squandering. If you are powerful, it is by His permission that you are strong. If you are in the company of men, you and the others are His guests. If you are out in nature, you are in His garden. If you are alone, He is present.” —St. Nikolai Velimirovich “Some people see the houses in which they live as their kingdom; and although in their minds they know that death will one day force them to leave, in their hearts they feel they will stay forever. They take pride in the size of their houses and the fine material with which they are built. They take pleasure in decorating their houses with bright colors, and in obtaining the best and most solid furniture to fill the rooms. They imagine that they can find peace and security by owning a house whose walls and roof will last for many generations. We, by contrast, know that we are only temporary guests on earth. We recognize that the houses in which we live serve only as hostels on the road to eternal life. We do not seek peace or security from the material walls around us or the roof above our heads. Rather we want to surround ourselves with a wall of divine grace; and we look upward to heaven as our roof. And the furniture of our lives should be good works, performed in a spirit of love.” —St. John Chrysostom, On Living Simply, pg 11 “What hinders you from fulfilling Christ’s commandments? The flesh and the world: that is, pleasant food and drink which men like, in which they delight both in thought and in fact, which make the heart gross and hard—a partiality for elegant dress and adornment, or for distinctions and rewards; if the dress or adornments are made of very beautiful coloured and delicate materials, then care and anxiety arise how to avoid staining or soiling them, or getting them dusty or wet, whilst care and anxiety how to please God in thought, word, and deed vanish and the heart lives for dress and adornment, and becomes entirely engrossed in these things, ceasing to care about God and being united to Him; if such is the case with a priest, then he neglects praying for his people, and becomes not soul-loving, but money-loving and ambitious, seeking not the men themselves, but that which appertains to them, that is, money, food, drink, their favour, their good opinion and good word, and flattering them. Therefore fight against every worldly enticement, against every material enticement that hinders you from fulfilling Christ’s commandments, love God with all your heart, and care with all your strength for the salvation of your own soul, and the souls of others, be soul-loving.” —St. John of Kronstadt “Let us be satisfied simply with what sustains our present life, not with what pampers it. Let us pray to God for this, as we have been taught, so that we may keep our souls unenslaved and absolutely free from domination by any of the visible things loved for the sake of the body. Let us show that we eat for the sake of living, and not be guilty of living for the sake of eating. The first is a sign of intelligence, the second proof of its absence.” —St. Maximus the Confessor “[R]eal Orthodox can never be chauvinists. I recall once, in a conversation with me in 1926, the blessedly reposed metropolitan [A. Khrapovitsky] related to me the following: "On Athos there is a custom that a monk who does not forgive offences is punished by being made to omit the words ‘and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,’ at the reading of the Lord’s Prayer, until such a time when he has forgiven the offence committed against him. And I myself have suggested," added the great saint, "that the chauvinist-nationalists not read the ninth article of the Symbol of Faith." If we were to crystallize this principle of Vladyka, it would read as follows: the Russian, Serbian, and Bulgarian nations can be great only if the goal of their existence be the collective realization of the commandments of the Gospel. Otherwise, "Serbianism", "Russianism", and "Bulgarianism", are reduced to senseless and pernicious chauvinism. If "Serbianism" flourishes not by the power of evangelical podvigs and not to Orthodox catholicity, then it will choke in its own egoistic chauvinism. What is profitable for Serbdom is profitable for other nationalities as well. Nations pass, the Gospel is eternal. Only in so far as a nation is filled with the eternal evangelical truth and righteousness, does it exist, and itself becomes and remains eternal. Only such patriotism can be justified from an evangelical point of view. This is the patriotism of the holy apostles, the holy martyrs, the holy fathers. When the emperor-tormentor asked the holy martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus where they were from, they answered: "Are you asking us, O Emperor, about our homeland? Our homeland and our life is the most holy, consubstantial and undivided Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the one God." (On Met. Anthony Khrapovitsky) The blessed Metropolitan Anthony is the most gifted contemporary representative of Russian Orthodox nationalism, a nationalism consecrated and enlightened by Christ; a nationalism by which all men are brothers in Christ; a nationalism by which the mighty must serve the weak, the wise the unwise, the humble the proud, the first the last. Growing out of patristic Orthodox universal patriotism, the blessed Vladyka can only be appreciated from the same apostolic patristic perspective. We can apply to him what St. Gregory of Nyssa said about his own brother, St. Basil, after his death: "Wherein lies Basil's noble origin? Where is his homeland? His origin is his affinity to divinity, and his homeland is virtue."” —St. Justin Popovich “Worldly glory does not lead God's children to heaven.” —St. Raphael, the Newly-revealed Martyr of Lesvos “Satan has no need to tempt those who tempt themselves, and are continually dragged down by worldly affairs.” —St. John of Karpathos “The devil does not hunt after those who are lost; he hunts after those who are aware, those who are close to God. He takes from them trust in God and begins to afflict them with self-assurance, logic, thinking, criticism. Therefore we should not trust our logical minds.” —Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos “Christ is the only exit from this world; all other exits – sexual rapture, political utopia, economic independence – are but blind alleys in which rot the corpses of the many that have tried them.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina “Only He is worth struggling towards. We have a choice: to follow the way of this world, of the society that surrounds us, and thereby find ourselves outside of God; or to choose the way of life, to choose God Who calls us and for Whom our heart is searching.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina “Let the hearing of worldly tales be to you as a bitter taste in your mouth, but the discourse of holy men as a honeycomb.” —St. Basil the Great “All the things of this world are no more than earth. Place them in a heap under your feet and you will be so much nearer to heaven.” —Josemaria Escriva “A man who has dedicated himself once and for all to God goes through life with a restful mind.” —St. Isaac the Syrian “Do you seek any further reward beyond that of having pleased God? In truth, you know not how great a good it is to please Him.” —St. John Chrysostom “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” —St. Augustineof Hippo
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” —Matthew 22:37-40
“Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."” —Acts 6:2-4
“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” —Hebrews 13:17
“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” —Acts 20:7
“Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.” —2 Corinthians 10:11
“So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.” —Acts 8:30-31
“…but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” —1 Timothy 3:15
“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” —John 21:25
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” —Jeremiah 1:5
“And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” —Matthew 15:9
“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” —Hebrews 13:17
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” —2 Thessalonians 2:15
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” —Psalm 34:18
“O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
And Your hand presses me down.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, be not far from me!
Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!” —Psalm 38:1,2,4,5,21,22
“Be still, and know that I am God;
“For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For 'He has put all things under His feet.' But when He says 'all things are put under Him,' it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” —1 Corinthians 15:25-28
“To have faith in Christ means more than simply despising the delights of this life. It means we should bear all our daily trials that may bring us sorrow, distress, or unhappiness, and bear them patiently for as long as God wishes and until He comes to visit us. For it is said, ‘I waited on the Lord and He came to me.’” —St. Symeon the New Theologian
“Anyone who truly wants to follow God must be free from the bonds of attachment to this life. To do this we must make a complete break with our old way of life. Indeed, unless we avoid all obsession with the body and with the concerns of this world, we shall never succeed in pleasing God. We must depart as it were to another world in our way of thinking, as the Apostle said: ‘Our citizenship is in heaven’.” —St. Basil the Great, Gateway to Paradise
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” —Philippians 3:20-21
“Therefore it was not one man, but rather the One Universal Church, that received these 'keys' and the right 'to bind and loosen.'” —St. Augustineof Hippo
“The Lord calls the Holy Spirit the 'voice of a gentle breeze'. For God is breath, and the breath of the wind is shared by all.” —St. Maximus the Confessor
“He who is initiated into the mystery of the Resurrection, learns the end for which God created all things.” —St. Maximus the Confessor
“Since Christ Himself has said“This bread is at first common bread; but when the Mystery sancifies it, "This is My Body" who shall dare to doubt that It is His called, and actually becomes the Body?of Christ.” —St. Cyril Gregory of JerusalemNyssa
“Since Christ Himself has said, ‘This is My Body’ who shall dare to doubt that It is His Body?” —St. Cyril of Jerusalem “You freed me from slavery, gave me Your Name and marked me with Your Blood, so that I would always keep You in my heart.” —St. Augustineof Hippo
“When someone opens your heart, I'd like him to find nothing there but Christ.” —Elder Amphilochios of Patmos
“Think nothing and do nothing without a purpose directed to God. For to journey without direction is wasted effort.” —St. Mark the Ascetic
“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him, the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest achievement.” —St. Augustineof Hippo
“Love bestows prophecy; love yields miracles; love is an abyss of illumination; love is a fountain of fire, in the measure that it wells up, it inflames the thirsty soul. Love is the state of angels. Love is the progress of eternity.” —St. John Climacus
“Brethren, He is near each one of us, even if unseen. That is why He said to the apostles when He ascended, ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world’ (Matt 28:20). Every day we should stand in awe of Him, as He is with us, and do what is pleasing before Him. If we are unable now to perceive Him with our physical eyes, we can, if we are watchful, see Him continuously with the eyes of our understanding, and not just see Him, but reap great benefits from Him. This vision destroys all sin, demolishes all evil, and drives away everything bad. It yields every virtue, gives birth to purity and dispassion, and bestows eternal life and the kingdom without end. As we attend to this joyful sight, gazing with our mind's eye on Christ as though He were present, each of us will say with David, ‘Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident’ (Ps. 27:3).” —St. Gregory of Palamas, Homily 23, The Appearance of Jesus
“Why do men learn through pain and suffering, not pleasure and happiness? Very simply, pleasure and happiness accustom one to satisfaction with things in this world, whereas pain and suffering drive one to seek more profound happiness beyond limitations of this world.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina
“Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands.
For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life.
Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them.” —St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Prayers by the Lake, For Enemies, Prayer LXXV “For all the sins of men I repent before You, Most Merciful Lord. Indeed, the seed of all sins flows in my blood! With my effort and Your mercy I choke this wicked crop of weeds day and night, so that no tare may sprout in the field of the Lord, but only pure wheat. (Matt. 13:24-30.)I repent for all those who are worried, who stagger under a burden of worries and do not know that they should put all their worries on You. For feeble man even the most minor worry is unbearable, but for You a mountain of worries is like a snowball thrown into a fiery furnace.I repent for all the sick, for sickness is the fruit of sin. When the soul is cleansed with repentance, sickness disappears with sin, and You, my Eternal Health, take up Your abode in the soul.I repent for unbelievers, who through their unbelief amass worries and sicknesses both on themselves and on their friends.I repent for all those who blaspheme God, who blaspheme against You without knowing that they are blaspheming against the Master, who clothes them and feeds them.I repent for all the slayers of men, who take the life of another to preserve their own. Forgive them, Most Merciful Lord, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34) For they do not know that there are not two lives in the universe, but one, and that there are not two men in the universe, but one. Ah, how dead are those who cut the heart in half!I repent for all those who bear false witness, for in reality they are homicides and suicides.For all my brothers who are thieves and who are hoarders of unneeded wealth I weep and sigh, for they have buried their soul and have nothing with which to go forth before You.For all the arrogant and the boastful I weep and sigh, for before You they are like beggars with empty pockets.For all drunkards and gluttons I weep and sigh, for they have become servants of their servants.For all adulterers I repent, for they have betrayed the trust. of the Holy Spirit, who chose them to form new life through them. Instead, they turned serving life into destroying life.For all gossipers I repent, for they have turned Your most precious gift, the gift of speech, into cheap sand.For all those who destroy their neighbor’s hearth and home and their neighbor’s peace I repent and sigh, for they bring a curse on themselves and their people.For all lying tongues, for all suspicious eyes, for all raging hearts, for all insatiable stomachs, for all darkened minds, for all ill will, for all unseemly thoughts, for all murderous emotions–I repent, weep and sigh.For all the history of mankind from Adam to me, a sinner, I repent; for all history is in my blood. For I am in Adam and Adam is in me.For all the worlds, large and small, that do not tremble before Your awesome presence, I weep and cry out: O Master Most Merciful, have mercy on me and save me!” —St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Prayers by the Lake, Repentance for the World, Prayer XXIX
“O Lord,
“If there is any rest for us in this world, then it consists only in purity of the conscience and patience. This is a harbor for us who sail upon the sea of life…” —St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
“I would like to address all believers of our church of Christ.
Don't be afraid of anything. Be steadfast in your love for God. Keep the purity of the Holy Orthodox Faith, it is the way that leads man to God! Love one another, tolerate one another, help one another. Evil will pass – and good will live forever. If we endure everything, live in love for all and among ourselves, then no evil will defeat us. God is a God of strength, and evil has no power. We will live with God – and we will be joyful, happy and blessed.
I know that Our church of Christ will be till the end of the world because the Lord said the gates of hell will not prevail against Her. Don't be afraid because We are in a church founded by Christ, not by men.” —Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and all Ukraine
“As to the fatalism of those who believe that man must be a slave to the spirit of the age, it is disproved by the experience of every Christian worthy of the name, for the Christian life is nothing if it is not a struggle against the spirit of every age for the sake of eternity.” —Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina
“What, then, is greater than that the Father of the only-begotten Son Himself recognizes in us His members and finds the very form of the Son in our faces?” —St. Nicholas Cabasilas
“This, then, is the way in which we interpret the Eighth Day…namely that when the time that is measured in weeks comes to an end, an Eight Eighth Day will come into being…It will remain one day continually, never to be divided by the darkness of night. Another Sun will bring it into being, radiating the true light; embracing all things in it's luminous power, it will produce light continually and will make those who share in that Light into other suns.” —St. Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on the Psalms
“The Son of God became man“He made Him who was righteous to be a sinner, that we He might become godmake sinners righteous.” —St. Athanasius of AlexandriaJohn Chrysostom
“becoming “The Word of God became man, that man might become god… becoming by grace what God is by nature.” —St. Athanasius of Alexandriathe Great, On the Incarnation
“Thine own of Thine own we Offer unto Thee, in behalf of all and for all!” —Anaphora offering (OCA), Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
“…nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” —Luke 20:36-38
“It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” —2 Maccabees 12:46
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” —Philippians 4:13
"And “And we know that to them that love God, all things work together for unto good , to those who love Godsuch as, according to those who his purpose, are the called according to His purposebe saints." ” —Romans 8:28
“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” —Matthew 19:26
“When I am dead, come to me at my grave, and the more often the better. Whatever is in your soul, whatever may have happened to you, come to me as when I was alive and kneeling on the ground, cast all your bitterness upon my grave. Tell me everything and I shall listen to you, and all the bitterness will fly away from you. And as you spoke to me when I was alive, do so now. For I am living and I shall be forever.” —St. Seraphim of Sarov
“Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man takest thy crown (Revelation 3:11).” —Metropolitan Philaret of New York, the last words of
“«δόξα τῷ θεῷ πάντων ἕνεκεν» (Glory be to God for all things!)” —St. John Chrysostom, the last words of