Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
"Every day we should stand in awe of Him, as He is with us, and do what is pleasing before Him. If we are unable now to perceive Him with our physical eyes, we can, if we are watchful, see Him continuously with the eyes of our understanding and not just see Him, but reap great benefits from Him." + St. Gregory Palamas
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
"A person who has not learned to pray has not learned to live" + St. John Chrysostom
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
"The person who has not consciously invested his intelligence and intellect with the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly one, man and God, is still but flesh and blood. He cannot perceive spiritual glory solely through his intelligence, just as those blind from birth cannot know the sun's light solely through their intelligence." + St. Symeon the New Theologian
Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.
"When a man takes one step toward God — God will take a thousand steps toward him." + St. Paisios of Mount Athos
I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
"If you wish to attract God’s attention, so that He may hear you when you pray, turn the dial to humility—for God always operates on that frequency; then, with humility, ask Him for mercy." + St. Paisios of Mount Athos
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
"When a temptation arises, do not entertain it, but quickly turn your mind to prayer. The more we think about temptation, the stronger it becomes. Keep your thoughts in Christ, and it will be scattered like smoke." + St. John Climacus
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
"If you want to be free of pain, you must forgive those who caused it." + St. Joseph the Hesychast
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
"He, who knows his own sin, is higher than the man who resurrects the dead by his prayer. He, who has been granted the gift of seeing himself, is superior to the man who sees Angels." + St. Isaac the Syrian
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
"With all the worries & thoughts, you are harming yourself more than you are helping yourself. The wrongdoings of the past are corrected only by good repentance and a change of life. So rejoice in the Lord & see to it that you spend the rest of your life in repentance." + St. Joseph the Hesychast
As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord's word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.
"A humble man is worth more than the whole world. He is the strongest of all." + St. Paisios of Mount Athos
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
"Fight the good fight, and God will strengthen you. In the struggle, we encounter our weaknesses, shortcomings, and mistakes. The struggle is the mirror of our spiritual state. Whoever has not struggled has not come to know himself." + St. Nektarios of Aegina
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path
“People today have made themselves into gods, and that is why they end up as atheists.” + St. Paisios of Mount Athos
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
"Without struggle and the shedding of blood, do not expect deliverance from the passions. After the fall, thorns and thistles grew upon our earth. We have been commanded to uproot them, but they are removed only with great pain, bleeding hands, and many sighs. Therefore, weep, shed rivers of tears, and the soil of your heart will be softened. And when the soil is soaked, you will easily uproot the thorns. If you have fallen again—rise again." + St. Joseph the Hesychast
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
"You ask, “How do I find God?” Find your heart, and you will find the door to Him. But this heart is not easily found. It is hidden beneath layers of pride, distraction, ambition, fear, and forgetfulness. Tear these garments one by one, and you will touch the flesh of your soul. There God is waiting—not above, not beyond, but within." + St. Isaac the Syrian
"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
"God will help you. For Him, there are no curable or incurable diseases. There are only those who believe and those who do not." + St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia
My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
"When a person struggles to keep his body pure and his nous chaste from filthy thoughts, his life and his prayer ascend like fragrant incense to the heavens. I have seen in practice what I am telling you. There is no sacrifice to God more fragrant than chastity of the body which is obtained with a bloody and dreadful struggle." + St. Joseph the Hesychast
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
"The soul that loves God has its rest in God and in God alone. In all the paths that men walk in the world, they do not attain peace until they draw nigh to hope in God." + St. Isaac the Syrian
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
"Even in the most difficult times, he who will occupy himself dilligently with the Jesus Prayer will be able to be easily saved" + St. Seraphim of Vyritsa
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
"Do not stop praying until your last breath and God is able to fulfill your request." + St. Joseph the Hesychast
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
"Do not be astonished if, when you begin to practise virtue, severe and intense tribulations break out against you from every quarter; for virtue is not accounted virtue if it is not accompanied by the difficulty of labors encountered in accomplishing it." + St. Isaac the Syrian
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
"Those who were raised Orthodox from childhood have patience, but lack zeal. The converts have zeal, but lack patience." + Fr. Seraphim Rose
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
"When you see the pain which your parents, relatives and friends experience because of you, mock the demon who in his subtlety has provoked these feelings against you. Withdraw with fear and determination, and entreat God insistently to bring you swiftly into His haven, where He will give rest to your tired and over-burdened soul. The sea of life nourishes many forms of danger and even of utter destruction." + St. Symeon the New Theologian
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
"Do not think about the sins of your brother, but about what in him is better than in yourself." + St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
"Many receive grace to begin with but very few get it back after losing it." + St. Silouan the Athonite
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
"Let our soul always thirst for the knowledge of the truth, let it thirst for the forgiveness of sins, let it thirst for the peace of consciousness, Let it thirst for the heavenly joy! The most beautiful thirst is the one for the union with Jesus Christ! Let it thirst for the Holy Communion! Let it thirst for the acquisition of virtues! Let it thirst for entering as quickly as possible into the Kingdom of Heaven, to free itself as soon as possible from the vanity of this world, to free itself from pain, from sorrow, from torment, from the wickedness which reigns in the hearts of people! For becoming free! For freeing ourselves from passions! And finally, let our soul thirst for the eternal joy! Let it thirst for the union with God, so that we may live forever with the saints! Because… how long will be our life here on earth?” + St. Paisios of Mount Athos
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
"If I read a hundred prayers in the silence of Mount Athos a day and you, in the noise of the city, with work and family responsibilities, read three prayers, then we are in the same position" + St. Ephraim of Katounakia
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
"What salt is for any food, humility is for every virtue. To acquire it, a man must always think of himself with contrition, self-belittlement and painful self-judgment. But if we acquire it, it will make us sons of God." + St. Isaac the Syrian
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
"Every prayer and every gospel virtue gradually conquers death in us, while all together they establish victory over death and bring us to eternal life." + St. Justin Popovich
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
"There are people who desire the destruction, the torment in hellfire of their enemies, or the enemies of the Church. They think like this because they have not learnt divine love from the Holy Spirit, for he who has learnt the love of God will shed tears for the whole world... Is it that you have a heart of steel? But there is no place for steel in paradise. Paradise needs humility and the love of Christ, who has mercy on all." + St. Silouan the Athonite
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man 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
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
"Whatever you wish another to do to you, do to another, but know that whatever you wish to happen to another person, will happen to you." + St. Nikolai Velimirovich