Love for God

The whole of life, in all its manifestations, must be permeated by prayer. But its secret is love for the Lord. As the bride, loving the bridegroom, is not separated from him in remembrance and feeling, so the soul, united with God in love, remains in constancy with Him, directing warm appeals to Him from the heart. 'He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit' (1 Cor. vi. 17).


St. Theophan the Recluse

Knowledge and Action

Strong is the man who has combined knowledge with action, for by the latter he withers lust and tames excitation, and by the former gives wings to his mind and goes forth to live with God.



St. Maximus the Confessor

Acknowledging Love

In the relationship of a pastor with his flock, it is not sufficient for the pastor to express his love for them; he must acknowledge their love for him. There is a kind of pride in the pastor who shows great warmth and generosity to those in his charge, and yet is blind to the warmth and generosity which they show in return. It is as if he is claiming a monopoly of love. But when a pastor expresses gratitude for the love which they have showered upon him, he is affirming their virtue, and thus encouraging them in their Christian journey. The same is true in all personal relationships. The person who just expresses love for his friends but fails to acknowledge their love for him is not a true friend. Loving friendship requires both parties to love each other, and each party to affirm the other's love. Jesus, as both a pastor and a friend, not only poured out love but also made Himself dependent on others. He possessed nothing, so for His very survival He had to rely on the kindness of His friends and disciples. And in His gratitude for all He received, He affirmed them as true friends and true disciples.



St. John Chrysostom
"On Living Simply"

One Thing Needful

St. Basil the Great says: One cannot approach the knowledge of the truth with a disturbed heart. Therefore we must try to avoid everything that disturbs our heart, that causes forgetfulness, excitement or passion, or that awakens unrest. We must free ourselves as much as possible from all fuss and flutter and ado over vain things. Yes, when we serve the Lord we shall not be troubled about many things, but always keep in mind that one thing is needful (Luke 10:41).




Tito Colliander
"Way of the Ascetics"

On the Divine Liturgy

Why are the beatitudes read or sung at the Small Entrance at the beginning of Liturgy? Because the Liturgy is the recollection of the earthly life of Jesus Christ from His swaddling clothes to the grave, from His Resurrection to His Ascension into heaven. The alter signifies the kingdom of heaven, or paradise; the royal doors - the gates of paradise; the opening and closing of these doors during the service - the opening and closing of the kingdom of heaven. The beginning of the liturgy represents the beginning of our Lord's Jesus Christ's redemptive service to humankind, and the Small Entrance with the Gospel represents both His going forth to preach the Gospel and His first sermon on the Mount, in which He beatifies those who fulfill His commandments and promises various rewards in heaven for those who struggle in this world for His sake. When we look at the opened Royal Doors as if they were the gates of the kingdom of heaven, and when we gaze with the eyes of our heart at the Lord, Who comes mystically in the Small Entrance to us, who are earthly wanderers and outcasts from heaven, it becomes natural for us to implore the Lord like the wise thief, Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.




St. John of Kronstadt
"Ten Homilies on the Beatitudes" (2nd Homily)

All Struggle

...Do not think that even here any of us constantly enjoys consolation. No: here, as everywhere, flesh and mind are at war; here as everywhere, there is falling into pride and purification through humbling: here, as everywhere, we long for consolations but must learn to carry a weighty cross. This cross tests our love. Can we, do we love God even under the weight of the most bitter adversities?



Staretz Macarius of Optina

Overcoming the Passions

The Elder placed great emphasis on the need of becoming aware of your "passions" and proceeding to struggle to overcome them, to free yourself from them to attain passionlessness, which means purity. This high spiritual state can only be attained, he stresses, by persistent struggle and Divine grace.

"Passion" (pathos) in Orthodox Patristic writings, is a term used in two senses: (a) to denote bad thoughts charged with emotion, and (b) vices (kakiai), that is, such thoughts become habits, settled dispositions of the soul, bad traits of character. All the "passions" are viewed by Father Joseph as diseases of the soul in need of therapy. Removing them from the soul is a process he calls - as do the Holy Fathers of the past - purification. This restores the soul to a state of health and peace. "The more you are purified from the passions, the more peace you have, the wiser you are, the more you understand God" (Letter 65).



Dr. Constantine Cavarnos
"Prolegomena" to Monastic Wisdom: The Letters of Elder Joseph the Hesychast