How mistaken are those people who seek happiness outside of themselves, in foreign lands and journeys, in riches and glory, in great possessions and pleasures, in diversions and vain things, which have a bitter end! It is the same thing to construct the tower of happiness outside of ourselves, as it is to build a […]
Category: Holy Fathers Quote
The Caress of Prayer
A child needs to be surrounded by people who pray and pray ardently. A mother should not be satisfied by giving her child a physical caress, but should also coddle it with the caress of prayer. In the depth of its soul the child senses the spiritual caress that its mother conveys to it and […]
For the Sake of the Poor
If you have riches, avoid applying your heart to them lest you thus depart in your heart from God. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon (Mt. 6:24). Likewise avoid squandering God’s blessings on whims and luxury; they are given you from God not for your sake alone, but also for the sake of other poor […]
“Let Us At Least Die Like Christians!”
In the book “Everyday Saints” there is a section about a monastery in Russia which had fallen into moral decay. This was not long ago, by the way. It all happened only a century ago. These monks, not unlike the Prodigal son, had taken the divine inheritance from their heavenly Father, and spent it on […]
Our Thoughts Reflect Our Life
Our thoughts reflect our whole life. If our thoughts are quiet, peaceful, and full of love, kindness, and purity, then we have peace, for peaceful thoughts make possible the existence of inner peace, which radiates from us. However, if we breed negative thoughts, then our inner peace is shattered. – Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
Confess, and Do Not Despair
If you have transgressed […], and have sinned, do not despair. But at that very moment, confess your sin and fall down with humility before the compassionate eyes of God and ask mercy with the voice of the publican, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” (Lk. 18:13), and your sins will be forgiven you. […]
Worldly Distractions
All the labour and all the care of our adversary consists in trying to divert our thought from the remembrance of God and from love for Him. To this end he uses the charm of the world, and draws us away from the true good to false, unreal goods. St. Makarios the Great
The Path to Peace
To die to one’s neighbor is this: To bear your own faults and not to pay attention to anyone else wondering whether they are good or bad. Do no harm to anyone, do not think anything bad in your heart towards anyone, do not scorn the man who does evil, do not put confidence in […]
Joyfully Giving to the Poor
Why do you complain of giving something to the poor? Why do you display bad temper in the practice of almsgiving? If they see you in that frame of mind, the poor would prefer to refuse your gift. If you give with a brusque demeanour, you are not being generous but lacking gentleness and courtesy. […]
The World’s Longing for God
We long for absolute good and absolute peace with all our heart. In reality, we long for God. God is life, God is love; He is peace and joy. In our hearts we long for God, but in our thoughts we oppose Him. As we said, Satan believes and trembles, yet he opposes God. Likewise, […]