When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
"The Lord Jesus, though, shed all His tears for His children, to the last drop – and all His blood to the last drop. Never, O sinner, will more precious tears be shed for you, neither living nor dead. Never will a mother, or wife, or children, or homeland, pay more for you than Christ the Saviour paid." + St. Nikolai Velimirovich (+1956) Homilies: Commentary on the Gospel Readings for Great Feasts and Sundays Throughout the Year, Volume 1, “22. The Second Sunday After Easter: The Gospel on the Myrrh-Bearing Women”
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,
"Is it not excessively ridiculous to seek the good opinion of those whom you would never wish to be like?" + St. John Chrysostom (+407) Homilies on the Gospel of Saint John, Homily III
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
"Let them push you, but do not push; Let them crucify you, but do not crucify. Let them insult, but do not insult. Let them slander, but do not slander. Be meek, and do not be zealous in evil." + St. Isaac the Syrian (+700) Homily, 89
Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the Lord; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the Lord.
"The friendship that can cease has never been real." + St. Jerome (+420) Letter 3
I am the Lord your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.'
"Guard your mind from self-praise and flee a high opinion of yourself, so that God does not allow you to fall into the opposite [passion to the virtue for which you boast], for man does not accomplish virtue alone, but with the help of God Who sees all." + St. Mark the Ascetic (+430) Homilies, 85
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
"In truth there is only one freedom - the holy freedom of Christ, whereby He freed us from sin, from evil, from the devil. It binds us to God. All other freedoms are illusory, false, that is to say, they are all, in fact, slavery." + St. Justin Popovich (+1979) Ascetical and Theological Chapters, II.36
But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
"When people begin to praise us, let us hurry to remember the multitude of ours transgressions, and we will see that we are truly unworthy of that which they say and do in our honor." + St. John of the Ladder (+649) Ladder, 22.42
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
"What can sin do where there is penitence? And of what use is love where there is pride?" + St. Elias the Wonderworker Sayings of The Desert Fathers, pg. 71
Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness.
"In all of our deeds God looks at the intention, whether we do it for His sake, or for the sake of some other intention." + St. Maximus the Confessor (+662) Chapters on Love, 2:36
Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
"I ask you to try something. If someone grieves you, or dishonors you, or takes something of yours, then pray like this: “Lord, we are all your creatures. Pity your servants, and turn them to repentance,” and then you will perceptibly bear grace in your soul.” + St. Silouan the Athonite (+1938) The Writings of Staretz Silouan, IX.21
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
"Sin makes man a coward; but a life in the Truth of Christ makes Him bold." + St. John Chrysostom (+407) On the Statues, VIII.2
"You should know that young people today who remain pure will be counted among the martyrs of our Church on the day of Judgement." + St. Paisios of Mount Athos (+1994) Life by Hieromonk Isaac (p. 294)
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
"A Christian receives divine wisdom in three ways: by the commandments, teachings, and faith. The commandments free the mind from passions. Teachings lead it to true knowledge of nature. Faith leads to the contemplation of the Holy Trinity." + St. Maximus the Confessor (+662) Chapters on Love, 4.47
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
"When I became a Christian I voluntarily crucified my mind, and all the crosses that I bear have been only a source of joy for me. I have lost nothing, and gained everything." + Fr. Seraphim Rose (+1982) Letters from Father Seraphim
But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
"If, at the time when the mind is praying it is distracted by any extraneous thought or worry about anything, then this prayer is not called pure." + St. Isaac the Syrian (+700) Homilies, 16
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
"Every trial and temptation is permitted by God as a cure for some sick person's soul. Indeed, such trials not only confer on us forgiveness of our past and present sins, but also act as a check on sins not yet committed." + St. Peter of Damascus Book 1: A Treasury of Divine Knowledge, The Philokalia: The Complete Text (Vol.3)
He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.
"One who has sinned cannot escape retribution in any other way than by repentance corresponding to his sin."" + St. Mark the Ascetic (+430) Homilies, 2.58
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
"Dependence on the Lord God is the only dependence that does not degrade a man, nor turn him into a pitiful servant. But, on the contrary, it exalts him." + Martyr Alexander Medem (+1931) Letter to His son, 1922
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
"The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened. So the disciple who doubted, then felt Christ’s wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of the resurrection." + St. Gregory the Great (+604)
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
"O Death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory? Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the Angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life doth reign. Christ is risen, and there is none dead in the tomb. For Christ is raised from the dead, and is become the first-fruits of them that slept. " + St. John Chrysostom (+407) Catechetical Homily of St. John Chrysostom
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
"The Crucifixion of Christ is the joy and gladness of all sinners. A sinner, coming to a feeling of his sinfulness and of the all-righteous truth of God, has nowhere to take shelter, except under the shadow of the Cross." + St. Theophan the Recluse (+1894) Thoughts For Each Day of the Year, Great Friday, Pg. 83
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
"What does it mean to take up your cross? It means the willing acceptance, at the hand of Providence, of every means of healing, bitter though it may be, that is offered. Do great catastrophes fall on you? Be obedient to God’s will, as Noah was. Is sacrifice demanded of you? Give yourself into God’s hands with the same faith as Abram had when he went to sacrifice his son." + St. Nikolai Velimirovich (+1956) Thoughts On Good And Evil
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
"It is impossible to draw near to God without sorrows, without which human righteousness cannot remain unchanged... If you desire virtue, then give yourself to every affliction, for afflictions produce humility. If someone abides in virtue without afflictions, the door of pride is opened to him." + St. Isaac the Syrian (+700) Homilies, 34
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
"Find evil in yourself and not in other people or things, wherewith you have not learned how to relate properly. This is how a child relates with fire or a knife: he burns himself, he cuts himself." + St. Sebastian of Karaganda (+1966)
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
"If a person wants to get an idea about the pyramids of Egypt, he must either trust those who have been in immediate proximity to the pyramids, or he must get next to them himself. There is no third option. In the same way a person can get an impression of God: He must either trust those who have stood and stand in immediate proximity to God, or he must take pains to come into such proximity himself." + St. Nikolai Velimirovich (+1956) Thoughts on Good and Evil
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
"Depart from every man who loves to quarrel." + St. Poemen the Great (+450) Ancient Patericon, 11.59
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
"Of all the afflictions that burden the human race, there is not one, whether spiritual or bodily, that cannot be healed by the Holy Scriptures." + St. John Chrysostom (+407) Conversations on the Book of Genesis, 29.1
For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
“Do you wish to honor the Body of the Savior? Do not despise it when it is naked. Do not honor it in church with silk vestments while outside it is naked and numb with cold.” + St. John Chrysostom (+407) On the Gospel of St. Matthew, 50, III
Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
"When you throw a nail into a fire, it gets hot and starts to glow like fire. In the same way you, when you listen to divine teachings and live accordingly, will become like God." + St. Symeon of Daibabe (+1941) Sayings, 26
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
"Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them. They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world. They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself." + St. Nikolai Velimirovich (+1956) Prayers By the Lake (A Treasury of Serbian Orthodox Spirituality, Volume 5)