In the measure to which a man cuts off and humbles his own will, he proceeds toward success. But insofar as he stubbornly guards his own will, so much does he brings harm to himself.
- St. Ephraim the Syrian, Counsels to a Novice Monk
When bad thoughts are planted in you, then cry to God: “Lord, my Maker and Creator. You see that my soul is in agony from bad thoughts. Have mercy on me.” Teach yourself to root out thoughts immediately. But when you forget and don’t root them out immediately, then offer repentance. Work on this, so that you get a habit.
- St. Silouan
When we do not experience warfare, we ought so much the more to humiliate ourselves. For God seeing our weakness, protects us; when we glorify ourselves, He withdraws His protection and we are lost.
- From the Desert Fathers
Collection of Liturgical Hymns of the Orthodox Church in different languages
You may not understand all the languages (I don’t understand them either) however just close your eyes and enjoy the beauty!
Why do you increase your bonds? Take hold of your life before your light grows dark and you seek help and do not find it. This life has been given to you for repentance; do not waste it in vain pursuits.
- St. Isaac the Syrian
For someone to teach another, he must be healthy in his soul and free of passions, there is no use in building the house of another, your own being destroyed.
- Abba Poimen
Do we perhaps boast that we keep fasts and the Church calendar, have good icons and congregational singing, give to the poor and maybe even tithe to the Church? Do we delight in exalted Patristic teachings and theological discussions without having in our hearts the duplicity of Christ and true compassion for the suffering?––then ours is a spirituality of comfort, and we will not have the spiritual fruits that will be exhibited by those without all these comforts who deeply suffer and struggle for Christ.
- Fr. Seraphim Rose
You must firmly remember this spiritual law of life: if you condemn someone for something or are disturbed by something in another person, you will experience the very same thing. You will do that which you condemned someone else for doing, or you will suffer from the same infirmity.
- St. Nikon of Optina
A group of little children were playing. They were running about, picking flowers, singing, and rejoicing, because the grace of God made them happy. Then they saw a monk who was crying.
“Look,” they said to him, “the Lord decorated the heavens with stars and the earth with rivers and gardens; hawks fly high above the clouds and enjoy the beauty of nature; birds sing beautifully in the fields, but you, a monk, sit in your cell and do not see the whole beauty of God. You just sit and cry. What are you crying about in your little cell, when the sun is shining, the world is full of beauty, and there is joy everywhere on earth?”
“Children,” replied the monk, “you do not understand my tears. My soul cries for you because you do not know God, Who created all this beauty. My soul knows Him, and I want all of you to know Him, too. That is why I am sorrowful, and with tears I pray to God for you, that you would also come to know the Lord through the Holy Spirit.”
“What does it mean, to come to know the Lord through the Holy Spirit?” “You cannot know God with your mind. But when you read the Holy Scriptures, where the Holy Spirit dwells, it will delight you, and so you will come to know God and will serve Him with joy day and night. When you know God, the desire to think only about the things of this world will leave you, and your soul will strive to see the glory of God in the heavens.”
- Saint Silouan the Athonite
The greatest sickness of our age is the vain thoughts of secular people, which bring stress. Only Christ can provide a cure with spiritual serenity, along with eternity, provided you repent and turn to Him.
- Elder Paisios
… It says somewhere at Evergetinos, that a monk had the following characteristic, whatever you asked him for a service, he always wanted to help. If you told him “I would like to remove my bed but I cannot do it alone, he said I am coming, let’s go!”. Someone else asked ” I would like your help for that activity”, ” I am coming to help you”. Someone: “Come to the garden for a while, I would like to dig…” “I will come” he used to say. Continuously. Sacrifice, Love. That is Christianity.
- From the lovely book of Andreas Konanos “Strengthen your soul” (only available in Greek)
They say that a certain brother, when troubled by a thought which said, forget about today and repent tomorrow, would wisely reply “Today I’ll show my repentance with works, as for tomorrow, let God’s will be done.”
- From the sayings of the desert Fathers
The holy fathers… were great ascetics who existed only on the roots they found in the desert, and they often fought the devils. One of them was working on weaving a basket and the devil came to him in the form of Christ, but he ignored it. The devil shown like the sun, but the elder closed his eyes.
The devil called to him, ‘Elder, look at me!’
‘And who are you?’ asked the monk.
‘Don’t you see that I am Christ?’
The monk clenched his eyes shut even tighter and said, ‘I am a sinner and am not worthy to look upon Christ.’
‘You cursed old man! You knew who I was!’ And with that the devil fled because he saw that the monk recognized him.
- Elder Cleopa of Sihastria, “Counsels to Laity”
When I gaze in meditation and with faith upon the holy icons in church, and upon all its appurtenances, then I am lost in wonderful contemplation; the whole temple appears to me to be sacred history in action, a wonderful scripture of the works of God, accomplished in the human race. Here I see the history in action of our fall and of our restoration by God’s wonderful ordering…
- St. John of Kronstadt, from ‘My Life in Christ’
Of course, it would be easier to get to paradise with a full stomach, all snuggled up in a soft feather-bed, but what is required is to carry one’s cross along the way, for the kingdom of God is not attained by enduring one or two troubles, but many!
– Elder Anthony of Optina
