Patristic Quote of the Day

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Sat 22 May 2004 1:42 pm

"One should not without necessity open one's heart to people. You may find only one in a thousand who will keep your secret." - St. Seraphim of Sarov

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Wed 2 June 2004 6:15 pm

Abba Cassian related the following: 'The holy Germanus and I went to Egypt, to visit an old man. Because he offered us hospitality we asked him, "Why do you not keep the rule of fasting, when you receive visiting brothers, as we have received it in Palestine?" He replied, "Fasting is always at hand but you I cannot have with me always. Furthermore, fasting is certainly a useful and necessary thing, but it depends on our choice while the law of God lays it upon us to do the works of charity. Thus receiving Christ in you, I ought to serve you will all diligence, but when I have taken leave of you, I can resume the rule of fasting again. For 'Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, but when the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast in that day.'"' (Marks 2:19-20) - Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Abba Cassian, 1

icxn · Post by **icxn** » Tue 29 June 2004 3:03 pm

Οὐκ ἀκίνδυνον ἡ ἀκρόασις, ὅταν ἡ διά τῶν ἔργων προσθήκη μή γένηται.
- Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Χρυσόστομος

Φιλόσοφος ἔχων δύο μαθητάς, ἕνα μέν ἀφυῆ, φιλόπονον δέ· ἕτερον δέ εὐφυῆ, ἀργόν δέ, εἶπεν, Ἀμφότεροι ἀπόλλυσθε, ὅτι σύ μέν θέλων, οὐ δυνήσῃ· σύ δέ δυνάμενος, οὐ θέλεις.
-Καπιόνου φιλοσόφ.

Νεανίσκου ἐν θεάτρῳ ἐναβρυνομένου, καί λέγοντος σοφόν εἶναι, πολλοῖς ὁμιλήσας σοφοῖς, εἶπέ τις, Κἀγώ πολλοῖς πλουσίοις, ἀλλά πλούσιος οὐκ εἰμί. - Δημοκρίτ.

Δημώνακτ. - Ὁ αὐτός ἐφωτηθείς, τίς αὐτοῦ διδάσκαλος γεγονώς εἴη, Τό τῶν Ἀθηναίων, ἔφη, βῆμα, ἐμφαίνων ὅτι ἡ διά τῶν πραγμάτων ἐμπειρία, κρείττων πάσης σοφιστικῆς διδασκαλίας ἐστίν.

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Tue 3 August 2004 9:52 pm

"This temple built of you yourselves, a living temple of a living God, the greatest truly majestic sanctuary, I say, whose innermost shrines are hidden from the mass of men and are in truth a Holy Place and a Holy of Holies, who would dare to examine and describge? Who could ever look inside the surrounding temple buildings, except the Great High Priest of the universe, who alone is permitted to search out the secrets of every rational soul?" - Eusebius, The History of the Church, Book 10

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Thu 5 August 2004 4:50 pm

"And Adam and Eve----for that is the name of the woman----were naked, and were not ashamed;45 for there was in them an innocent and childlike mind, and it was not possible for them to conceive and understand anything of that which by wickedness through lusts and shameful desires is born in the soul. For they were at that time entire, preserving their own nature; since they had the breath of life which was breathed on their creation: and, while this breath remains in its place and power, it has no comprehension and understanding of things that are base. And therefore they were not ashamed, kissing and embracing each other in purity after the manner of children." - Saint Ireneaus, Proof of the Apostolic Preaching, 14

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Sun 29 August 2004 3:20 pm

Once, when Barsanuphius was beginning to give an answer to John of the Monastery of Beerseeba, he told Seridos to record it. Abba Seridos was puzzled as to how to write down so many words, for he knew that his mind could not possibly retain all that he was hearing. He expected the elder to tell him to fetch some paper and ink, that his response might be recorded word for word. Barsanuphius, however, by the gift of clairvoyance afforded him by the Holy Spirit, read the secret thought, and hsi face became radiant like a flame, and he said to Seridos: "God, write it down and fear not; though I utter innumerable words for thee to write down; rest in the fact that the Holy Spirit will not let thee write one single word more or less than what I have said--though thou might wish it--for It will guide thy hand in recording all correctly and in proper order." - The Life and Struggles of Our Holy Fathers Among the Saints, Barsanuphius the Great Elder and John the Prophet (From: The Lives of the Saints of the Holy Land and the Sinai Desert, [Holy Apostles Convent, 1988], pp. 97-98 )

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Fri 3 September 2004 4:07 pm

"If the issue is examined in more detail, it will be found that even the remembrance of an upcoming encounter and the anticipation of the feeling of meeting the person is totally sufficient to disrupt the mental aspect of the soul. Furthermore, one who engages in writing articles surrounds one's own intellect with burdensome anxieties. If it happens that one who writes is found among the spiritually advanced, who have acquired, due to the health of the soul, the love of God--even though this one writes--this love of God works in the writer, but not directly and purely. If a writer is among the many who are still susceptible to diseases and passion of the soul--and I am truly one of these--then this one needs to cry out continually to God: "Heal me for I have sinned against you!" (Ps. 40:5) So it is irrational that these, prior to being healed, should abandon prayer and willingly occupy themselves with all other matters." - Saint Gregory Palamas, Treatise on the Spiritual Life, 1