Orthodox wisdom quotes. Sayings of the holy fathers and teachers of the church
“There is no need to get angry, try to be meek and endure the infirmities of others” Optina Elders
“But if anyone does not care for his own, and especially for those of his household, then he has renounced the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8)
“You are deceived if you think that love for a person is in indulging his sins and passions, then you love his death, and not himself” Rev. Justin (Popovich)
“May the Lord give each other's mind and strength to bear burdens and thereby keep the law of Christ, love and peace. Mistakes, transgressions and sins of the brothers be mine" Rev. Moses Optinsky
“Whoever wants to acquire love must reject every evil and non-peaceful thought, not to mention deeds and words, must forgive everyone just and unjust insults” Rev. Nikon Optinsky
“Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven, for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not the publicans do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what special thing do you do? Don't the pagans do the same? Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mat. 5:44-48)
“God sends mercy to the one who works, and consolation to the one who loves” Rev. Ambrose Optinsky
“Love - and you will do what is right, without noticing it yourself”
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself” (Luke 10:27)
“There is no greater love than if a man lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” (Proverbs of Solomon, 10:12)
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another; as I have loved you, let you also love one another.
By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35)
“Mercy and indulgence towards neighbors and forgiveness of their shortcomings is the shortest path to salvation. Nothing helps prayer so much as the patience of sorrows and love for one’s neighbor.” Optina Flower Garden
“Do not look for love in others for yourself, but look for it in yourself, not only for your neighbors, but also for your enemies” Rev. Macarius Optinsky
"Love sinners but hate their deeds" Rev. Isaac Sirin
“Why does a person suffer on earth, bear sorrows and endure insults?
We suffer because we do not have humility. The Holy Spirit lives in a humble soul, and He gives the soul freedom, peace, love, bliss.
We suffer because we do not love our brother.” Rev. Silouan of Athos
“Enter the position of each person, consider who is in front of you, worry with others, try to unload others. This will give you the opportunity to painlessly lag behind your "I". Then you will suffer for others as Christ suffered for all.” Right. Alexy Mechev
“No matter how sensitive we may be, we can never be as compassionate for our neighbors as our Creator, the more sensitive we are to any object, the blinder in reason about it ... and for this we must most sacredly surrender ourselves and our neighbors Providence of the Heavenly Father…” Rev. Lev Optinsky
"Do not condemn anyone, do not annoy anyone, and all my respect" Rev. Ambrose Optinsky
“To refrain from words offensive to one’s neighbor is as pleasing to God as to glorify Him unceasingly” St. John Chrysostom
“In this life we need a sympathetic look, an affectionate word, we need the consciousness that they love us and believe us, we need the rarest and greatest treasure in the world - an attentive heart” Rev. Ambrose Optinsky
"No love? Do the deeds of love. If you know what your sister wants, give it back; if something contradictory happens, yield; if she gets excited, shut up and blame yourself, and ask for forgiveness. And most of all, pray for her, saying: “Save her, Lord, and with her holy prayers have mercy on me, a sinner.” Then the Lord will surely give you peace and love.” Rev. Zosima Verkhovsky
Where does love for one's neighbor begin? To a man, to a woman, regardless of whether it is husband or wife, mother or father, daughter or son?
The secret of love for a person begins at the moment when we look at him without the desire to possess him, without the desire to dominate him, without the desire in any way to use his gifts or his personality - we just look and are amazed at the beauty that has been revealed to us .
The reader, who is already burdened with many life problems, may have a question about why and why he needs to love his neighbor. Proceeding again from some benefit for themselves. In this case, you can further deepen the concept of neighbor and remember that we are also someone's neighbor. And not "someone", but a large and, unfortunately, long-unfriendly family called humanity. In not a single prayer book do we find prayers for health, spiritual and bodily well-being for some individual person, for someone in the singular. Everywhere catholicity, everything about everyone and for everyone. Unity in the desire and petition for happiness, health and love for all people, neighbors, as for themselves, gave humanity invincible strength in the fight against evil.
And when I am a self-sufficient unit, I have enough of myself - it turns out to be a dispersion of society. In the end, nothing remains of that marvelous, wonderful unity that could exist between people. Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh
Beloved! Let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Whoever does not love has not known God, because God is love.
God's love for us was revealed in the fact that God sent His Only Begotten Son into the world so that we would receive life through Him.
This is love, that we did not love God, but He loved us and sent His Son as a propitiation for our sins.
Beloved! If God so loved us, then we must love one another.
Nobody has ever seen God. If we love each other, then God abides in us, and His love is perfect in us.
That we abide in Him and He in us, we learn from what He has given us from His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son as the Savior of the world.
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he is in God.
And we have come to know the love that God has for us, and we have believed in it. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
Love reaches such perfection in us that we have boldness on the day of judgment, because we walk in this world as He does.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because there is torment in fear. He who fears is imperfect in love.
Let us love Him, because He first loved us.
Whoever says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
And we have this commandment from Him, that he who loves God love his brother also.” (First John, ch.4)
“If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have no love, then I am a ringing brass or a resounding cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries, and have all knowledge and all faith, so that I can move mountains, but do not have love, then I am nothing.
And if I give away all my possessions and give my body to be burned, but I do not have love, it does not profit me at all.
Love is long-suffering, merciful, love does not envy, love does not exalt itself, is not proud,
does not misbehave, does not seek his own, is not irritated, does not think evil,
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
covers everything, believes everything, hopes everything, endures everything.
Love never ceases, although prophecy will cease, and tongues will be silent, and knowledge will be abolished.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
when the perfect comes, then that which is in part will cease.
When I was a baby, I spoke like a baby, thought like a baby, reasoned like a baby; and when he became a man, he left the childish.
Now we see, as it were, through a dull glass, guessingly, then face to face;
Now I know in part, but then I will know, just as I am known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, love; but love is the greater of them." The first epistle Paul to the Corinthians, ch. 13)
We have collected a precious collection of quotes and sayings of the holy fathers Orthodox Church which will be useful to any Christian. We hope that you will find something useful for yourself in this spiritual treasury.
- Holy Fathers on Family and Marriage
- Holy fathers about children
- Holy Fathers on Love
Sayings of the holy fathers about the family
About the wedding:“It is best if Christ Himself is present at the marriage, because where Christ is, everything acquires dignity, and water turns into wine, that is, everything changes for the better.” Saint Gregory the Theologian
On alliance with non-believers: If marriage itself must be sanctified with a priestly cover and blessing, then how can there be marriage where there is no agreement of faith? Saint Ambrose of Milan
ABOUT family life: “You, on whom an honest marriage has laid its bonds in this life, think about how you could bring more fruit into the winepress of heaven.” Saint Gregory the Theologian
St. Gregory the Theologian
“Bound by the bonds of matrimony, we replace hands, feet, and hearing for each other. Marriage makes the weak twice as strong ... The common cares of the spouses ease their sorrows and common joys admire both. For unanimous spouses, wealth becomes more pleasant, but in poverty the very unanimity is more pleasant than wealth. For them, the marriage bond is the key to chastity and desire, the seal of necessary affection. Saint Gregory the Theologian
“Composing one flesh, (spouses) have one soul and by mutual love awaken in each other zeal for piety. For marriage does not move away from God, but, on the contrary, binds more, because it has more motives to turn to Him. A small ship moves forward even with a weak wind .., but a large ship will not be moved by a light breath of the wind ... vast sea of life, he needs God's great help, and he loves God mutually more." Saint Gregory the Theologian
“The divine creation appeared on earth and in the earthly valleys of the ever-blooming paradise - man. However, man has not yet had a helper like him. Then the all-wise Word performed a truly miracle - created to be a spectator of the world, that is, dividing my root and my seed of a diverse life into two parts, with a powerful and life-giving hand removed a rib from the side in order to create a wife, and pouring love into the bowels of both, prompted them to strive to each other". Saint Gregory the Theologian
On the duties of a husband:“Teach a woman the fear of God, and everything will flow to you as from a fountain, and your house will be filled with many blessings.” Saint John Chrysostom
On the duties of spouses:“A husband should think about planting piety in the house with deeds and words; and let the wife watch over the house, but besides this occupation, she should have another, more urgent concern for the whole family to work for the Kingdom of Heaven. Saint John Chrysostom
“If you need to do something for the pleasure of each other, you need to decorate the soul, and not decorate and destroy the body. It is not so much (external) that makes spouses loving as chastity (kindness), tenderness and willingness to die for each other. Saint John Chrysostom
Wives:“Wives, glowing with spiritual beauty, over time, more and more reveal their nobility, and the stronger becomes the affection and love of their husbands.” Saint John Chrysostom
Sayings of the holy fathers about children
“Children are not an accidental acquisition, we are responsible for their salvation.” Saint John Chrysostom
“Whoever wants to raise children well, educates them in severity and labor, so that, having distinguished themselves in knowledge and behavior, they could eventually receive the fruits of their labors.” Venerable Nil of Sinai
“While the soul is still capable of education, tender and soft, like wax, easily imprints images in itself, it is necessary to immediately and from the very beginning awaken it to goodness. When the intellect opens up and the understanding comes into action, then the initial foundations will already be laid and the models of piety will be given. Then the mind will inspire what is useful, and skill will facilitate success. Saint Basil the Great
“A good upbringing does not consist in first letting vices develop and then trying to drive them out. We must take all measures to make our nature inaccessible to vices. Saint John Chrysostom
“Many parents, having a blind love for children, regret punishing them for misconduct: but later, when the children grow up and are immoral, such parents themselves will understand their error in not punishing their children while they were small. God Himself punishes His chosen children, as we see in Scripture, so does He not love them? “The Lord whom He loves punishes; but he strikes every son whom he receives” (Heb. 12:6). In this matter, Christians should imitate the Heavenly Father and love and punish their children. Unpunished in youth, they remain in adulthood like unbroken and wild horses, fit for nothing. Therefore, Christian, love your children in a Christian way and punish them so that they become good and good. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
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“If you raised your son well, then he is his, and that one is his, and, as it were, a certain streak better lives will go forward, having received the beginning and the root from you and bringing you the fruits of caring for descendants. Saint John Chrysostom
“It upsets the whole universe that we do not care about our own children; we take care of their property, but we neglect their souls, which is extreme madness. Saint John Chrysostom
“Do you want your son to be obedient? From childhood, bring him up in severity. Do not think that listening to the Divine Scriptures will be superfluous for him.” Saint John Chrysostom
“Weed grass is easier to pull out when the age is more tender, then it is necessary to ensure that the passions left unattended do not intensify and become incorrigible.” Saint John Chrysostom T
Sayings of the holy fathers about love
“Having received the commandment to love God, we also received the power to love, which was placed in us at creation.” Saint Basil the Great
“To love Christ means not to be a hired hand, not to look at a pious life as a trade and trade, but to be truly virtuous and do everything out of love for God alone.” Saint John Chrysostom
“No word is enough to adequately depict love, since it is of an unearthly, but heavenly origin ... Even the language of the Angels is not able to perfectly explore it, since it constantly comes from the Great God.” John Cassian the Roman
“People are looking for easy work, not hard work. Jesus' work is easy. He does not order stones to be carried, He does not order mountains to be torn apart, and other things like this, to be done by His servants. No, we don’t hear anything like that from Him, but what? – “love one another” (John 13:34; 15, 12, 17). What is easier than to love? It is hard to hate, because hatred torments; but love is sweet, for love pleases. He Himself bears witness to this: “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). Let us, beloved Christian, take upon ourselves the good yoke of Christ, let us bear His light burden and follow Him.” Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
"The thought of man, sincerely loving God is never on earth, but constantly in Heaven, where the One whom he has loved is.” Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
“We see the degree of our love for God with particular clarity in prayer, which serves as an expression of this love and is very correctly called in the patristic writings a mirror of spiritual progress.”
“We are not so much looking for (love) as God is looking for us to become able to receive it and accept it.” Bishop Ignatius (Bryanchaninov)
“He who loves humility finds it easy to love God, and he who loves pride hates God.” Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
"To the one who loves God, God will give His love." Venerable Macarius of Egypt
“The brother said to Abba Agathon: “I have been given a commandment, but the fulfillment of the commandment is accompanied by sorrow; and I want to fulfill the commandment, and I am afraid of sorrow. The elder answered: “If you had love, you would fulfill the commandment and overcome sorrow.” Abba Agathon
“If we want to stop bad deeds, not caring about inner thoughts, then we labor in vain. If we take care of the purity of our soul, then the God of glory will dwell in it, and it will become His holy and magnificent temple, the fragrant incense of unceasing prayer to him.
We have collected the wise sayings of the saints and elders of Athos about life, faith, humanity and love.
Wise sayings of the elders of Athos
Joseph, Hesychast of Athos (+1959):
“Avoid bad thoughts like fire. Pay no attention to them at all, lest they take root in you. Do not despair, for God is great and forgives sinners. When you sin, repent and force yourself not to do the same again.
“Good deeds, almsgiving, and all outward things do little to mortify the arrogance of the heart. Spiritual feat, the pain of repentance and contrition humble high wisdom.
“Grace, when it acts in the soul of the one who prays, means that at this time the love of God is overflowing in such a way that a person cannot hold back what he feels. Then this love turns to the world and to the person whom the worshiper loves so much that he himself wants to take on all human pain and misfortune in order to free others from them.
“Those who prosper in prayer do not stop praying for the peace of God. They also own the extension of the life of the world, no matter how strange and daring it may seem. And know that when they disappear, then the end of this world will come.
“Prayer without attention and sobriety is a waste of time and vain work. We must put a vigilant guard in all our feelings inside and outside - attention. Without it, the mind and strength of the soul are scattered on the vain and worldly, like useless water that runs along the roads.
“The mind is the nourisher of the soul, and everything that is good or evil that it sees or hears descends into the heart, which is the center of the spiritual and bodily forces of a person.”
“Good deeds, alms and outward virtues do not alleviate the arrogance of the heart. On the contrary, mental exercises, the pain of repentance and contrition humble a proud thought.
Porfiry, Athos elder from the Skete of Kafsokalyvia. (1906-1991):
"True love inspires us to make sacrifices for our neighbor."
"Many say that Christian life unpleasant and difficult. And I say that it is pleasant and easy, but requires two conditions: humility and love.
“Confession for a person is a way to come to God. It is the offering of the love of God to man. No one and nothing can take away this love from a person.
"Obedience brings humility, humility brings reason, reason brings intuition, intuition brings insight"
“In order for a person to change, it is necessary for the grace of God to come, but for grace to come, you need to humble yourself.”
“A Christian must avoid painful religiosity: both feelings of superiority due to virtue, and feelings of humiliation due to sinfulness. One thing is a complex, and another thing is humility; melancholy is one thing, but repentance is quite another.”
“The Church is a mystery. He who enters the church does not die, but is saved and becomes eternal.”
Paisius (1924 - 1994). The most famous Athos elder of recent times:
“My brother, in your prayer seek nothing but repentance. Repentance will bring you humility, humility will bring you the grace of God.”
“When a person is spiritually healthy and moves away from people in order to help people more with his prayer, then he sees all people as saints and only himself as a sinner.”
“A monk runs farther away from the world, not because he hates the world, but because he loves it, and thus, by prayer, the monk helps him more in things that do not happen humanly, but only with Divine intervention. This is how God saves the world."
“Your success depends on yourself. So is salvation. No one else can save you."
“The grace of God is not a barrel that sooner or later runs out of water. It is an inexhaustible source."
“Prayer is oxygen, absolutely necessary for the soul. In order for a prayer to be heard by God, it must come from the heart with humility, with a person’s deep sense of his sinfulness. Praying not from the heart is of no use.”
“The chief duty of man is to love God and then to his neighbor. If we love God as we should, we will keep all his commandments. But if we do not love either God or our neighbors, God will not forgive us this indifference.”
Gabriel (1886 - 1983), abbot of the monastery Dionisiat:
“Pure simplicity, combined with the fear of God, brings a person to a blessed state, which the first-created people had in paradise before their disobedience.”
Ephraim the Holy Mountaineer, hegumen of the monastery of St. Philotheus, archimandrite:
"Purity of heart consists in the freedom of the mind from bad thoughts, from which bad and passionate feelings flow."
“If we want to stop bad deeds, not caring about inner thoughts, then we labor in vain. If we take care of the purity of our soul, then the God of glory will dwell in it, and it will become His holy and magnificent temple, the fragrant incense of unceasing prayer to him.
“My child, keep your mind from bad thoughts. Immediately, as soon as they come, drive them away with the prayer of Jesus Christ. Because just as the bees fly away when they are fumigated with smoke, so the Holy Spirit also departs when he feels the stinking smoke of shameful thoughts.
“Just as bees sit on those flowers where there is nectar, so the Holy Spirit comes to those minds and hearts where the sweet nectar of virtues and good thoughts is produced.”
“Whoever prays is enlightened, and whoever does not pray is darkened. Prayer is the giver of Divine light.
“If despondency, negligence, laziness, and the like are approaching us, then let us pray with fear, pain, with great sobriety of mind, and by the grace of God, a miracle of consolation and joy will happen to us.”
“At the first difficulties of achievement, do not be disappointed. Good is attained through labor and disease.”
"Just as it is impossible for one who walks in the night not to stumble, so it is impossible for one who has not yet seen the Divine Light not to sin."
Elder Epiphanius (1930-1989), founder of the monastery of the Holy Trinity in Trizin:
“In the material, we need to look at those who are poorer than us, so that we are not overcome by anxiety, and in the spiritual, we will look at those who are more spiritual than we are, so that this will serve as an incentive for us to achievement.”
Elder Amphilochius (1889-1970):
“Love is what gives taste to all our affairs and our whole life”
“When our heart does not have love for Christ, then we cannot do anything. We are then like ships without fuel for their engines. ”published.
If you have any questions, ask them
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet
- Hell is the darkness of ignorance that covers a rational creature after it has lost the contemplation of God. Abba Evagrius
- Everyone imagines Hell and the torments there as he wishes, but what they are, no one knows for sure. Rev. Simeon the New Theologian
- Angels are present everywhere here, and especially in the house of God they stand before the King, and everything is full of these incorporeal forces. St. John Chrysostom
- Angels not only protect but also guide believers so that they do not stumble. St. John Chrysostom
- Angels, being ministers of love and peace, rejoice in our repentance and progress in virtue, which is why they try to fill us with spiritual contemplation and help us in every good thing. St. Theodore of Edessa
- Angels, these incorporeal beings, do not remain without progress, but always receive glory for glory and mind for mind. Rev. John of the Ladder
- The angels who have kept their order are free to fall, but they will not want this because of the abundance of blessings they have eaten out of obedience to the will of God. St. Feofan, the Recluse Vyshensky
- Antichrist will be a logical, just, natural consequence of the general moral and spiritual direction of people. St. Ignaty Brianchaninov
- Vigil is the extinguishing of carnal inflammations, deliverance from dreams, filling the eyes with tears, softening the heart, keeping thoughts, taming evil spirits, curbing the tongue, driving away dreams. Rev. John of the Ladder
- Poverty seems to many to be an evil, but in fact it is not such, but on the contrary, if one is attentive and wise, it even serves to exterminate evil. St. John Chrysostom
- Poverty is not good, but the good use of poverty is good. St. John Chrysostom
- Poverty is by no means an obstacle to hospitality. St. John Chrysostom
- Poverty, if you like, can give us much more than riches of occasions for pleasure. Why? Because she is free from worries, hatred, enmity, envy, scolding and countless evils. St. John Chrysostom
- Silent envy can become an arrow. Rev. Ephraim Sirin
- Dispassion is a peaceful state of the soul, in which it is not moved to evil. Rev. Maxim the Confessor
- Dispassion is the immobility of the soul for evil, but it can only be obtained with the help of the grace of Christ. Abba Thalassios
- Dispassion is the perfect knowledge of God, which we can have after the Angels... st. John of the Ladder
- Dispassion is the love that the Lord Jesus taught everyone to have. Rev. Abba Isaiah
- Passionlessness is possessed by the soul, not that which is not captivated by things, but that which, even in the remembrance of them, remains unperturbed. Abba Evagrius
- Blessed is he who has not given himself room for doubt about God, who has not fallen into cowardice at the sight of the present, but awaits what is expected; who did not have an incredulous thought about the Creator of us. St. Basil the Great
- Blessed is the one who, instead of all possessions, has acquired Christ, who has one acquisition - the cross, which he carries high. St. Gregory the Theologian
- Blessed is the one whose mind is always on God, who refrained from everything worldly and with Him alone dwelt in the conversation of his knowledge. Rev. Isaac Sirin
- Blessed is the humble soul; the Lord loves her. Above all in humility Mother of God and for this all generations on earth bless Her, and all the powers of heaven serve Her; and the Lord gave us this Mother of His intercession and help. Rev. Silouan of Athos
- Blessed is that life in which the mouth of iniquity, like a source of filth, is forever barred and human life they will no longer defile with stench! St. Gregory of Nyssa
- Deliver bliss not in a plentiful meal, not in cheerful singing, not in wealth flowing from everywhere, but in contentment with little, in not having a shortage of the necessary: the first makes the soul a slave, and the last a queen. Rev. Isidore Peluciot
- God created man free, honoring him with his mind and wisdom, putting life and death before his eyes, so that if he wishes to freely follow the path of life, he will live forever, but if he goes the path of death out of evil will, he will forever suffer. Rev. Ephraim Sirin
- God created man not so that he would perish, but so that he would march towards incorruption, so that even when He allowed death, He allowed it with the thought that you would be instructed by this punishment and, having become better, could again achieve immortality. St. John Chrysostom
- God created man with sufficient strength to choose virtue and avoid evil. St. John Chrysostom
- God values deeds according to their intentions. For it is said, "The Lord will give you according to your own heart." … Therefore, whoever wants to do something, but cannot, is considered before God, who knows the intentions of our hearts, as having done it. This applies to both good deeds and evil deeds. Rev. Mark the Ascetic
- God, having become a man, united with people and, having communed with mankind, taught all those who believe in Him and who show faith from works the communion of His Divinity. Rev. Simeon the New Theologian
- God, who appeared to us in the flesh, according to the teachings of pious tradition, is immaterial, invisible, uncomplicated, was and is unlimited and boundless, omnipresent and permeates all creation, but in what appeared to people, he was visible in human form. St. Gregory of Nyssa
- God must be honored not with smoke and stench, but good life not bodily, but spiritual. This is not how pagan idols act - they even demand sacrifices for themselves. St. John Chrysostom
- Have God before your eyes in every deed, whatever you do. Rev. Abba Isaiah
- Then you will most gloriously honor God when, through the virtues, you impress His likeness in your soul. Abba Evagrius
- Wealth also includes the evil that the one who unjustly acquired it, committing sins with impunity, never ceases to commit them, receives wounds that cannot be healed, and no one from people imposes a bridle on him. St. John Chrysostom
- God takes away wealth from those who use it badly if they are not hopeless for salvation, and thus crushes the instrument of their untruth. Basil the Great
- Wealth, if you have it, squander it, and if you don't have it, don't collect it. Rev. Nile of Sinai
- If you courageously endure poverty, thanking the Lord, then this subject has served as an occasion and opportunity for you to receive crowns; and if you blaspheme the Creator for it and condemn His Providence, then you have used it for evil. St. John Chrysostom
- If you learn not to say anything superfluous, but constantly protect both your thought and your mouth with conversation from the Divine Scriptures, then your guardianship will be stronger than adamant. St. John Chrysostom
- If you find that you do not have love, but you wish to have it, then do deeds of love, even if at first without love. The Lord will see your desire and effort and put your love into your heart. Rev. Ambrose Optinsky
- If you are not able to stop the mouth of the one who slanders his friend, then at least beware of communicating with him. Rev. Isaac Sirin
- If you do not know exactly all the deeds of your Lord, then especially worship Him for this - for His ineffable greatness, for His incomprehensible Providence, for His manifold and wise care. St. John Chrysostom
- If you are not sure about the blessings of the future, then believe them on the basis of the present ones that you have already received. St. John Chrysostom
- If you have slandered anyone, if you have become an enemy to anyone, reconcile before the judgment seat. Finish everything here so that you can see that seat (of the Judge) without worries. St. John Chrysostom
- If you nail yourself to the ground, when the blessings of heaven are offered to you, then consider what an insult this is to the Giver of them. St. John Chrysostom
- If we see or hear that someone in the course of a few years has acquired the highest dispassion, believe that such a person did not walk in another way, but in blissful humility. Rev. John of the Ladder
- Whoever enjoys prosperity and feels gratitude does what is due, but whoever suffers adversity and glorifies God prepares his own reward. St. John Chrysostom
- Whoever does not love enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love our enemies in such a way that their souls will pity them, like our own children. Rev. Silouan of Athos
- Whoever does not consider himself a sinner, that prayer is not accepted by the Lord. Rev. Isaac Sirin
- Whoever does not feel the courage to endure an illness, it is better to resort to healers, yet expecting help from God, for He instructs healers. St. Feofan, Zatv. Vyshensky
- Whoever hates his brother is in death. Rev. Ephraim Sirin
- He who hates his sins ceases to sin; and whoever confesses them will receive forgiveness. It is impossible for a person to leave the habit of sinning unless he first acquires enmity towards sin, and it is impossible to receive remission of sin before confessing sins. For the confession of sins is the cause of true humility. Rev. Isaac Sirin
- Whoever has found envy has found the devil with it. Rev. Isaac Sirin
- Whoever attempts to quench this fornication by abstinence alone is like a man who thinks of swimming out of the abyss, swimming with one hand. Combine humility with abstinence, for the former is useless without the latter. Rev. John of the Ladder
- Whoever voluntarily indulges in vices is worthy not of tears, but of weeping. St. John Chrysostom
- Whoever knows the love of God loves the whole world and never grumbles at his fate, for temporary sorrow for the sake of God brings eternal joy. Rev. Silouan of Athos
- Whoever prefers the earthly to the spiritual will lose both, and whoever strives for the heavenly will certainly receive the earthly. St. John Chrysostom
- The mother of fornication is gluttony. Rev. John of the Ladder
- Recognize laziness as the mother of vices, because the good that you have, it plunders, and what you do not have, it does not allow you to acquire. Rev. Nile of Sinai
- Among the dispassionate, one is more dispassionate than the other. For one strongly hates evil, while another insatiably enriches himself with virtues. Rev. John of the Ladder
- Between human actions, many are good in themselves, but are not good for some reason. For example, fasting and vigil, prayer and psalmody, almsgiving and hospitality are in themselves good deeds, but when they are done out of vanity, then they are no longer good. Rev. Maxim the Confessor
- It seems to me that those who have embarked on the path of struggle with the weapon of the word against the enemies of truth, it is decent to arm themselves only against those false opinions, which are at least somewhat supported by probability, and not to profane the word with dead and already stinking opinions. St. Gregory of Nyssa
- Many rich and strong people would give dearly to see the Lord or His Most Pure Mother, but God does not reveal Himself to wealth, but to a humble soul. Every last poor person can humble himself and know God. You don't need money or possessions to know God, but only humility. Rev. Silouan of Athos
- Hatred is alienation from what is unpleasant and aversion from what offends. St. Gregory of Nyssa
- Hatred for God is much better than love for him; when they love us for God, then we become His debtors for such an honor, and when they hate us, then He himself becomes a debtor, to whom our reward remains. St. John Chrysostom
- Hatred not only does not tolerate reasoning and learning, but, on the contrary, hastens to sin and destruction. Such people are the children of Satan. Rev. Ephraim Sirin
- Hatred from irritability, irritability from pride, pride from vanity, vanity from unbelief, unbelief from hardness of heart, hardness of heart from negligence, negligence from sloth, sloth from despondency, despondency from impatience, impatience from voluptuousness. Rev. Macarius the Egyptian
- The unbridled tongue means that it has no virtue within it. Rev. Abba Isaiah
- Hostility and anger are allowed only when the subject of them is bad thoughts and feelings. St. Feofan, the Recluse Vyshensky
- It is an undoubted truth that the highest Providence of God extends decisively to all created things: God provides for everything and takes care of everything. This is the Divine care of the fathers, about which the blessed Apostle Peter speaks: "Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you." St. Ilya Minyatiy
- There is no evil worse than her envy. The fornicator, for example, at least gets some pleasure and commits his sin in a short time, but the envious one tortures and torments himself before the one whom he envies, and never leaves his sin, but always remains in it. St. John Chrysostom
- There is nothing more stubborn than this passion of envy, and it does not easily give way to healing if we are not careful. St. John Chrysostom
- There is no person who does not mourn during training; and there is no man who does not find the time bitter when he drinks the poison of temptations. Without them, it is impossible to acquire a strong will by repeatedly experiencing God's help in temptations, a person also acquires firm faith. Rev. Isaac Sirin. Words, 37
- Unclean spirits intensify the passions in us, taking advantage of our negligence and inciting them; and the passions are reduced by the holy angels, prompting us to perform virtues. Rev. Maxim the Confessor
- Neither poverty, nor sickness, nor the most important of all disasters, death, can harm the one subjected to them, when the soul is saved; just as from life itself you will not receive anything good when the soul is corrupted and perished. St. John Chrysostom
- In no matter do you seek earthly glory, for it fades away for the one who loves it. For a while, like a strong wind, she blows around a person, and soon, having taken from him the fruit of his good deeds, she leaves, laughing at his foolishness. St. Gennady of Constantinople
- Commit to oblivion as soon as possible your good deeds and merits Do not write down your good deeds, for if you write them down, they will quickly fade, but if you forget about them, they will be inscribed in eternity. St. Nicholas Serbian
- The limit of fornication is when someone lusts at the sight of animals and even soulless creatures. Rev. John of the Ladder
- The hellish dungeons represent a strange and terrible destruction of life, while saving life. St. Ignaty Brianchaninov
- When we suffer, let us rejoice, because this is the repayment for sins. St. John Chrysostom
- When inflaming the flesh, do not touch the secret members, so as not to produce the strongest inflamed. Rev. Ephraim Sirin
- Our nature is acceptable both for good and for evil, and for God's grace, and for the opposing force. Rev. Macarius the Egyptian
- Language is the worst thing for people. This is a horse that always runs forward, this is the most prepared weapon. St. Gregory the Theologian
- The tongue is given for you to sing and praise the Creator, but if you do not watch yourself enough, it becomes a cause for you to blaspheme and foul language. St. John Chrysostom
- Language is a sharp sword; but we will not injure others with it, but will cut out our own rotten ulcers. St. John Chrysostom
- Language is the king's horse. If you put a bridle on him and teach him to walk straight, then the king will sit on him calmly, but if you let him run and jump without a bridle, then the devil and demons will ride on him. St. John Chrysostom
- A slanderous tongue is the devil's bed. Rev. Nile of Sinai
- As soon as the tongue begins to speak for its own pleasure, it runs in speech like an unbridled horse, and blurts out not only good and proper, but also bad and harmful. Rev. Nicodemus the Holy Mountaineer
- The tongue of many conceited has brought to ruin. Rev. Nile of Sinai
† "A vain world! A false light! There is nothing good in you! A perfect lie! A perfect deceit! You deceive us, laugh at us, mock us. You show us years, and pleasures, and long health, but suddenly death overtakes us. And it all bursts like bubbles, breaks like cobwebs.
Such, my beloved child, such is the joy of the world!"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Where obedience, humility and achievement, demons can never captivate a person. Bitterness, disobedience and pride give rise to despondency and negligence, and then all demons come and turn a person's soul into a dung pit and a stable. And they do not calm down until they will not make him guilty of new and old sins and completely captivated"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "The way to acquire love for God is to join oneself in the sacrifice. God loves insofar as a person begins to sacrifice everything for the sake of God"
Schiegumen Savva of Pskov-Pechersk
† "Do not learn to fall easily. For with each fall the fortress wall of the soul collapses, and the entrance for the enemy becomes more and more free, until he finally makes the defeated prisoner"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "without [humility] this great virtue, no one could acquire salvation, and there is no other door than the door of humility through which anyone could enter the Kingdom of Heaven"
Elder Cleopas (Elijah)
† "Do not relax and do not accept thoughts. Call on Christ constantly. Before the tempter has time to form a thought in your mind, you destroy it with prayer. Do not leave it. And if you leave the impurity that the enemy throws into your soul, in a short time he will bury you in it"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "In order to overcome the fornication battle, at whatever stage it may be, we must first of all ask the grace of the Good God. This is not a short-term battle, because we must achieve complete victory. At first, everyone sees that he is powerless to resist it, but with God all things are possible
Archimandrite Arseny (Papachok)
† "Don't start your prayer at random, but first collect your mind and think a little about death and what will follow it"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "If, against your will, you endure illness, cold, vexation, reproach, ridicule - remember the Tsar, without whose will and knowledge nothing happens. Since He allowed this, this is what is most needed - the best for you. You often pray:
"Thy will be done."
So reject your will, subordinating it to the will of God"
† "The divine fathers say:
Pride comes before a fall
and the grace of humility"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Pride of the mind is a demonic disease, for a person afflicted with it believes that he is great, that he is smarter than others and no longer needs anyone's advice and help. May God save us from this passion and demonic disease!"
Elder Cleopas (Elijah)
† "Become firm with your mind in God, and the moment will come when immortal spirit touches the heart
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "God always hears prayer for everyone, while he always turns away from idle talk, even if it seems to be spiritual"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Torment and even death are not evil. Sin, ignorance of God, negligence - this is evil, the death of the soul"
Archimandrite Seraphim (Rosenberg)
† "Blows are necessary to save our souls, because they purify the soul. The more you beat and rub the clothes, the cleaner it becomes. So octopuses with cuttlefish are made softer with blows and cleared of the black liquid."
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "The Lord wants us to become like Him in
His love. And the love of God is a humble love"
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "The most reliable weapon against enemy thoughts is the Jesus Prayer"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "Of course, the devil, no matter how much he wishes it, will not be able to destroy us himself, if we ourselves do not contribute to his malice; but God himself will not save us either, if we do not cooperate with His grace in our salvation. God always helps , always anticipates, but wants us to work hard, do what we can"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "everything that is from nature is neither honored nor dishonored: exploits and falls come from volition"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Carnal warfare should not serve as an obstacle for a young man who wants to become a monk; it is enough that he does not think about marriage. A small feat, fasting, vigil and prayer can subordinate the flesh to the spirit, of course, in the presence of humility. At the same time, a young man collects for his exploits vengeance in heaven"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "In accordance with the purity of the soul and the enlightenment that each of us has received here, he will see Christ there closer, more clearly, and will enjoy His fragrance more strongly, and more than others will rejoice and rejoice"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "as far as a person avoids human comfort, so much the Divine approaches him"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "It is known that when one passionate person begins to teach another passionate person, then grace immediately departs from the first one and he falls into the same thing. For before "doing" such a privilege is not given to him."
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Naive is the one who thinks that it is possible to follow the path of Christ without tears. Take a dry nut, put it under a heavy press and see how oil flows out of it. Something similar happens to our heart when the invisible fire of the word of God scorches it with all sides. Our heart has turned to stone in its animal egoism, and, what is worse, in its proud spasm. But truly there is such a Fire (Luke 12:49) that is capable of melting even the strongest metals and stones"
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "In all your prayers, let him watch and understand what you are praying for and what you are saying. you're asking?"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "In your feat, pay more attention to prayer, because it will maintain your connection with God. This connection should be constant. Prayer is oxygen, absolutely necessary for the soul. It should not be considered a burden"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "Prayer is the mother and queen of all virtues.
Love for God and love for our neighbor enter our souls only through prayer!
Elder Cleopas (Elijah)
† "outward good deeds do not soften the arrogance of the heart. But clever deeds, the pain of repentance, contrition and humility - this is what humbles the disorderly way of thinking"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "one dark idea of the tempter-devil is widespread: if a person reads the Jesus Prayer, everyone is afraid that he will fall into delusion, although just what they say is delusion"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Charity is above fasting and virginity"
Schiegumen Savva (Ostapenko)
† "The humble, if he falls a thousand times, rises again, and the fall is counted as victory for him. But the proud, when falling into sin, immediately falls into despair and, hardened, does not want to rise again. Despair is a mortal sin, and the devil rejoices in him more everything, but it immediately disappears during confession"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "In all temptations and tribulations, patience is required,
and it is victory over them"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "from every battle with the enemy you need to come out victorious. Either die in the fight, or win with God. There is no other way"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Our God is Light, in which there is not a single darkness: He refuses to unite with our darkness. We must be cleansed of the filth that possesses us, otherwise we will not enter the Kingdom of Truth and Light (Rev. 21, 27)"
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "In a dirty heart, God will never appear, evil heart God will never show Himself. Only the pure in heart can see the glory of God."
Schema-Archimandrite Zosima (Sokur)
† "The physical peace that some seek is not some kind of stable state. Being in physical peace, people can only temporarily forget their mental anxiety. They have everything: lunch, dessert, shower, rest ... However, as soon as all this ends, they strive for even more peace. Thus, people are constantly missing something and therefore they are constantly upset. They feel emptiness, and their soul strives to fill this emptiness"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "when you sin again and fall,
repent again. Don't despair. Awaken in yourself boldness and hope. Speak:
"Forgive me, my Christ", and again "I repent!"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Holy prayer must be accompanied by a holy life. If we depart from the spirit of God's love, then we are deprived of the prayer that unites us with God. When we endure with love all the tests that fall on us from without and do not want to blame anyone and nothing but ourselves, then the prayer deepens, and a new strength of hope appears in the heart."
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "A person's life, my child, is sorrow, for it passes in exile. Do not seek perfect peace. Our Christ raised the Cross, and we will lift it up. If we endure all sorrows, we will find the grace of the Lord. Therefore, the Lord allows us temptation in order to experience jealousy and love for Him. Therefore, patience is needed"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† “Wealth, not being distributed to the poor for the health and salvation of our souls or for the repose of the souls of our deceased loved ones, brings destruction to a person. the deceased, those who receive her say: "God will forgive him. May his ashes be blessed."
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "Humility has the power to deliver a person from the righteous wrath of God, for it is written: "God will not despise a contrite and humble heart" (Ps.50:19)"
Elder Cleopas (Elijah)
† "Do not reveal the sin of another for your own justification, for the grace that has covered you so far will immediately reveal your own sins. As much as you cover your brother out of love, so much grace warms and keeps you from human slander"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Through the Church, Christ grants believers immortality and eternity, making them "partakers of His divine nature" (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4).
The normal state of the human personality is immortality and eternity, and not a temporary life here. Man is a wayfarer marching towards immortality, eternity and Divine promises"
Elder Joseph of Vatopedi
† "There is no salvation outside the Church"
Schiegumen Savva (Ostapenko)
† "The most important part of the daily routine of spiritual life is regular prayer. Prayer before
sleep and before starting any work is a necessary condition for Christian work,
especially for those who live in the world"
Elder Joseph of Vatopedi
Schiegumen Savva (Ostapenko)
† "No one has yet signed a contract with God about when to die. God takes every person at the most opportune moment of his life"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "Death does not come for you to make coffee for her. She comes to pick us up. She asks us a question of questions: why didn’t we love, why were we at enmity with each other? Death is a reality, not a horror story. She is not late"
Archimandrite Arseny (Papachok)
† "Humility has the power to carry our words to God and to bring down to us the remission of sins from Him"
Elder Cleopas (Elijah)
† "What do you have, a proud man, what would you not get? And if you got it, what do you boast about as if you didn't receive it? Know, humble soul, your Benefactor and see not to appropriate someone else's - God's as your own achievement ... And if he gave you a sweet benefactor God, render unto Him in a pure conscience what is yours from yours, "yours from yours"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "In all situations of life, prayer is the most real help to us"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "This is the property of Divine love:
He gives us His life, we give Him ours."
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "People want to sin and have a kind God. Such a God that He forgives us, and we continue to sin. That is, that we do whatever we want, and He forgives us, that He forgives us without ceasing, and we blow to his own tune. People do not believe, and because of this they insatiably rush into sin. "
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "Read the lives to see what you don't have. Reading the lives - through the holy courage described in them - excites jealousy or through the shown all-holy humility leads you to a deep knowledge of your weakness"
† With God, everything happens on time,
especially for those who know how to wait"
Archimandrite John (Krestyankin)
† "You do not need to desire to be a teacher; you want to say for admonition: do it with kindness, meekness and love, and most importantly - having asked God's help inwardly"
Archimandrite Seraphim (Rosenberg)
† "if we live in evil, raise our hand against our neighbor, and then God will raise his hand against us. The most important thing is patience and prayer. And this is the most powerful weapon against the devil"
Schema-Archimandrite Zosima (Sokur)
† "Almsgiving is a good deed, first of all, to the one who gives it. Almsgiving makes amends for sins, mortifies death, and quenches the eternal fire of torment"
Schiegumen Savva (Ostapenko)
† "The work of every believer, his work as a member of the Church, is always both personal and collective, even
when it seems that he acts only for his own sake. The feat of one hermit has
universal significance. Such is the constitution of the divine-human organism of the Church, which is led and instructed by Christ Himself.
Elder Joseph of Vatopedi
† "Prayer builds up the steps of knowledge.
The more you pray, the more you know"
Elder Cleopas (Ilie)
† "any deviation of our intelligent consciousness from the correct understanding of Revelation will inevitably be reflected in everyday life. In other words: a truly righteous life is conditioned by correct concepts of God"
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "Humility is so great that it alone, without any other virtue, can open the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven to us."
Archimandrite Cleopas (Ilie)
† "It is better for us to fall victorious in battle,
than to be defeated"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "A person must know himself as he really is, and not as the enemy, the devil, represents him in his own eyes"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "What, in our time the title of professor of theology
Is this a sign of holiness?
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "Repentance comes when you realize how much you grieve God, who is so kind, sweet, merciful and full of love, who crucified and suffered for each of us."
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "by sinning, a person fulfills the will of the enemy of God - the devil, he himself becomes an enemy of God, is deprived of the blessings of God, is subject to illnesses, sorrows, misfortunes, becomes guilty of eternal torment."
Archimandrite Seraphim (Rosenberg)
† "In order to conquer the evil one, you must fight and conquer yourself - all your passions."
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Repentance is that great gift of God, by means of which we are reconciled with God, again become children of God and heirs of heavenly bliss"
Archimandrite Seraphim (Rosenberg)
† "There is no greater sin than PRIDE. It is the basis of all other sins. The Lord commanded us to learn humility and meekness from Him. Humility is a property of God's love.
The deadly weapon of the enemy is pride; diametrically opposed to it is the life-giving humility of Christ. For the acquisition of this Divine humility we strive; it was given to us by Christ, who sent down the Holy Spirit to Earth. "
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "Know that grace always precedes temptations as a kind of notice for preparation. And immediately, when you see grace, strain and say: "The declaration of war has come! Beware, clay, see where the evil one trumpets the battle. "Often he comes soon, and often after two or three days. In any case, he will come"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "The world has lied. People become liars, they made themselves another conscience. But I cannot become a liar, I cannot change my "I" because society requires it. I'd rather suffer"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "Temptation is medicine and healing herbs that heal overt passions and our invisible sores.
So, have patience so that every day you gain, save your reward, rest and joy in the Kingdom of Heaven. For the night of death is approaching, when no one can do anything to anyone (John 9:4). So hurry up. Time is short."
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Self-justification has nothing to do with spiritual life. It is necessary to understand that by justifying myself, I am in a false state. I break the connection with God and deprive myself of Divine Grace. After all, Divine Grace does not come to a person who is in a false state. From the moment a person justifies what has no justification, he separates, isolates himself from God.
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "Truly great is the struggle against the passions, but by the grace of God everything is achieved, and with His help the impossible becomes possible"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "The dignity of prayer surpasses the value of any other activity, whether in the field of social or political, scientific or art. He who knows this by experience easily sacrifices his material well-being for the sake of leisure for conversation with God"
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "A carefree life helps a person to break the connection with God and move on to another ruler - the devil, who day by day darkens our mind and makes it powerless in the fight against sin. And if a person does not come to his senses and does not weep for his disastrous state, then and eternity will be hard and painful."
Schema-Archimandrite John (Maslov)
† Humility at the hour of our death can replace all the virtues and one thing can save a person.
Archimandrite Cleopas (Ilie)
† "Speaks wise Solomon: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and the fathers agree. And I say to you, blessed and tri-blessed is the man who fears the Lord."
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "The gifts of the Holy Spirit are priceless. Every true gift is nothing but a flame of love. But in order to expand our hearts to the ability to perceive the love of Christ in its vivid manifestations, it is necessary for everyone, without exception, to go through many trials"
Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
† "The soul of the one who justifies himself does not find peace. Such a person is deprived of consolation. He himself justifies his "I", but does this "I" justify him? His "I", his conscience do not find him an excuse , and therefore the soul has no rest. This indicates that he is to blame"
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "For a person who wishes to approach
to the conditions and ways of his resurrection,
a right and sound faith is a necessary means.
Elder Joseph of Vatopedi
† "Do not look for consolation from people in your sorrows, and you will receive consolation from God"
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Do not look at the mistakes of others and do not condemn anyone, so that you do not become an accomplice of the evil one."
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "According to the holy fathers, sorrows are our guides leading us to eternal life. And their absence is the surest proof that for a negligent life the Lord deprives us of His mercy."
Schema-Archimandrite John (Maslov)
† "People judge things and events according to what they have in themselves."
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets
† "When a person remembers his sins, with which he grieved God, and at this recollection, repentance and great sorrow come to him, and he begins to complain and weep with heartache before God, and from this great repentance and weeping his mind and heart are humbled ."
Archimandrite Cleopas (Ilie)
† "When helping all living neighbors, do not deprive the dead of your help. Remember them more often and give possible alms for their salvation. Only we, the living, can help them."
Schiegumen Savva (Ostapenko)
† "Humility is a bridge that raises from earth to heaven, a bridge on which all ascetics of piety ascended...
Humility justifies us before God."
Schema-Archimandrite John (Maslov)
† "genuine faith, so that it is not considered dead, is that faith when someone,
recognizing God as the cause of all things,
believes in all His words, commandments, in which
His holy will has been expressed, and he strives with all his might to fulfill this will.
Elder Joseph of Vatopedi
† "When you want to know the will of God, forget yourself completely, all your intentions and thoughts, and with great humility ask in your prayer to know it. And whatever your heart is formed or to which it inclines, do it, and it will God."
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
† "Love your neighbor and the Lord will love you"
Archimandrite Modest (Potapov)
† "Injustice is a great sin. All sins have mitigating circumstances, but not injustice - it collects the wrath of God."
Elder Paisius Svyatogorets