It is better to eat meat…
It is better to eat meat and drink wine than to eat the flesh of one’s brethren through slander.
- Abba Hyperechius
The distinguishing marks of repentance
Repentance signifies regret, change of mind. The distinguishing marks of repentance are contrition, tears, aversion towards sin, and love of the good.
- St. Nectarios of Aegina
He always listens to us
Do you know what a great gift it is that God gave us the right to speak to Him every hour and moment, wherever we are? He always listens to us. This is the greatest honor we have. For this reason we must love God.
- Elder Porphyrios (1906-1991)
How often…
How often have I entered the House of God without fear and trembling, stood there in prayer, frivolous and absent-minded, and left it in the same spirit and disposition! And in prayer at home I have been just as cold and indifferent, praying little, lazily, and indolently, inattentively and impiously, and even completely omitting the appointed prayers!
- St Basil The Great
To live without speaking…
To live without speaking is better than to speak without living. For the former who lives rightly does good even by his silence, but the latter does no good even when he speaks. When words and life correspond to one another they are together the whole of divine philosophy.
- Venerable Isidore of Pelusium
On wealth
Wealth should be seen less for its own qualities than for the human misery it stands for. The large rooms of which you are so proud are in fact your shame. They are big enough to hold parties, and also big enough to shut out the voice of the poor. The poor man cries before your house, and you pay no attention. There is your brother, naked, crying, and you stand there in a dilemma over a choice of carpets.
- St. Ambrose of Milan
Advice on prayer
The Apostle has told us to pray uninterruptedly, without anger or passionate thoughts. And this is excellent advice, for every thought which takes the mind away from God is not merely from the devil but is the devil himself.
- St. John Chrysostom
Like a ploughed field…
Blessed the one who has become a good ploughman of the virtues and raised a harvest of fruits of life in the Lord, like a ploughed field bearing wheat.
- St. Ephrem of Syria
On virtues
It does not matter how many virtues a man may have, even if they are beyond number and limit. If he has turned from the path of self-accusation, he will never find peace.
- St. Dorotheus
My brethren, how will you win Paradise?
The Martyrs won Paradise through their blood; the Ascetics, through their ascetic life. Now you, my brethren, who have children, how will you win Paradise? By means of hospitality, by giving to your brothers who are poor, blind, or lame.
- Saint Cosmas the Aetolian
The true Christian is a warrior
Sin, to one who loves God, is nothing other than an arrow from the enemy in battle. The true Christian is a warrior fighting his way through the regiments of the unseen enemy to his heavenly homeland. According to the word of the Apostles, our homeland is in heaven; and about the warrior he says: “our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers of wickedness under heaven” (Ephesians 6:12).
- Saint Herman of Alaska
The daily nourishment of your hearts
Every day you provide your bodies with good to keep them from failing. In the same way your good works should be the daily nourishment of your hearts. Your bodies are fed with food and your spirits with good works. You aren’t to deny your soul, which is going to live forever, what you grant to your body, which is going to die.
- St. Gregory the Great
The memory of fire
As the memory of fire does not warm the body, so faith without love does not bring about the illumination of knowledge in the soul.
– St. Maximus the Confessor
The remembrance of God
Christians ought at all times to preserve the remembrance of God… in order that they may show love to the Lord not only when they go into the place of prayer, but that also when they are working, talking, or eating, they may preserve the remembrance of God, and a sense of love and yearning towards Him.
- St. Macarius of Egypt
Put your trust in God
Never do a job without putting your trust in God with great humility, because otherwise you will agonize and you will tire your mind and soul. It is a lack of faith that hides behind anxiety, but pride can cause anxiety also.
- Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos
