"Those who write and speak and who wish to build up the Church, while lacking
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are worldly people void of the Spirit, as St.
Jude observes (cf. Jude 19). Such people come under the curse which says, 'Woe
to those who are wise in their own sight, and esteem themselves as possessors of
knowledge' (Is. 5:21); for they speak from themselves and it is not the Spirit
of God that speaks in them (cf. Matt. 10:20). For those who speak what are
simply their own thoughts before they have attained purity are deluded by the
spirit of self-conceit."
St. Gregory of Sinai.
--------------------------------------------------------------
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater
love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." John
15:12-13
"...he who knows his own weakness as a result of the many temptations and trials that he undergoes through the passions of soul and body, understands the...
"Those who write and speak and who wish to build up the Church, while lacking the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are worldly people void of the Spirit, as St....
"Blessed is he who, with a hunger that is never satisfied, day and night throughout this present life makes prayer and the psalms his food and drink, and...
"Many have been speedily forgiven their sins. But no one has rapidly acquired dispassion, for this requires time and longing, and God." St. John Climacus. ... ...
"Do all in your power not to fall, for the strong athlete should not fall. But if you do fall, get up again at once and continue the contest. Even if you fall...
"Whether a habit is good or bad, time nourishes it, just as wood feeds a fire. Thus, so far as we can, we should cultivate and practise what is good, so that...
"Love, therefore, is the foremost of all excellent achievements and the first of the commandments of the law. If ever, then, the soul reach this goal, it will...
"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature -- trees, flowers, grass -- grows in...
"I want you to know this, that Jesus Christ our Lord is Himself the true Mind of the Father. By Him all the fullness of every rational nature is made in the...
"For what else is the feast, but the constant worship of God, and the recognition of godliness, and unceasing prayers from the whole heart with agreement? So...
"The offspring of virtue is perseverance. The fruit and offspring of perseverance is habit, and the child of habit is character." St. John Climacus. ... And...
"It is more serious to lose hope than to sin. The traitor Judas was a defeatist, inexperienced in spiritual warfare; as a result he was reduced to despair by...
"Seest thou that a failure in almsgiving is enough to cast a man into hell fire? For where will he avail who does not give alms? Dost thou fast every day? So...
"Then, what is the crowd (Luke 19:3) if not the confusion of the ignorant multitude which could not see the Crown of wisdom? Thus, Zacchaeus, as long as he is...
"God always was, and always is, and always will be. Or rather, God always Is. For Was and Will be are fragments of our time, and of changeable nature, but He...
"A true Christian is made by faith and love toward Christ. Our sins do not in the least hinder our Christianity, according to the word of the Saviour Himself....
"Stillness of the body is the accurate knowledge and management of one's feelings and perceptions. Stillness of the soul is the accurate knowledge of one's...
"...all knowledge, strength and virtue are the grace of God, as are all other things. And through grace He has given all men the power to become sons of God...
"We ourselves, however, have the means to avoid being deceived as long as we are prepared to stay even slightly alert and on the watch, not because we have...
"'Ye are the light of the world' (Mt. 5:14). 'Of the world' again; not of one nation, nor of twenty states, but of the whole inhabited earth. And 'a light' to...
"A man will appear at the Judgement of Christ with what he has when he departs from this world. Sinners! Let us consider this saying diligently and repent,...
"Having recognized our own weakness and the power of God, we are filled with fear and hope, so that we neither lapse through ignorance because we are too sure...
"St. John in one of his epistles says, 'Perfect love drives out fear.' What does the holy man signify to us by this? What sort of love and what sort of fear is...
"You find no difficulty in washing your clothes; how much easier is it for the Lord to cleanse you from every stain, although you are bound to be tempted every...
"Brave and determined thinking is a friend of stillness. It is always on the watch at the doors of the heart, killing or driving off invading notions." St....
"A single good word made the thief pure and holy, despite all his previous crimes, and brought him into paradise (cf. Luke 23:42-43). A single ill-advised word...
CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! "Our virtue, therefore, must not be contaminated with fault, but must be single-minded and blameless and free from all that can...
CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! "When we pray and God delays in hearing (our prayer), He does this for our benefit, so as to teach us longsuffering; wherefore we...
CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! "Hence, I beseech you, let us not draw attention to our neighbors' faults, should we learn about them from others, far from being...
"The Lord, indeed, is the Lover of mankind, so full of tender compassion whenever we turn completely toward Him and are freed from all things contrary. Even...
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