Good day brothers and sisters. These following sayings I am sharing with those of you who are perhaps like me , venturing towards a journey on the mystical path. If you are such a person, then these sayings will be of a great help. Do not though think that they can be easily absorbed. For my part, I have to read a few lines at a time. Then after meditating on a few of the words, try to clear my mind and then look at the thoughts which arise. Doing this with prayer before and during can reveal something enlightening. Though maybe we should even take note of any dreams we have!
Wise Sayings from The Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church
When a man walks in the fear of God he knows no fear, even if
he were to be surrounded by wicked men. He has the fear of God
within him and wears the invincible armor of faith. This makes him
strong and able to take on anything, even things which seem difficult
or impossible to most people. Such a man is like a giant surrounded by
monkeys, or a roaring lion among dogs and foxes. He goes forward trusting in
the Lord and the constancy of his will to strike and paralyze his foes. He
wields the blazing club of the Word in wisdom. St. Symeon the New
Theologian, The Practical and Theological Chapters + +
+ When we lay bare the hidden meaning of the history, scripture
is seen to teach that the birth which distresses the tyrant is
the beginning of the virtuous life. I am speaking of the kind of
birth in which free will serves as the midwife, delivering the
child amid great pain. For no one causes grief to his antagonist
unless he exhibits in himself those marks which give proof of his
victory over the other. St. Gregory of Nyssa, The Life of
Moses.
+ + +
O strange and inconceivable thing! We did not really die, we were not
really buried, we were not really crucified and raised again, but our
imitation was but a figure, while our salvation is in reality. Christ was
actually crucified, and actually buried, and truly rose again; and all these
things have been vouchsafed to us, that we, by imitation communicating in
His sufferings, might gain salvation in reality. O surpassing
loving-kindness! Christ received the nails in His undefiled hands and feet,
and endured anguish; while to me without suffering or toil, by the
fellowship of His pain He vouchsafed salvation. St. Cyril of
Jerusalem, On the Christian Sacraments. + + + Repentance is the
renewal of baptism. Repentance is a contract with God for a second life. A
penitent is a buyer of humility. Repentance is constant distrust of bodily
comfort. Repentance is self-condemning reflection, and carefree self-care.
Repentance is the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair. A
penitent is an undisgraced convict. Repentance is reconciliation with
the Lord by the practice of good deeds contrary to the sins. Repentance
is purification of conscience. Repentance is the voluntary endurance of all
afflictions. A penitent is the inflicter of his own punishments. Repentance
is a mighty persecution of the stomach, and a striking of the soul
into vigorous awareness. St. John Climacus + +
+ Those who seek humility should bear in mind the three
following things: that they are the worst of sinners, that they are the
most despicable of all creatures since their state is an unnatural
one, and that they are even more pitiable than the demons, since
they are slaves to the demons. You will also profit if you say this
to yourself: how do I know what or how many other people's sins are, or
whether they are greater than or equal to my own? In our ignorance you and I
, my soul, are worse than all men, we are dust and ashes under their feet.
How can I not regard myself as more despicable than all other creatures, for
they act in accordance with the nature they have been given, while I, owing
to my innumerable sins, am in a state contrary to nature. St.
Gregory of Sinai, Philokalia, Vol. IV. + + + He, therefore, who
sets himself to act evilly and yet wishes others to be silent, is a witness
against himself, for he wishes himself to be loved more than the truth,
which he does not wish to be defended against himself. There is, of course,
no man who so lives as not sometimes to sin, but he wishes truth to be
loved more than himself, who wills to be spared by no one against
the truth. Wherefore, Peter willingly accepted the rebuke of Paul; David
willingly hearkened to the reproof of a subject. For good rulers who pay no
regard to self-love, , take as a homage to their humility the free and
sincere words of subjects. But in this regard the office of ruling must be
tempered with such great art of moderation, that the minds of subjects, when
demonstrating themselves capable of taking right views in some matters,
are given freedom of expression, but freedom that does not issue
into pride, otherwise, when liberty of speech is granted too generously,
the humility of their own lives will be lost. St. Gregory The Great,
Pastoral Care + + + The Lord of all gave to His apostles the
power of the gospel, and by them we also have learned the truth, that is,
the teaching of the Son of God - as the Lord said to them, `He who hears you
hears Me, and he who despises you despises Me, and Him Who sent
Me' [Lk.10:16]. For we learned the plan of our salvation from no
other than from those through whom the gospel came to us. The
first preached it abroad, and then later by the will of God handed
it down to us in Scriptures, to be the foundation and pillar of
our faith. For it is not right to say that they preached before they had
come to perfect knowledge, as some dare to say, boasting that they are the
correctors of the apostles. For after our Lord had risen from the dead, and
they were clothed with the power from on high when the Holy Spirit came upon
them, they were filled with all things and had perfect knowledge. They went
out to the ends of the earth, preaching the good things that come to us from
God, and proclaiming peace from heaven to all men, all and each of
them equally being in possession of the gospel of God. St. Irenaeus,
Against the Heresies, III + + + The Lord's Day is a mystery of
the knowledge of the truth that is not received by flesh and blood, and it
transcends speculations. In this age there is no eighth day, nor is there a
true Sabbath. For he who said that `God rested on the seventh day,'
signified the rest [of our nature] from the course of this life, since
the grave is also of a bodily nature and belongs to this world. Six days
are accomplished in the husbandry of life by means of keeping the
commandments; the seventh is spent entirely in the grave; and the eighth is
the departure from it. St. Isaac of Syria, The Ascetical
Homilies.I + + + + + + The wicked one, on the
watch, carried me off as booty as I lazily slept. He led my mind into
error; he plundered my spirit and snatched away The wealth of Thy grace,
this arch robber. So raise me up, as I am fallen, and summon me,
Saviour, Thou who dost will that all men be saved. Kontakia of St.
Romanos, A Prayer.
When a man walks in the fear of God he knows no fear, even if
he were to be surrounded by wicked men. He has the fear of God
within him and wears the invincible armor of faith. This makes him
strong and able to take on anything, even things which seem difficult
or impossible to most people. Such a man is like a giant surrounded by
monkeys, or a roaring lion among dogs and foxes. He goes forward trusting in
the Lord and the constancy of his will to strike and paralyze his foes. He
wields the blazing club of the Word in wisdom. St. Symeon the New
Theologian, The Practical and Theological Chapters + +
+ When we lay bare the hidden meaning of the history, scripture
is seen to teach that the birth which distresses the tyrant is
the beginning of the virtuous life. I am speaking of the kind of
birth in which free will serves as the midwife, delivering the
child amid great pain. For no one causes grief to his antagonist
unless he exhibits in himself those marks which give proof of his
victory over the other. St. Gregory of Nyssa, The Life of
Moses.
+ + +
O strange and inconceivable thing! We did not really die, we were not
really buried, we were not really crucified and raised again, but our
imitation was but a figure, while our salvation is in reality. Christ was
actually crucified, and actually buried, and truly rose again; and all these
things have been vouchsafed to us, that we, by imitation communicating in
His sufferings, might gain salvation in reality. O surpassing
loving-kindness! Christ received the nails in His undefiled hands and feet,
and endured anguish; while to me without suffering or toil, by the
fellowship of His pain He vouchsafed salvation. St. Cyril of
Jerusalem, On the Christian Sacraments. + + + Repentance is the
renewal of baptism. Repentance is a contract with God for a second life. A
penitent is a buyer of humility. Repentance is constant distrust of bodily
comfort. Repentance is self-condemning reflection, and carefree self-care.
Repentance is the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair. A
penitent is an undisgraced convict. Repentance is reconciliation with
the Lord by the practice of good deeds contrary to the sins. Repentance
is purification of conscience. Repentance is the voluntary endurance of all
afflictions. A penitent is the inflicter of his own punishments. Repentance
is a mighty persecution of the stomach, and a striking of the soul
into vigorous awareness. St. John Climacus + +
+ Those who seek humility should bear in mind the three
following things: that they are the worst of sinners, that they are the
most despicable of all creatures since their state is an unnatural
one, and that they are even more pitiable than the demons, since
they are slaves to the demons. You will also profit if you say this
to yourself: how do I know what or how many other people's sins are, or
whether they are greater than or equal to my own? In our ignorance you and I
, my soul, are worse than all men, we are dust and ashes under their feet.
How can I not regard myself as more despicable than all other creatures, for
they act in accordance with the nature they have been given, while I, owing
to my innumerable sins, am in a state contrary to nature. St.
Gregory of Sinai, Philokalia, Vol. IV. + + + He, therefore, who
sets himself to act evilly and yet wishes others to be silent, is a witness
against himself, for he wishes himself to be loved more than the truth,
which he does not wish to be defended against himself. There is, of course,
no man who so lives as not sometimes to sin, but he wishes truth to be
loved more than himself, who wills to be spared by no one against
the truth. Wherefore, Peter willingly accepted the rebuke of Paul; David
willingly hearkened to the reproof of a subject. For good rulers who pay no
regard to self-love, , take as a homage to their humility the free and
sincere words of subjects. But in this regard the office of ruling must be
tempered with such great art of moderation, that the minds of subjects, when
demonstrating themselves capable of taking right views in some matters,
are given freedom of expression, but freedom that does not issue
into pride, otherwise, when liberty of speech is granted too generously,
the humility of their own lives will be lost. St. Gregory The Great,
Pastoral Care + + + The Lord of all gave to His apostles the
power of the gospel, and by them we also have learned the truth, that is,
the teaching of the Son of God - as the Lord said to them, `He who hears you
hears Me, and he who despises you despises Me, and Him Who sent
Me' [Lk.10:16]. For we learned the plan of our salvation from no
other than from those through whom the gospel came to us. The
first preached it abroad, and then later by the will of God handed
it down to us in Scriptures, to be the foundation and pillar of
our faith. For it is not right to say that they preached before they had
come to perfect knowledge, as some dare to say, boasting that they are the
correctors of the apostles. For after our Lord had risen from the dead, and
they were clothed with the power from on high when the Holy Spirit came upon
them, they were filled with all things and had perfect knowledge. They went
out to the ends of the earth, preaching the good things that come to us from
God, and proclaiming peace from heaven to all men, all and each of
them equally being in possession of the gospel of God. St. Irenaeus,
Against the Heresies, III + + + The Lord's Day is a mystery of
the knowledge of the truth that is not received by flesh and blood, and it
transcends speculations. In this age there is no eighth day, nor is there a
true Sabbath. For he who said that `God rested on the seventh day,'
signified the rest [of our nature] from the course of this life, since
the grave is also of a bodily nature and belongs to this world. Six days
are accomplished in the husbandry of life by means of keeping the
commandments; the seventh is spent entirely in the grave; and the eighth is
the departure from it. St. Isaac of Syria, The Ascetical
Homilies.I + + + + + + The wicked one, on the
watch, carried me off as booty as I lazily slept. He led my mind into
error; he plundered my spirit and snatched away The wealth of Thy grace,
this arch robber. So raise me up, as I am fallen, and summon me,
Saviour, Thou who dost will that all men be saved. Kontakia of St.
Romanos, A Prayer.
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