Patristic Quote of the Day

[Justin Kissel]

He who always keeps his own sins in mind and constantly looks forward to the coming Judgment, and fervently repents and weeps, will overcome them all at the same time. As he is lifted up by repentance he "is more than a conquerer" (Rom. 8:37). Not a single passion of those I have mentioned will be able to reach his soul and touch it in its flight. But unless our mind is borne aloft by penitence and tears and by the humility of spirit that results from them to the height of mastery of the passions, we shall not have the strength to become free from all those we have mentioned. At one time we shall be stung by one passion, at another time by another, and thus we shall not cease from being devoured by them as if by wild beasts. After death, since we shall have lost the kingdom of heaven because of them, we shall in turn be eternally punished by such [passions] as these. - St. Symeon the New Theologian, Fifth Discourse

[Justin Kissel]

Just as a cistern is filled by running water, so our holy father [St. Symeon the Studite] partook of the fulness of our Master Jesus Christ and was filled by the grace of His Spirit, which is "living water" (Jn. 4:10). A man may take water from a cistern that overflows and runs down on the outside till his thirst is quenched. Similarly we have seen and have received from our holy father that which overflowed and constantly poured over; we drank of it and washed our faces with it, even our hands and feet, and bathed our entire bodies (Jn. 13:9f) and our very souls with that immortal water. What a strange and wonderful mystery, brethren! - St. Symeon the New Theologian, Sixth Discourse

[Justin Kissel]

So then, dear brethren, have you realized what is the meaning of these words, "He who believes and is baptized," and again, "He who does not believe"? (cf Mk. 16:16) Or must I speak to your charity of this as well? The saying seems to be easily understood and simple, but it has thoughts hidden in the depth!

What he here calls faith is not merely the belief that Christ is God. It is that most comprehensive faith which includes all that concerns all His divine commandments and believes that in them nothing is unimportant, not even a dot, but that everything down to the last iota (Matt. 5:18 ) is life and leads to eternal life (Jn. 6:63, 68 ). Thus he who believes this is true of them and through Holy Baptism has pledged himself to observe all these things and to perform them without omitting anything will be saved. But he who in any way disbelieves His words, even to the extent of a single dot or one iota, as it is said, will be condemned as though he denied him altogether. Rightly so, for one may believe in Him in great matters, such as that He was God and without change became man; that He was crucified, died and rose again; and that when He had risen He entered when the doors were shut and appeared to His disciples (Jn. 20:19); that he was taken up and is seated on God the Father's right hand (Mk. 16:19; Col. 3:1). One may believe that He is to come to judge the living and the dead (1 Pet. 4:5), and requite every man according to his works (Rom. 2:6), that is, after He had first raised up all of us from Adam to those who will be born till the last day. Yet if he disbelieves when Christ says, "Truly I say to you, that on the day of judgment men will render account even for every careless word they utter" (Matt. 12:36), how can he be a believer and be counted with those who believe?

One may then believe in Christ with regard to those awesome mysteries that surpass understanding (cf Phil. 4:7) and every human thought. His soul may be obedient and submissive to all that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself has done or will do. Yet he may disbelieve when he hears Him say, "He who would come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me" (Matt. 16:24; Mk. 8:34). If he disbelieves when he hears Him say, "He who loves his father and mother more than me is not worthy of Me (Matt. 10:37), and "If any one comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and brothers and sisters and wife and children, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26), and "He who breaks one of these least commandments shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:19)--how can such a person be called a believer? Shall he not rather be condemned as an unbeliever or even worse than an unbeliever? He confesses that he believes in Christ in the greater matters, but in the lesser he despises Him, the God and Master of the universe, as if He were a liar. In other matters he professes to believe Him as God, but distrusts Him as if He were any man when He says that men will give account even for an idle word in the day of judgment (Matt. 12:36). He laughs, uses foul language, talks foolishly, and thinks that he will be saved, though Christ calls those who laught miserable (Luke 6:25) and those who mourn blessed (Matt. 5:4). Though he does not deny himself or bear his cross (Mark 8:34; Matt. 16:24), he thinks that he is following Christ Who was crucified for him. While he loves his parents more, he thinks from his soul that he is worthy of Christ (Matt. 10:37). - Saint Symeon the New Theologian, Seventh Discourse

[尼古拉前执事]

"The world is the general name for all passions. When we wish to call the passions by a common name, we call them the world. But when we wish to distinguish them by their special names, we call them passions. The passions are the following: love of riches, desire for possessions, bodily pleasures from which comes sexual passion, love of honor gives rise to envy, lust for power, arrogance and pride of position, the craving to adorn oneself with luxurious clothing and vain ornaments, the itch for human glory which is a source of rancor and resentment, and physical fear. Where these passions cease to be active, there the world is dead....

Code: Select all

Someone has said of the Saints that while alive they were dead; for though living in the flesh, they did not live for the flesh. See for which of these passions you are alive. Then you will know how far you are alive to the world, and how far you are dead to it." 

--St. Isaac the Syrian, 7th Century

[尼古拉前执事]

Ancient Wisdom of the Desert

• Lovers of Truth -
  
  • The essence of philosophy lies in the fact that it imparts to man the remembrance of death - Basil the Great + 4th century
  • The mind is first of all in wonder when it reflects on God's universal infinity and that inaccessible and greatly desired ocean. Next it is amazed at how from nothing He has brought into existence everything that is. But just as 'of His greatness there is no end', so is his wisdom unsearchable. - Monk Maximus +7th century
  • Very many wish to be vouchsafed the Kingdom without labors, without struggles, without sweat; but this is impossible - St. Macarius of Egypt
  • If you love the glories of men, and desire to be worshipped, and seek comfort, you are going off the path. You must be crucified with the Crucified One, suffer with Him that suffered, that you may be glorified with Him that is glorified. - St. Macarius of Egypt
  • Why do men learn through pain and suffering, and not through pleasure and happiness? Very simply, because pleasure and happiness accustom one to satisfaction with the things given in this world, whereas pain and suffering drive one to seek a more profound happiness beyond the limitations of this world. - Fr. Seraphim Rose
  • During times of affliction do not seek human consolation so that God may console you. - Elder Joseph the Hesychast
  • One cannot hide anywhere from temptations except in the depths of humility. - Elder Macarius of Optina
  • Zeal for work is, in fact, a measuring stick of spiritual advancement. Those striving to follow Christ measure the condition of their heart and their spiritual advancement in patience and humility by their zeal for work. If one has zeal for work, there is hope that you can acquire understanding of the other ABC's of spiritual life. Without love of labor one will never enter into the spiritual struggle nor understand the most elementary principles of spiritual combat. - St. John Cassian
  • The shortest path to Christ is to bear one another's burdens. - Elder Ambrose of Optina
  • Love towards one another without God cannot be love. And love towards God without loving others cannot be love. - St. Theophan
  • A Christian carries his cross by being thankful and rejoicing in all sufferings. - The Arena
  • The devil hath no other weapon so strong as despair. - Return to Confession
  • Christian wisdom is in preserving faith in the Lord during times of temptation. - Elder Ambrose of Optina
  • On our neighbor depends life and death of our soul. - The Arena
  • When we offend our neighbor it is as if we are offending Christ Himself. - The Arena
  • It's not our cares in life that are our problem, but how we relate to them. The sin is when we use the cares to fill our emptiness that comes from lack of love of God. - a paraphrase of St. Theophan
  • It is impossible to build a house starting from the top. So also it is with the soul. Love for God is the roof of the house; therefore we must start with love for our neighbor and then build up to love for God. - The Arena
  • Prayer rules and fasting without keeping the commandments will not save us. - Elder Ambrose of Optina
  • Suffering is Christ's greatest gift. - The Arena
  • If we cannot love our brother whom we have not seen, how can we love God whom we have not seen? - Counsels from the Holy Mountain (Elder Joseph the Hesychast?)
  • I don't believe in the salvation of one who doesn't work for the salvation of others. - St. John Chrysostom
  • If you always remember the Lord's Passion, you will unmurmuringly forbear everything. - St. Dimitri of Rostov
  • Who are you hoping to win? the world or your soul? - The Arena
  • True joy is quiet and constant. - Way of the Asetics
  • Master your senses and protect them from corrosion as a warrior protects his weapons. - St. Ephraim the Syrian
  • Consciousness of one's weakness, self-reproach, and patience are the three steps to humility. - Elder Ambrose
  • Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity? - Job, chapter 2 verse 10
  • Perfect humility of wisdom consists of bearing reproaches and dishonor and the rest which our Teacher Jesus suffered.... A sign of the fact that a man has touched on perfect prayer is the fact that he is no longer disturbed, even though the whole world might offend him. - Saints Barsunuphius and John
  • When we pray and God delays in hearing (our prayer), He does this for our benefit, so as to teach us longsuffering; wherefore we need not become downcast, saying: "We prayed, and were not heard." God knows what is profitable for a man. Rejoice in the Lord, leave off all your cares, and pray for me, O beloved brother, one in spirit (with me). - Saints Barsunuphius and John

[尼古拉前执事]

Young people must be made to distinguish between helpful and injurious knowledge, keeping clearly in mind the Christian's pupose in life. So, like the athlete or the musician, they must bend every energy to one task, the winning of the heavenly crown. ~ St. Basil of Caesaria (+379)

[Justin Kissel]

"It will then happen that for each of those who rise to life the wholeness of the body will be preserved as its bones and parts and members come together with its head. And so it will happen to the common Head of all, Christ the Savior.

So when He flashes like lightning uon the clouds He will receive His own members from all places, as God in the midst of gods, the gloroius Leader of the glorious company. Just as bodies suspended in the air move to earth as soon as their bonds are broken and immediately seek the center earth because they are bound and continue to be tyrannized by corruption. Therefore it says, 'in this dwelling we groan' 92 Cor. 5:2). But when freedom appears they will rush to Christ with an irresistable motion in order that they may receive their proper place. Accordingly Paul, as he shows that this rush cannot be restrained, calls it a 'carrying up' [rapture], for he says, 'we shall be carried off in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air' (1 Thes. 4:14). The Savior says that He will take them to Himself: 'then two men will be in the field; one is taken and the other left' (Mt. 24:20). This signifies that there is nothing human which will be able to delay, but that it is Christ Himself who will draw them, Christ Himself who will carry them off, He who cannot be subservient to time." - St. Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ, 4, §20