St. Macarius the Great
Divine grace arranged things in such a way that everyone participates in spiritual growth as he chooses, according to his own will, his own labor, and his own effort, in proportion to his faith and zeal. The more one loves, the more one gives oneself to the fight, in one’s body and in one’s soul, in order to accomplish the commandments, the greater the communion one achieves with the Spirit into the Spiritual growth of the renewing of the mind; acquiring salvation by grace and divine gift, but receiving by faith, by love, and by effort of free choice, progress and increase in the measure of the spiritual age. Thus eternal life will be inherited by grace, but also in all righteousness, since it is not only through the divine grace and power without human collaboration and effort that progress is made; nor is it only by one’s own power, one’s own effort and one’s own strength, without the collaboration and help of the Holy Spirit, that the perfect accomplishment of the divine will and full measure of all freedom and purity shall be reached.
*Taken from The Great Epistle.
Fr. Alexander Elchaninov
There is the monastic life and the state of marriage. The third condition, that of virginity in the world, is extremely dangerous, fraught with temptation, and beyond the strength of most people. Moreover, those who adhere to this condition are a danger to those around them: the aura and beauty of virginity, which, when deprived of direct religious significance, are in a sense “nuptial feathers,” excercise a powerful attraction and awaken unedifying emotions.
*Taken from The Diary of a Russian Priest.
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
Philosophizing is by far easier than praying. Satan is self-opinionated and encourages those who rely on their own wisdom. On self-willed theorizing and the grasping of “the great mysteries” he traps, confuses and destroys human souls. The greatest advantage of prayer is that it replaces all that we have. This is the most profound content that is hidden in prayer: faith, devotion, salvation. Whoever strives to pray with one’s whole heart is already saved. Prayer – is a half-way to God. Through prayer, a blessed power by way of a harmony of sacred words, pours into our hearts. Prayer brings divine joy.
*Taken from Bishop Alexander Mileant’s Missionary Leaflet #E97.
Mid-Pentecost
Let us not merely call him Lord, for that will not save us. For he says, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will be saved, but he who does what is right” (Matt. 7:21). Thus, brothers, let us acknowledge him by our actions, by loving one another, by refraining from adultery, backbiting, and jealousy, and by being self-controlled, compassionate, kind. We ought to have sympathy for one another and not to be avaricious. Let us acknowledge him by acting in this way and not by doing the opposite. We ought not to have greater fear of men than of God. That is why, if you act in this way, the Lord said, “If you are gathered with me in my bosom and do not keep my commands, I will cast you out and will say to you: ‘Depart from me. I do not know whence you come, you workers of iniquity.’”
*Taken from his Second Letter to the Corinthians.
St. John Chrysostom
In the matter of piety, poverty serves us better than wealth, and work better than idleness, especially since wealth becomes an obstacle even for those who do not devote themselves to it. Yet, when we must put aside our wrath, quench our envy, soften our anger, offer our prayers, and show a disposition which is reasonable, mild, kindly, and loving, how could poverty stand in our way? For we accomplish these things not by spending money but by making the correct choice. Almsgiving above all else requires money, but even this shines with a brighter luster when the alms are given from our poverty. The widow who paid in the two mites was poorer than any human, but she outdid them all.
*Taken from On Wealth and Poverty.
Apostles Receiving Holy Communion
We must not remove ourselves from Communion of the Lord on the grounds that we recognize ourselves to be sinners. Rather, we should come to It more and more often, thirsting after the healing of the soul and cleansing of the spirit, but with such humility of soul and faith that. Considering ourselves unworthy of receiving such grace, we might yearn for greater treatment of our wounds. With the humility of heart with which we believe and confess that we can never worthily come into contact with the Holy Mysteries, we may receive them on every Sunday unto healing of our illnesses, lest, by exalting ourselves through a vain confident heart, we believe that after the lapse of a year we are worthy of receiving it.
Elder Ephraim of Katounakia
The best prayer is the one you say with your own words. Reading a prayer is not enough. For example, before receiving Holy Communion we read the Service of Preparation for Holy Communion, ‘From lips tainted and defiled, fromt heart unclean and loathsome…’, sometimes without even understanding the words. You yourself should pray with your own words. Then you will understand what you are saying to God. This prayer has great power; great power indeed!
*Taken from Elder Ephraim of Katounakia.
Archimandrite Sophronius Sakharov
God’s participation in our individual life we call Providence. This providence is not at all like pagan fate. At certain decisive moments we do actually ourselves choose from the various possibilities that are offered. When different paths lie before us, than normally we ought resolutely to move towards the ultimate Good that we are seeking. This choice inevitably implies being ready to accept sacrifice. On such occasions our spiritual is particularly obvious. In most cases, unfortunately, prompted by worldly considerations, people forsakes the direction to the Kingdom of Light indicated by God. Thus does man fall into the deceptive round of passions that prevent him from seeing the wished-for dawn. Every choice, however, must involve suffering and self-denial. And when we elect for the will of God, then every sacrifice likens us to Christ: ‘Father if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.’ [Luke 22:42]
*Taken from We Shall See Him As He Is.
St. Theophanes the Recluse
It is wrong to regard as a virtue the excessive grief, which men feel after committing a sin, not realizing that it is caused by pride and a high opinion of themselves, based on the fact that they rely too much on themselves and their own powers. For by thinking that they are something important they undertake too much, hoping to deal with it by themselves. When the experience of their downfall shows them how weak they are, they are astounded, like people, who meet with something unexpected, and they are cast into turmoil and grow faint-hearted. For they see, fallen and prone on the ground, that graven image which is themselves, upon which they put all their hopes and expectations. This does not happen to a humble man who trusts in God alone, expecting nothing good from himself. Therefore, when he falls into some transgression, he also feels the weight of it and grieves, but is not cast into turmoil and is not perplexed, for he knows that it happened through his own impotence, to experience which in downfalls is nothing unexpected or new to him.
*Taken from Unseen Warfare.
St. Macarius the Great
This is the mark of Christianity–however much a man toils, and however many righteousnesses he performs, to feel that he has done nothing, and in fasting to say, “This is not fasting,” and in praying, “This is not prayer,” and in perseverance at prayer, “I have shown no perseverance; I am only just beginning to practice and to take pains”; and even if he is righteous before God, he should say, “I am not righteous, not I; I do not take pains, but only make a beginning every day.”
*Taken from Sayings of the Desert Fathers.
