Orthodox quotes ...

[~Anastasia~]

Thought I'd share a recent quote from "Orthodox Quote of the Day" I receive via email subscription.

"Ever let mercy outweigh all else in you. Let our compassion be a mirror where we may see in ourselves that likeness and that true image which belong to the Divine nature and Divine essence. A heart hard and unmerciful will never be pure."
St. Isaac the Syrian
Directions on Spiritual Training

 

[~Anastasia~]

Oops, I meant for this to go in TAW proper. I was browsing in St. Basil's ...

Am requesting a move.

 

[Hammster]

Oops, I meant for this to go in TAW proper. I was browsing in St. Basil's ...

Am requesting a move.

Moved.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Moved.

Thank you!!!

 

[ArmyMatt]

very good find

 

[~Anastasia~]

very good find

Thank you.

It reminds me of 1 Cor 13 but weaves in a bit more.

I can't add to it. But I like to think on it.

 

[YCGP]

How do I sign up for the quote of the day?

 

[~Anastasia~]

How do I sign up for the quote of the day?

Orthodox Quote of the Day

 

[YCGP]

Thank you, Anastasia.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Thank you, Anastasia.

You are most welcome.

 

[~Anastasia~]

"We will recognize that, whether we like it or not, what happens happens; to be upset about it is useless, and moreover deprives us of the crown of patience and shows us to be in revolt against the will of God."
St. Peter of Damaskos

 

[~Anastasia~]

"Be extremely careful not to offend anyone in word or deed, for it is a grave sin. When someone is offended, God, Who loves the man, is also offended, for there can be no offending man without offending God."
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk






This one is not easy. (Many of them are not easy lol!) I remember being aware of myself being offended by anyone, and dealing with that spiritually ... but it requires a whole other layer of gentleness and care to try not to offend someone else.

Of course I'm far from perfect and I probably offend people often without intent or realization. But I have found it worth thinking about, and worth reflecting on before Confession as well.

Lord help us all. And I am so thankful for these bits of wisdom we are given, to use in helping us seek Christ.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I like this one -

Most of us live outside our heart, and our mind is in a constant state of confusion. Some good thoughts may surface from time to time, but the majority will be harmful, and this destructive condition will prevail for as long as we continue to ignore our heart...The prayers of a fragmented mind have neither clarity nor depth, but a mind that is reunited with the heart overflows with humble prayer and has such strength that it reaches the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
Archimandrite Zacharias of Essex

 

[~Anastasia~]

When God recedes in order to educate us, this brings great sadness, humility and even some measure of despair to the soul. The purpose of this is to humble the soul's tendency to vanity and self-glory, for the heart at once is filled with fear of God, tears of thankfulness, and great longing for the beauty of silence.
St. Diadochus of Photiki
On Spiritual Knowledge 287

St. Diadochus of Photiki is someone I don't remember hearing about before. I'm a little surprised at some of his writings, coming as early as they did. I hope I can find time to learn more.

 

[icxn]

... prayer ... actualizes our ascent to and union with the Deity...when our prayer, through its fervent compunction, transcends the passions and conceptual thoughts; for the intellect, while still passion-dominated, cannot be united to God. Thus so long as the intellect when praying remains in a passion-charged state, it will not obtain mercy; but to the extent that it can dispel distractive thoughts it will experience inward grief, and in so far as it experiences such grief it will partake of God's mercy. And if with humility it continues to savour this mercy it will transform entirely the aspect of the soul that it accessible to passion. - St. Gregory Palamas (On Prayer and Purity of Heart no. 1, The Philokalia Vol. 4)

 

[Petros2015]

"Remembrance of wrongs is the consummation of anger, the keeper of sins, hatred of righteousness, ruin of virtues, poison of the soul, worm of the mind, shame of prayer, stopping of supplication, estrangement of love, a nail stuck in the soul, pleasureless feeling beloved in the sweetness of bitterness, continuous sin, unsleeping transgression, hourly malice.

This dark and hateful passion, I mean remembrance of wrongs, is one of those that are produced but have no offspring. That is why we do not intend to say much about it.

He who has put a stop to anger has also destroyed remembrance of wrongs; because childbirth continues only while the father is alive."

+ St. John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent,

 

[Petros2015]

Another good place for quotes by saints

http://www.orthodoxchurchquotes.com/

 

[~Anastasia~]

Another good place for quotes by saints

Orthodox Church Quotes - Simply quotes of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church fathers, saints, elders, hymns, prayers, and services.

Thank you!

 

[ArmyMatt]

Another good place for quotes by saints

Orthodox Church Quotes - Simply quotes of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church fathers, saints, elders, hymns, prayers, and services.

very nice!

 

[Petros2015]

“At the time of darkness, more than anything else kneeling is helpful.”

— St. Isaac the Syrian

(actually the quoter did not cite the source, so it may not be accurate. made me laugh though)