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’
Soft-heartedness and simplicity are what’s needed. Never be afraid for a man who loves. In him God dwells.
- Papa Dimitri
When the soul’s incensive power is aroused against the passions, we should know that it is time for silence, as the hour of battle is at hand. But when this turbulence grows calm, whether through prayer or through acts of mercy, we may then be moved by a desire to proclaim God’s mysteries, restraining the wings of our intellect with the cords of humility. For unless a man sets himself utterly at naught, he cannot speak of the majesty of God.
- St. Diadochos of Photiki
In order to pray a man must struggle to has last breath. If we do not find prayer difficult, perhaps it is because we have not really started to pray.
- Abba Agathon
Hope is faith in an advanced stage, a power, which gives transparency to time, which penetrates through time, as faith penetrates space and visible nature.
- Fr. Dimitru Staniloae
The sublime beauty of Orthodox Christian monasticism.
Glory to God for everything!
The practice of prayer is called an ‘art’, and it is a very simple one. Standing with consciousness and attention in the heart, cry out unceasingly: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me,’ without having in your mind any visual concept or image, believing that the Lord sees you and listens to you.
It is important to keep your consciousness in the heart, and as you do so to control your breathing a little so as to keep time with the words of the prayer. But the most important thing is to believe that God is near and hears. Say the prayer for God’s ear alone.
At the beginning this prayer remains for a long time only an activity like any other, but in time it passes into the mind and finally takes root in the heart.
- St. Theophan the Recluse, The Jesus Prayer
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 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 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 judgement. This will raise you above the deadly arrows of slander, insult and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evil.
- Saint Serafim of Sarov
The Holy Spirit often visits us; but if He does not find rest how can He remain? He departs. Joy is in the hearts of those who are cleansed and who are able to maintain within themselves the grace of the Holy Spirit of the All-holy Trinity. There is no greater joy and happiness for man. I am not able to describe to you how one feels then.
-Elder Ieronymos of Aegina
Do not acquire the habit of talking a lot. Few words are better, whereas silence is spiritual wealth. If you become talkative, not only will you lose the ‘Jesus Prayer’ shortly, but also you will greatly tire your soul and without fail will harm many others. For “…in a multitude of words thou shall not escape sin” (Pr. 10:20).
- Elder Joseph the Hesychast, “Forty-fourth Letter,” Monastic Wisdom
All that you lose in the name of God, you keep. All that you keep for your own sake, you loose. All that you give in the name of God, you will receive with interest. All that you give for the sake of your own glory and pride, you throw into the water. All that you receive from people as from God will bring you joy. All that you receive from people as from people will bring you worries.
- St. Nicholas of Serbia
And really, sometimes you feel just as if there were a mountain of stones weighing down upon you - so much sin and pain do they bring to you, and you just can’t bear it. Then grace comes and sweeps away this mountain of stones as if it were a mountain of high leaves. Then you can receive people again.
- Saint Nektary of Optina
To call on God is to invite him into your heart: but will you dare to invite so great a Father when you have no dwelling fit for him? Your heart is full of evil desires, and yet you invite him in.
- St. Seraphim of Sarov
A skull from Prodromos, a Romanian cenobitic skete in the Eastern Orthodox Monastery of the Great Lavra, on the Holy Mountain Athos in Macedonia, Northern Greece.
The inscription reads in Romanian: ““Ce sunt eu, vei fi şi tu. Ce eşti tu, am fost şi eu.” (translation: What I am, you will be, too. What you are, I’ve been myself.), reminding the reader of the ephemerality of his life and the constant need to think of his own death.
The devil makes small sins seem smaller in our eyes, for otherwise he can’t lead us to greater evil.
- St. Mark the Ascetic, Homilies
