Three Hundred Sayings of Ascetic Fathers

7/21/2019 Three Hundred Sayings of Ascetic Fathers

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Three-Hundred Sayings of the Ascetics of the Orthodox Church

Forward by the Editor

Moscow, 2011

Orthodox Missionary Society

of Venerable Serapion Kozheozersky

Once some thieves came to an old hermit and said, "We are taking everything in

your cell." He answered, "Take whatever you need, my children." They took almost

everything in the cell and left. But they missed a little bag of money that was hidden.

The elder picked it up and went after them, crying, "Children! You forgot something!"

The thieves were amazed. Not only did they not take the money, but they returnedeverything that they had taken. "Truly," they said, "this is a man of God."

This happened in the sixth century A.D. in Palestine. St. John Moschos recorded it,

along with many other stories about Orthodox monks, which he heard firsthand. The

old monk did not read sermons to his impolite guests. He did not rebuke them or

threaten them, nor did he have a conversation with them. What then caused the

thieves to change their mind and correct their deed? They had beheld in him a

different sort of man: a man of God.

Only a man who is rich in God can be so free from attachment to possessions and to

money, which have enslaved humanity. Only a man who is rooted in God can

unfailing preserve peace and magnanimity when confronted with manifest evil.

But most of all, the thieves were touched by the love the elder showed them. Only a

man who has become like God can demonstrate such love to outlaws who have

come to rob him, such that he can sincerely place their interests above his own. This

could not have happened if the monks faith had been confined to rituals, collections

of rules, and pretty words about God, without real experience of life in Christ.

The thieves beheld a man in whom the word of the Gospels had become a reality. In

the Orthodox Church, such men are called Holy Fathers. Over the course of two

milennia, this ancient Church has striven to preserve precisely that truth received

from the apostles, together with experience of living communion with God. Therefore

the Orthodox Church has also been able to give birth to a multitude of saints, who

have been bearers of this experience of heavenly life while still on earth.

The book that you are holding in your hands has been compiled in order to enablethe reader to touch the spiritual experience of the Christian East. Collected here are


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three-hundred sayings of over fifty Orthodox saints from Palestine, Syria, Egypt,

Greece, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Georgia. Since the Western Church was

part of the family of Orthodox Churches for the first thousand years after the birth of

Christ, you may also find in our compilation the sayings of saints who lived in the

territory of contemporary Italy, England, France, and Tunis. All of this is part of thespiritual inheritance of the Orthodox Church.

The earliest of these sayings was written in the second half of the first century. The

most recent was written in the second half of the twentieth century. No matter where

they lived, when they lived, or who they were, the Orthodox Saints speak of a single

spiritual reality, and therefore their sayings harmoniously compliment one another. In

the nineteenth century, St. Ignatius Brianchaninov made this observation: "When on

a clear fall night I gaze upon the clear heavens, illumined by innumerable stars that

send out a single light, then I say to myself: thus are the writings of the holy fathers.

When on a summer's day I gaze upon the wide sea, covered with a multitude of

distinct waves, driven by a single wind to a single end, a single pier, then I say to

myself: such are the writings of the fathers. When I hear a well-ordered choir, in

which different voices sing a single hymn in shimmering harmony, then I say to

myself: such are the writings of the fathers." I believe that this small collection of

Patristic aphorisms will be interesting and useful not only for Orthodox Christians, but

even for everyone who values what is genuine.

Much of what is assembled here has helped me personally. It has given me answers

to tormenting questions, permitted me to think about the events of my life in a new

way. And so I have decided, through this books to present unto you that which is

dear to me.

Deacon George Maksimov.

January 8, 2011.

I. God and Us

Happiness

1. How mistaken are those people who seek happiness outside of themselves,in foreign lands and journeys, in riches and glory, in great possessions andpleasures, in diversions and vain things, which have a bitter end! In the samething to construct the tower of happiness outside of ourselves as it is to build ahouse in a place that is consistently shaken by earthquakes. Happiness isfound within ourselves, and blessed is the man who has understood this.Happiness is a pure heart, for such a heart becomes the throne of od. hus

says "hrist of those who have pure hearts# $I will visit them, and will walk inthem, and I will be a od to them, and they will be my people.$ (II Cor. 6:16)%hat
http://yurij-maximov.livejournal.com/http://yurij-maximov.livejournal.com/


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can be lacking to them& 'othing, nothing at all! (or they have the greatestgood in their hearts# od Himself!(St. Nektarios of Aegina, Path to Happiness, 1)

). he soul that loves od has its rest in od and in od alone. In all the paths

that men walk in in the world, they do not attain peace until they draw nigh tohope in od.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiy !6, "#)

Truth

*. ruth is not a thought, not a word, not a relationship between things, not a law.ruth is a +erson. It is a eing which e-ceeds all beings and gives life to all. Ifyou seek truth with love and for the sake of love, she will reveal the light of Hisface to you inasmuch as you are able to bear it without being burned.(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, %ho&ghts on 'oo an *i)

How does God relate to us?

. od loves us more than a father, mother, friend, or any else could love, andeven more than we are able to love ourselves.(St. +ohn Chrysostom)

/. 0 certain monk told me that when he was very sick, his mother said to hisfather, $How our little boy is suffering. I would gladly give myself to be cut upinto pieces if that would ease his suffering.$ uch is the love of od forpeople. He pitied people so much that he wanted to suffer for them, like theirown mother, and even more. ut no one can understand this great love

without the grace of the Holy pirit.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I-.1)

2. he 3ord loves all people, but He loves those who seek Him even more. ohis chosen ones the 3ord gives such great grace that for love they forsake thewhole earth, the whole world, and their souls burn with desire that all peoplemight be saved and see the glory of the 3ord.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I-.")

How to Come to Know God

4. If a person wants to get an idea about the pyramids of 5gypt, he must eithertrust those who have been in immediate pro-imity to the pyramids, or he mustget ne-t to them himself. here is no third option. In the same way a personcan get an impression of od# He must either trust those who have stood andstand in immediate pro-imity to od, or he must take pains to come into suchpro-imity himself.(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, %ho&ghts on 'oo an *i)

6. 0s it is impossible to verbally describe the sweetness of honey to one whohas never tasted honey, so the goodness of od cannot be clearlycommunicated by way of teaching if we ourselves are not able to penetrate

into the goodness of the 3ord by our own e-perience.(St. /asi the 'reat, Con*ersations on the Psams, 0#)


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7. 819. :any rich and powerful men would pay dearly to see the 3ord or His:ost +ure :other, but od does not appear in riches, but in the humbleheart... 5very one of the poorest men can be humbles and come to knowod. It need neither money nor reputation to come to know od, but onlyhumility.

(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.11,01)

1 'o matter how much we may study, it is not possible to come to know odunless we live according to His commandments, for od is not know byscience, but by the Holy pirit. :any philosophers and learned men came tothe belief that od e-ists, but they did not know od. It is one thing to beliefthat od e-ists and another to know Him. If someone has come to know odby the Holy pirit, his soul will burn with love for od day and night, and hissoul cannot be bound to any earthly thing.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, III.2)

How do We Relate to God?

) 0lways have the fear of od in your heart, and remember that od is alwayswith you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, 13)

* Having od, fear nothing, but cast all of your care upon Him, and He will takecare of you. elieve undoubtingly, and od will help you according to Hismercy.(St. /arsan&phi&s the 'reat, Instr&ctions, 166)

;ou must love every man with your whole soul, but put your hope in the one

od, and serve Him alone. (or as long as He is protecting us and our friends


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4 It is an indubitable truth that the highest ?ivine +rovidence arranges all ofcreation. od considers all things beforehand and takes care for all things.his is the ?ivine fatherly care of which the blessed apostle +eter speaks#$"ast all of your cares upon Him, because He is concerned for you.$ (I Pet. !:7)(St. ias 4in8atios. Sermon on the 'reat 9ast, 1)

6 he purpose of odAs +rovidence is to unite, by means of right faith andspiritual love, people who have been separated by evil. o this end the avioralso suffered for us, $in order to gather together the children of od who werescattered.$ (+ohn 11:!0)(St. 4a5im&s Confessor, Chapters of o*e, 3.17)

Those Who Have Known God

7 0 man becomes spiritual insofar as he lives a spiritual life. He begins to seeod in all things, to see His power and might in every manifestation. 0lways

and everywhere he sees himself abiding in od and dependent on od for allthings. ut insofar as a man lives a bodily life, so much he does he do bodilythingsB He doesnAt see od in anything, even in the the most wondrousmanifestations of His ?ivine power. In all things he sees body, material,everywhere and always 8 $od is not before his eyes.$ (Ps. 2!:0)(St. +ohn of ronstat, 4y ife in Christ, I.!)

19 %hen the soul knows the love of od by the Holy pirit, then he clearly feelsthat the 3ord is our own (ather, the closest, dearest (ather, the best. 0ndthere is not greater happiness that to love od with all the mind and heart,and our neighbor as ourself. 0nd when this love is in the soul, then all thingsbring joy to the soul.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I-.1!)

11 ?onAt be troubled if you donAt feel the love of od in yourself, but thing aboutthe 3ord, that He is merciful, and guard yourself from sins, and the grace ofod will teach you.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I-.16)

1) %hen you throw a nail into a fire, it gets hot and starts to glow like fire. In thesame way you, when you listen to divine teachings and live accordingly, willbecome like od.(St. Symeon of ;ai$a$e, Sayings, 06)

1* he soul that has come to know od fully no longer desires anything else, nordoes it attach itself to anything on the earthB and if you put before it akingdom, it would not desire it, for the love of od gives such sweetness andjoy to the soul that even the life of a king can no longer give it any sweetness.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I-.12)

Christ and Us

1 It is only necessary to seek one thing# to be with Cesus. he man who remainswith Cesus is rich, even if he is poor with regard to material things. %ho ever

desires the earthly more than the heavenly loses both the earthly and theheavenly. ut whoever seeks the heavenly is 3ord of the whole world.(St. Ignati&s /rianchanino*, Patericon)


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1/ he flood of temporal things draws us after itself, but in this flood there is, as itwere, a full8grown tree# our 3ord Cesus "hrist. He took flesh, died, andascended to heaven. It is as if He agreed to be in the flood of the temporal. Isthis stream dragging you headlong& Hold on to "hrist. He became temporalfor you, so that you might become eternal, for He became temporal in such a

way that He remained eternal. %hat difference is there between two men in aprison when one of the is a convict and the other a visitor! ometimes a mancomes to visit his friend, and it seems that both are in prison, but there is agreat difference between them. Dne of theme is held there because of guilt,while the other has come out of love for mankind. hus it is with our mortality#guilt holds us here, but "hrist had come out of mercy. He came freely intobondage, and not as a convict.(St. A&g&stin, Sermons on I +ohn, II.1).

12 0 man in this world must solve a problem# to be with "hrist, or to be againstHim. 0nd every man decides this, whether he wants to or not. He will either be

a lover of "hrist or a fighter of "hrist. here is no third option.(St. +&sting Popo*ich, 5panation of I +ohn, 3.2)

14 "leanse your mind from anger, remembrance of evil, and shameful thoughts,and then you will find out how "hrist dwells in you.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 3.76)

The Fear of God

(Fear of Offending God With One's Sins)

16 he fear of od illumines the soul, annihilates evil, weakens the passions,drives darkness from the soul and makes it pure. he fear of od is thesummit of wisdom. %here it is not you will find nothing good. %hoever doesnot have the fear of od is open to diabolical falls.(St. phraim Syrian)

17 0 man obtains the fear of od if he has the remembrance of his unavoidabledeath and of the eternal torments that await sinnersB If he tests himself everyevening as to how he has spent the day, and every morning as to how he hasspent the night, and if is not sharp in his relations with others.(St. A$$a ;orotheos, So&


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manner of trembling comes near him.(St. phraim the Syrian, >n the 9ear of 'o an the ast +&gement)

Unbelief

)* (alsehood 8 and only falsehood 8 separates us from od ... (alse thoughts,false words, false feelings, false desires 8 ehold the aggregate of lies thatleads us to non8being, illusion, and rejection of od.(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, %ho&ghts on 'oo an *i)

) he 3ord does not show Himself to a proud soul. he proud soul, no matterhow many books it reads, will never know od, since by its pride it does notgive place for the grace of the Holy pirit, while od is known only by thehumble soul.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, III.11)

)/ 5ach of us can discuss od inasmuch as he has known the grace of the Holy

piritB for how can we think of or discuss what we havenAt seen, or havenAthead of, or donAt know& he saints say that they have seen od, but there arepeople who say that there is no od. "learly, they say this because theyhavenAt known od, but this does not at all mean that He is not. he saintsspeak of that which they have truly seen and know.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, III.#)

)2 +ride does not allow the soul to set out on the path of faith. Here is my adviceto the unbeliever# let him say, $3ord, if you e-ist, then illumine me, and I willserve you with all my heart and soul.$ 0nd for this humble thought andreadiness to serve od, the 3ord will immediately illumine him... 0nd then

your soul will sense the 3ordB she will sense that the 3ord has forgiven her,and loves her, and you will know this from e-perience, and the grace of theHoly pirit will be a witness in your soul of your salvation, and you will want tocry out to the whole world# $he 3ord loves us so much!$(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, III.6)

)4 Dnly one who guards himself from all sin can have sincere and fervent faith.(aith is only preserved in the presence of good morals.(St. Nikon of >ptina)

II. The Realities of the Spiritual World

Sin and Evil

)6 0 lie is a delusion of the mind, while evil is a delusion of the will. he sign bywhich one is distinguished from the other is the judgement of od Himself ...that which he teaches a man# ruth is that which leads a man to will the good.ut whatever contradicts this is entirely false, entirely evil.(St. Nichoas Ca$asias, Se*en Sermons on the ife in Christ, 7)

)7 Dur world is guided by two principles and sources# od and the devil. 0ll thatis better in the world of men has its source in od, and all that is bad has the

devil as its principle and source. In the final account, all good comes fromod, and all evil from the devil.(St. +&stin Popo*ich, 5panation of I +ohn 2:11)


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*9 9. (ood is not evil, but gluttony is. "hildbearing is not evil, but fornication is.:oney is not evil, but avarice is. lory is not evil, but vainglory is. Indeed,there is no evil in e-isting things, but only in their misuse.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 2.3)

*1 1. od and the devil are found at opposite poles. 'o one can turn his face tood who has not first turned his back on sin. %hen a man turns his face tood, all of his paths lead to od. %hen a man turns his face away from od,all of his paths lead to perdition. %hen a man finally rejects od by word andin his heart, he is no longer fit to do anything that does not serve for hiscomplete destruction, both of his soul and of his body.(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, %ho&ghts on 'oo an *i)

Freedom

*) In truth there is only one freedom 8 the holy freedom of "hrist, whereby He

freed us from sin, from evil, from the devil. It binds us to od. 0ll otherfreedoms are illusory, false, that is to say, they are all, in fact, slavery.(St. +&stin Popo*ich, Ascetica an %heoogica Chapters, II.26)*. Dnly faith that all does notend with this earthly e-istence gives us power not to chain ourselves to thisearthly life by all means, and for its sake to come into all manner of baseness,degradation and humiliation. Dnly man of deep and sincere faith can be trulyfree. ?ependence on the 3ord od is the only dependence that does notdegrade a man, nor turn him into a pitiful servant. ut, on the contrary, ite-alts him.(4artyr Ae5aner 4eem, etter to his son, 1#00)

** . ome people by the word freedom understand the ability to do whateverone wants ... +eople who have the more allowed themselves to come intoslavery to sins, passions, and defilements more often than others appear as@ealots of e-ternal freedom, wanting to broaden the laws as much aspossible. ut such a man uses e-ternal freedom only to more severely burdenhimself with inner slavery. rue freedom is the active ability of a man who isnot enslaved to sin, who is not pricked by a condemning conscience, tochoose the better in the light of odAs truth, and to bring it into actuality withthe help of the gracious power of od. his is the freedom of which neitherheaven nor earth are restrict.(St. Phiaret of 4osco?, Sermon on the /irthay of mperor Nichoas I, 1"!1)

* he 3ord wants us to love one another. Here is freedom# in love for od andneighbor. In this freedom, there is equality. In earthly orders, there may not beequality, but this is not important for the soul. 'ot everyone can be a king, noteveryone a patriarch or a boss. ut in any position it is possible to love odand to please Him, and only this is important. 0nd whoever loves od moreon earth will be in greater glory in His >ingdom.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.02)

The Purpose of Life

*/ 5very "hristian should find for himself the imperative and incentive to become

holy. If you live without struggle and without hope of becoming holy, then youare "hristians only in name and not in essence. ut without holiness, no one


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shall see the 3ord, that is to say they will not attain eternal blessedness. It is atrustworthy saying that Cesus "hrist came into the world to save sinners (I %im.1:1!). ut we deceive ourselves if we think that we are saved while remainingsinners. "hrist saves those sinners by giving them the means to becomesaints.

(St. Phiaret of 4osco?, Sermon of Septem$er 02, 1"37)

*2 he acquisition of of holiness is not the e-clusive business of monks, ascertain people think. +eople with families are also called to holiness, as arethose in all kinds of professions, who live in the world, since thecommandment about perfection and holiness is given not only to monks, butto all people.(Hieromartyr >n&phry 'aga&k)

*4 6. he chief end of our life is to live in communion with od. o this end theon of od became incarnate, in order to return us to this divine communion,which was lost by the fall into sin. hrough Cesus "hrist, the on of od, weenter into communion with the (ather and thus attain our purpose.(St. %heophan the @ec&se, etters to *ario&s peope, 03)

*6 Cust as people do not enter a war in order to enjoy war, but in order to besaved from war, so we do not enter this world in order to enjoy this world, butin order to be saved from it. +eople go to was for the sake of somethinggreater than war. o we also enter this temporal life for the sake of somethinggreater# for eternal life. 0nd as soldiers think with joy about returning home, soalso "hristians constantly remember the end of their lives and their return totheir heavenly fatherland.(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, %ho&ghts on 'oo an *i)

The Saints

*7 he humble soul is blessed. he 3ord loves her. he :other of od is higherthan all in humility, and therefore all races bless her on earth, while theheavenly powers serve her. 0nd the 3ord has given us this blessed :other ofHis as a defender and helper.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings III.13)

9 8/). $I love them that love me, and glorify them that glorify me.$ (Pro*er$s ":17, Iings 0:2,)says the 3ord of His saints. he lord gave the Holy pirit to the

saints, and they love us in the Holy pirit. he saints hear our prayers andhave the power from od to help us. he entire "hristian race knows this.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -II.1,")

1 :any think that the saints are far from us. ut they are far from those whodistance themselves from them, and very close to those keep thecommandments of "hrist and have the grace of the Holy pirit. In theheavens, all things are moved by the Holy pirit. ut the Holy pirit is onearth too. He lives in our "hurch. He lives in the :ysteries. He is in the Holycriptures. He is in the souls of the faithful. he Holy pirit unites all things,and therefore the saints are close to us. 0nd when we pray to them, then the

Holy pirit hears our prayers, and our souls feel that they are praying for us.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -II.2)


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) /. he saints are like the 3ord, but so are all people who keep thecommandments of "hristB but those who live according to their own passionsand do not repent are like the devil. I think that if this mystery were revealed tothe world, then they would stop serving the devil, and every one would striveto serve the 3ord with all his strength, and to be like Him.

(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -II.#)

* //. %hen the soul by the Holy pirit comes to know the :other of odB whenin the Holy pirit the soul becomes kin to the 0postles, the +rophets, and allthe aints and Eighteous Dnes, then she is irresistibly drawn to that world,and cannot remain, but is bothered, and thirsts, and cannot cease fromprayer, and although the body becomes e-hausted and wants to lie down on abed, even while lying in bed the soul longs for the 3ord and the >ingdom ofthe aints.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.0")

The Holy Scriptures

he Holy criptures lead us to od and open the path to the knowledge ofod.(St. +ohn Chrysostom, Con*ersations on the 'ospe of +ohn, !#:0)

/ Df all the afflictions that burden the human race, there is not one, whetherspiritual or bodily, that cannot be healed by the Holy criptures.(St. +ohn Chrysostom, Con*ersations on the /ook of 'enesis, 0#.1)

2 Cust as those who are deprived of light cannot walk straight, so also thosewho do not behold the ray of the Holy criptures must necessarily sin, since

they walk in the deepest darkness.(St. +ohn Chrysostom, Con*ersations on the piste to the @omans, .1)

4 0 humble man who lives a spiritual life, when he reads the Holy criptures,while relate all things to himself and not to others.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Sermon, 1.6)

6 In all things that you find in the Holy criptures, seek out the purpose of thewords, that you may enter into the depth of the thoughts of the saints andunderstand them with greater e-actness. ?o not approach the reading of the?ivine criptures without prayer and asking the help of od. "onsider prayer

to be the key to the true understanding of that which is said in the Holycriptures.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Sermon 1."!)

7 %hen you begin to read or listen to the Holy criptures, pray to od thus#$3ord Cesus "hrist, open the ears and eyes of my heart so that I may hearhy words and understand them, and may fulfill hy will.$ 0lways pray to odlike this, that He might illumine your mind and open to you the power of Hiswords. :any, having trusted in their own reason, have turned away intodeception.(St. phraim the Syrian)

19 he proud sin greatly who, after studying secular literature and having turnedto the Holy criptures, consider all that they say to be the 3aw of od, and do


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not endeavour to come to know the thoughts of the prophets and apostles, butseek out from the scriptures inapropriate te-ts for their own thoughts, as if thiswere a good work, and not the most defiled kind of study# to distort thethoughts of cripture and submit them to their own intentions, in spite ofobvious contradictions... It is proper to children and charlatans to try to teach

that which they do not know.(St. +erome, etter to st. Pa&in&s)

Holy Tradition

11 If someone wants to be protected from tricks and remain healthy in the faith,he must confine his faith first to the authority of the Holy criptures, andsecondly to the radition of the "hurch. ut someone may ask, is not thecanon of cripture sufficient for everything, and why should we add theretothe authority of radition& his is because not everyone understands thecriptures in the same way, but one e-plains them this way and another that

way, so that it is possible to get therefrom as many thoughts as there areheads. herefore it is necessary to be guided by the understanding of the"hurch ... %hat is tradition& It is that which has been understood byeveryone, everywhere and at all times ... that which you have received, andnot that which you have thought up ... o then, our job is not to lead religionwhere we wish it to go, but to follow it where it leads, and not to give thatwhich is our own to our heirs, but to guard that which has been given to us.(St. incent of erina, Notes of a Pigrim)

1) ?o not undertake to e-plain the ospels or the other books of Holy criptureyourself. he criptures were not e-pressed arbitrarily by the prophets and

apostles, but by the inspiration of the Holy pirit. How mindless then is it toe-plain them arbitrarily& he Holy pirit, having e-pressed the %ord of odthrough the prophets and apostles, e-plained it through the Holy (athers.oth the %ord of od and its e-planation are a gift of the Holy pirit. he holyDrthodo- "hurch and its true children accept only this patristic interpretation!(St. Ignati&s /rianchanino*, >n @eaing the 'ospe)

1* ometimes Capanese protestants come to me and ask me to clarify someplace in the Holy criptures. $;ou have your own missionary teachers,$ I tellthem, $o ask them. %hat do they say&$ $%e have asked them. hey say#understand as you know how. ut I need to know the real thought of od, not

my own personal opinion.$ ... ItAs not like that with us. 5verything is clear,trustworthy and simple, since we accept Holy radition in addition to the Holycriptures. 0nd Holy radition is a living, unbroken voice of our "hurch fromthe time of "hrist and His 0postles until now, and which will e-ist until the endof the world. In it all the meaning of the Holy criptures are preserved.(St. Nichoas of +apan, ;iary, +an&ary 1!, 1"#7)

The Church of Christ

1 rothers and isters! he all8merciful od desires happiness for us both inthis life and in the life to come. o this end He established His Holy "hurch, so

that she might cleanse us from sin, sanctify us, reconcile us with Him and giveus a heavenly blessing. he embrace of the "hurch is always open to us. 3et


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us all hasten their more quickly, we whose consciences are burdened. 3et ushasten, and the "hurch will lift the weight of our burdens, give us boldnessbefore od, and fill our hearts with happiness and blessedness.(St. Nectari&s of Aegina, %he Path to Happiness, 1).

1/ he "hurch of "hrist is Dne, Holy, Fniversal and 0postolic. he is herself asingle spiritual body, whose head is "hrist, and who has the one Holy piritabiding in her. he local parts of the "hurch are members of a single body ofthe Fniversal "hurch, and they, like branches of a single tree, are nourishedby one and same sap from a single root. he is called holy because she issanctified by the holy word, deeds, sacrifice and suffering of her founder,Cesus "hrist, to which end He came in order to save human beings and leadthem to holiness. he "hurch is called universal because she is not confinedby place, not by time, nor by nation nor language. he communicates with allhumanity. he Drthodo- "hurch is called apostolic because the spirit,teaching and labors of the 0postles of "hrist are entirely preserved in her.(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, Catechesis)

12 %e know and are convinced that falling away from the "hurch, whether intoschism, heresy, or sectarianism, is complete perdition and spiritual death. (orus there is no "hristianity outside of the "hurch. If "hrist established the"hurch, and the "hurch is His ody, then to be cut of from His ody is to die.(St. Hiarion %roitsky, >n ife in the Ch&rch)

14 Dne should not seek among others the truth that can be easily gotten from the"hurch. (or in her, as in a rich treasury, the apostles have placed all thatpertains to truth, so that everyone can drink this beverage of life. he is the

door of life.(St. Irenae&s of yons, Against Heresies, III.3)

16 he "hurch is holy, although there are sinners within her. hose who sin, butwho cleanse themselves with true repentance, do not keep the "hurch frombeing holy. ut unrepentant sinners are cut off, whether visibly by "hurchauthority, or invisible by the judgement of od, from the body of the "hurch.0nd so in this regard the "hurch remains holy.(St. Phiaret of 4osco?, Catechesis)

17 84). %hen are we living in "hrist& %hen we live according to His ospel andHis "hurch. (or He Himself, and not only His ospel, is in the "hurch with all

of His perfections and virtues. he "hurch is the eternally living ody of theod8man "hrist. In her we find the medium of the holy mysteries. In her wefind the means of holy good deeds. Dur 3ord Cesus "hrist abides inseparablefrom the "hurch in this world. He abides with each member of the "hurchthroughout all ages. He has His entire self for us in the "hurch, andcontinually gives Himself to us entirely, so that we might be enabled to live inthis world as He lived.(St. +&stin Popo*ich, 5panation of I +ohn, 3:#, 17)

The Spiritual Father

1 "onsider that the Holy pirit lives in the spiritual father, and He will tell youwhat to do. ut if you think that the spiritual father live negligently, and that the


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Holy pirit canAt live in him, you will suffer mightily for such a thought, and the3ord will humble you, and you will straightway fall into delusion.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, II.1)

) If a man does not tell everything to his spiritual father, then his path is crooked

and does not lead to the >ingdom of Heaven. ut the path of one who tellseverything leads directly to the >ingdom of Heaven.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -III.#)

* ell everything to your spiritual father, and the 3ord will have mercy on youand you will escape delusion. ut if you think that you know more about thespiritual life than your spiritual father, and you stop telling him everythingabout yourself in confession, then you will immediately be allowed to fall intosome sort of delusion, in order that you may be corrected.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -II.12)

he Holy pirit acts mystically through the spiritual father, and then when you

go out from your spiritual father, the soul feels her renewal. ut if you leaveyour spiritual father in a state of confusion, this means that you did notconfess purely and did not forgive your brother all of his sins from your heart.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -III.11)

/ he 3ord loves us so much that He suffered for us on the "rossB and Hissuffering was so great that we canAt comprehend it. In the same way ourspiritual pastors suffer for us, although we often donAt see their suffering. hegreater the love of the pastor, the greater his sufferingB and we, the sheep,should understand this, and love and honor our pastors.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -III.0)

2 he spiritual father only shows to way, like a signpost, but we have to traverseit ourselves. If the spiritual father shows the way and the disciple doesnAtmove himself, then he wonAt get anywhere, and will rot near the signpost.(St. Nikon of >ptina)

Retribution

4 ?onAt be deceived regarding the knowledge of what will be after your death#what you sow here, you will reap ther. 0fter leaving here, no one can makeprogress. Here is the work, there the rewardB here the struggle, there the

crowns.(St. /arsan&phi&s the 'reat, Instr&ctions, 66)

6 od gives His communion to all who love Him. "ommunion with od is lifeand light and sweetness with all the good things that He has. ut those who oftheir own will forsake him he rewards with separation from Him, which theythemselves have chosen. 0s separation from light is darkness, so alsoalienation from od is deprivation of all good things which He has. ut thegood things of od are eternal and without end, so that the loss of them iseternal and without end. hus sinners shall be the cause of their owntorments, just as the blind do not see the light, although it is shining on them.(St. Irenae&s of yons, Against Heresies, .07)


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7 he aviour of our race, employing all means to free man from deception, hasshared with us who obey Him heavenly and divine good things. ut to thedisobedient he has shown that there awaits them not temporal torments thatabide for a time, but eternal and everlasting torments.(St. Photi&s the 'reat, Amphioci&s, 6)

19 'ot only men, but also women, the weaker se-, in going by the narrow path of"hrist have received for themselves the >ingdom of Heaven. (or there isneither male nor female, but everyone receives his own reward according tohis own labor.(St. phraim the Syrian, Sermon on the Secon Coming of the or)he 5ternal Coy of "hristians

11 "hristians, always rejoice, for evil, death, sin, the devil and hell have beenconquered by "hrist. ut when all of this is conquered, is there anyone in theworld who can bring our joy to naught& ;ou are the lord of this eternalrejoicing as long as you do not give in to sin. Coy burns in our hearts from His

truth, love, resurrection, and from the "hurch and His saints. Coy burns in ourhearts all because of sufferings for Him, mockings for Him, and death for Him,insofar as these sufferings write our names in heaven. here is no true joy onearth without the victory over death, but the victory over death does not e-istwithout the Eesurrection, and the Eesurrection does not e-ist without "hrist.he risen od8:an "hrist, the founder of the "hurch, constantly pours outthis joy into the hearts of His followers through the Holy :ysteries and gooddeeds. Dur faith is fulfilled in this eternal joy, insofar as the joy of faith in "hristis the only true joy for human nature.(St. +&stin Popo*ich, 5panation of I %hessaonians, !)

III. Us and Our Neighbors

Relationships With Other People

1) 0 "hristian must be courteous to all. His words and deeds should breath withthe grace of the Holy pirit, which abides in his soul, so that in this way hemight glorify the name of od. He who regulates all of his speech alsoregulates all of his actions. He who keeps watch over the words he is aboutsay also keeps watch over the deeds he intends to do, and he never goes outof the bounds good and benevolent conduct. he graceful speech of a"hristian is characteri@ed by delicateness and politeness. his fact, born of

love, produces peace and joy. Dn the other hand, boorishness gives birth tohatred, enmity, affliction, competitiveness, disorder and wars.(St. Nektari&s of Aegina, %he Path to Happiness, 7)

1* It is joyful to feel that we do not and cannot have any enemies among men,but only unhappy brethren, who are deserving of pity and help, even when,through misunderstanding, they become our enemies and fight against us.%oe! hey do not understand that the enemy is found within ourselves, andthat first of all one must cast him our of oneself, and then also help others todo the same. %e have only one enemy# the devil and his evil spirits. ut man,no matter how far he has fallen, never loses certain sparks of light and

goodness which may be blown into a bright flame. ut for us there is noreason to fight against people, even when they consistently send against all


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kind of blows and rebukes ... o fight against people is to take a false positionof our enemies. 5ven if we succeed, we gain nothing from this fight, but ratherbecome estranged from our own success.(4artyr @oman 4e*e, etter to His ;a&ghter from the '&ag, 1#20).

1 %ith all your power, ask the 3ord for humility and brotherly love, because odfreely gives His grace for love towards oneAs brother. ?o an e-periment onyourself# one day ask od for love towards your brother, and another day 8live without love. ;ou will see the difference.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -I.")

1/ 866. 0dorn yourself with truth, try to speak truth in all thingsB and do notsupport a lie, no matter who asks you. If you speak the truth and someonegets mad at you, donAt be upset, but take comfort in the words of the 3ord#lessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of truth, for theirs is the>ingdom of Heaven (4att. !:1).

(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, 06,0#).

1 he holy Isaiah said# If one should speak to his brother with guile, he will notescape spiritual harm.(Ancient Patericon, 1.0")

) If someone puts his trust in od in a matter, let him not argue with his brotherabout it.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Sermon 0.12)

* ?raw nigh to the righteous, and through them you will draw nigh to od."ommunicate with those who possess humility, and you will learn morals fromthem. 0 man who follows one who loves od becomes rich in the mysteries ofodB but he who follows an unrighteous and proud man gets far away fromod, and will be hated by his friends.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Sermon !7,")

t. +imen the reat said# ?epart from every man who loves to quarrel.(Ancient Paterikon, 11.!#)

/ If you cannot close the mouth of one who reviles his brother, at least avoidconversation with him.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiy "#)

How to Relate to the Sins of Others

2 87/. 3ove sinners, but hate their deeds, and do not disdain sinners for theirfailings, so that you yourself do not fall into the temptation in which theyabide... ?o not be angry at anyone and do not hate anyone, neither for theirfaith, nor for their shameful deeds... ?o not foster hatred for the sinner, for weare all guilty... Hate his sins, and pray for him, so that you may be made likeunto "hrist, who had no dislike for sinners, but prayed for them.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiy !7,#)

1 (ind evil in yourself and not in other people or things, were with you have notlearned how to relate properly. his is how a child relates with fire or a knife#


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he burns himself, he cuts himself.(St. Se$astian of aragana)

) 0 brother asked an elder# If I see my brother fall into sin, is good to hide him&he 5lder answered# %hen, out of love, we hide the sin of our brother, then

od also hides our sinsB but when we show our brotherAs sin before others,then od also makes our sins known to people.(Ancient Patericon, #.#)

* ?o not lose your temper with those who sin. ?o not have a passion fornoticing every sin in your neighbor and judging it, as we usually do. 5veryonewill give an answer for himself before od. 5specially, do not look with evilintention on the sins of those older than you, with whom you have nobusiness. ut correct your own sins, your own heart.(St. +ohn of ronstat, 4y ife in Christ, I.6)

If you see your neighbor in sin, donAt look only at this, but also think about

what he has done or does that is good, and infrequently trying this in general,while not partialy judging, you will find that he is better than you.(St. /asi the 'reat, Con*ersations, 0).

/ If you see a man who has sinned and you do not pity him, the grace of odwill leave you. %hoever curses bad people, and does not pray for them, willnever come to know the grace of od.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, II.3, III.6)

2 Dne who strictly prosecutes the misdemeanors of others will find notcondescension towards his own.

(St. +ohn Chrysostom, >n the Stat&tes, 2.6)

Should We Denounce Them that have Sinned?

4 It is better to pray with good will for our neighbor, rather than to denounce himfor every sin.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 1.120)

6 ?o not attempt to benefit by rebukes one who boasts of his virtues, for heloves to display himself can not be a lover of truth.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.000)

7 %hoever with fear of od corrects and directs a sinner gains virtue forhimself, that of opposition to sin. ut whoever insults a sinner with rancor andwithout good will falls, according to a spiritual law, into the same passion withthe sinner.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.1"2)

19 %hen you want to direct someone toward the good, first put him at peacebodily and honor him with words of love. (or nothing inclines such a man toshame and induces him to cast of his vice and be changed for the better asdo bodily goods and honor, which he sees in you. hen, with love tell him aword or two, and do not be inflamed with anger toward him. ?o not let him see

any cause of enmity toward you. (or love does not know how to lose its


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temper.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, "!,!7).

Judging

11 He who seeks the forgiveness of his sins loves humility. ut he who judgesanother strengthens his own evil deeds against himself.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 1.106)

1) 8196. o judge sins is the business of one who is sinless, but who is sinlesse-cept od& %ho ever thinks about the multitude of his own sins in his heartnever wants to make the sins of others a topic of conversation. o judge aman who has gone astray is a sign of pride, and od resists the proud. Dnthe other hand, one who every hour prepares himself to give answer for hisown sins will not quickly lift up his head to e-amine the mistakes of others.(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, !2

1 8119. 0 discerning man, when he eats grapes, takes only the ripe ones andleaves the sour. hus also the discerning mind carefully marks the virtueswhich he sees in any person. 0 mindless man seeks out the vices andfailings ... 5ven if you see someone sin with your own eyes, do not judgeB foroften even your eyes are deceived.(St. +ohn of the aer, aer, 1.16


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not forgive him. hen we will not have eternal blessedness in that world, andthe heavenly (ather will not forgive our sins.(St. Peter of Cetin8e, etter to @a&o*ichs, 1"!)

2 he forgiveness of insults is a sign of true love, free from hypocrisy. (or thus

the 3ord also loved this world.(St. 4ark the Asceticf, Homiies, 0.3")

When People Curse Us

4 %e must receive the one who curses us as a messenger from od, rebukingour hidden evil thoughts, so that we, seeing our thoughts with e-actness,might correct ourselves. (or we do not know how many hidden evils we haveBDnly a perfect man can understand all of his own shortcomings.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 6)

6 Inasmuch as you pray with all your soul for the one who has slandered you,

so much will od reveal the truth to them who have believed the slander.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 3."#)

When People Praise Us

7 %hen people begin to praise us, let us hurry to remember the multitude ofours transgressions, and we will see that we are truly unworthy of that whichthey say and do in our honor.(St. +ohn of the aer, aer, 00.30)

Rancor

19 If you are remembering evil against someone, then pray for himB and as youremove through prayer the pain of the remembrance of the evil he has done,you will stop the advance of the passion. 0nd when you have attainedbrotherly love and love for mankind, you will completely cast this passion outof your soul. hen when someone else does evil to you, be affectionate andhumble toward him, and treat him kindly, and you will deliver him from thispassion.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 2.#)

11 0 soul that is nurtured by hatred toward man can not be at peace with od,

%ho has said# If you forgive not men their sins, neither shall your (atherforgive your sins (4att. 6:1!). If a man does not want to be reconciled, you mustat least guard yourself from hating, praying with a pure heart for him, andspeaking no evil of him.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 3.2!)

Love Toward Enemies

1) %hoever will not love his enemies cannot know the 3ord and the sweetnessof the Holy pirit. he Holy pirit teaches us to love our enemies in such waythat we pity their souls as if they were our own children.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.11)


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1* %hen you have been insulted, cursed, or persecuted by someone, do notthink of what has happened to you, but of what will come from it, and you willsee that your insulter has become the cause of many benefits to you, not onlyin this age, but in that which is to come.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 1.113)

1 ?o not desire to hear about the misfortunes of those who oppose you. (orthose who listen to such speech later reap the fruits of their evil intention.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.172)

1/ I ask you to try something. If someone grieves you, or dishonors you, or takessomething of yours, then pray like this# $3ord, we are all your creatures. +ityyour servants, and turn them to repentance,$ and then you will perceptiblybear grace in your soul. Induce your heart to love your enemies, and the 3ord,seeing your good will, shall help you in all things, and will Himself show youe-perience. ut whoever thinks evil of his enemies does not have love forod and has not known od.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I-.01)

IV. Concerning that which Brings us Close to God

Prayer

12 ?o not forsake prayer, for just as the body becomes weak when it is deprivedof food, so also the soul when it is deprived of prayer draws nigh to weaknessand noetic death.(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, 33)

14 81)6. "onsistently pray in all things, so that you might not do anything withoutthe help of od ... %hoever does or busies himself with anything withoutprayer does not succeed in the end. "oncerning this, the 3ord said# $%ithout:e you canAt do anything$. (+ohn 1!:!)(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.#3,166)

1 %hatever we do or say without prayer always ends up either sinful or harmfuland convicts us through the deeds in some mysterious way.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.1")

) he prayer of one who does not consider himself a sinner is not accepted by

the 3ord.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, !!)

* od hears and fulfills the prayer of a man who fulfills His commandments.$Hear od in His commandments,$ says t. Cohn "hrysostom, $o that Hemight hear you in your prayers.$ 0 man who keeps the commandments of odis always wise, patient, and sincere in his prayers. :ystery of prayer consistsin the keeping of odAs commandments.(St. +&stin Popo*ich, 5panation of I +ohn, 2:00)

ive your intentions in prayer to od, %ho knows everyone, even before ourbirth. 0nd do not ask that everything will be according to your will, because aman does not know what is profitable for him. ut say to od# 3et hy will be


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done! (or He does everything for our benefit.(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, 37)

/ 5veryone who asks something of od and does not receive it doubtless doesnot receive it for one of these reasons# either because they ask before the

time, or they ask unworthily, or out of vainglory, or because if they receivedwhat they asked they would become proud or fall into negligence.(St. +ohn of the aer, aer, 06.6)

2 %hoever wants to approach prayer without a guide, and proudly thinks that hecan learn from books, and wonAt go to an elder, is already halfway intodelusion. ut the 3ord helps the humble, and if there is no e-perienced guide,and he goes to a confessor, whoever he may be, then the 3ord will cover himbecause of his humility.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, II.1)

4 If, at the time when the mind is praying it is distracted by any e-traneous

thought or worry about anything, then this prayer is not called pure.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, 16)

6 If you become proud when you receive what you ask in prayer, then it isobvious that your prayer was not to od, and you did not receive help fromHim, but the demons were working with you in order to e-alt your heartB (orwhen help is given from od, the soul is not e-alted, but is all the morehumbled, and she is ama@ed at the great mercy of od, how merciful He is tosinners.(St. /arsan&phi&s the 'reat, Instr&ctions, 31")

7 %hen od wants to have mercy on someone, He inspires someone else topray for him, and He helps in this prayer.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, --.#)

19 In times of affliction, unceasingly call out to the merciful od in prayer. heunceasing invocation of the name of od in prayer is a treatment for the soulwhich kills not only the passions, but even their very operation. 0s a doctorfinds the necessary medicine, and it works in such a way that the sick persondoes not understand, in just the same way the name of od, when you callupon it, kills all the passions, although we donAt know how this happens.(St. /arsan&phi&s the 'reat, Instr&ctions, 301)

Repentance

11 5very sin that is left without repentance is a sin unto death, for which if even asaint shall pray, he shall not be heard.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.31)

1) Dne who has sinned cannot escape retribution in any other way than byrepentance corresponding to his sin.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.!")

1* od will cleanse your sins if you yourself are dissatisfied with yourself and will

keep on changing until you are perfect.(St. A&g&stine, Sermons on I +ohn, I.7)


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1 he saints were people like all of us. :any of them came out of great sins, butby repentance they attained the >ingdom of Heaven. 0nd everyone whocomes there comes through repentance, which the merciful 3ord has given usthrough His sufferings.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -II.1)

1/ If someone falls into any sin and is not sincerely grieved about it, it is easy forhim to fall into the same thing again.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.01!)

12 If someone has repented once of a sin, and again does the same sin, this is asign that he has not been cleansed of the causes of the sin, wherefrom, asfrom a root, the shoots spring forth again.(St. /asi the 'reat)

14 814. ?o not say# $I have sinned much, and therefore I am not bold enough tofall down before od.$ ?o not despair. imply do not increase your sins in

despair and, with the help of the 0ll8merciful Dne, you will not be put toshame. (or He said, $he who comes to :e I will not cast out.$ (+ohn. 6:27)0ndso, be bold and believe that He is pure and cleanses those who draw near toHim. If you want to accomplish true repentance, show it with your deeds. Ifyou have fallen into pride, show humilityB if into drunkenness, show sobrietyB ifinto defilement, show purity of life. (or it is said, $urn away from evil and dogood.$ (I Pet. 2:11)(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, "7


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things in the will of od. ut the will inspired by the demons consists is self8justification and trust in ourselves, and then they easily subject a man whoreceives this sort of thought.(St. /arsan&phi&s the 'reat, Instr&ctions, 3, 103)

1 It is a great good to be given over to the will of od. hen the 3ord alone is inthe soul, and no other thought, and she prays to od with a pure mind. %henthe soul is entirely given over to the will of od, then the 3ord Himself beginsto guide her, and the soul learns directly from od ... 0 proud man does notwith to live according to the will of od. He likes to direct himself, and doesnot understand that man does not have enough understanding to directhimself without od.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.1).

) In the measure to which a man cuts off and humbles his own will, he proceedstoward success. ut insofar as he stubbornly guards his own will, so much

does he brings harm to himself.(St. phraim the Syrian, Co&nses to a No*ice 4onk)

* How can you find out if you are living within the will of od& Here is the sign#If you are troubled about any thing, this means that you have not completelygiven yourself over to the will of od. 0 person who lives in the will of od isnot concerned over anything. 0nd if he needs anything, he gives both it andhimself over to od. 0nd if he does not receive the necessary thing, heremains calm nevertheless, as if he had it. he soul which has been givenover to the will of od is afraid of nothing, not of thunder nor of thieves 8nothing. ut whatever happens, she says, $hus it pleases od.$ If she is

sick, she thinks# this means that I need to be sick, or else od would not havegiven it to me. hus peace is preserved in both soul and body.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.3)

he 3ord has given the Holy pirit upon the earth, and in whomsoever Hedwells, that one feels paradise within himself. ;ou might say# why hasnAt thishappened to me& ecause you have not given yourself over to the will ofod, but you live according to yourself. 3ook at the one who loves his ownwill. He never has peace in himself and is always displeased with something.ut whoever has given himself over to odAs will perfectly has pure prayer.His soul loves the 3ord, and everything is acceptable and good to him.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.13)

The Commandments

/ 0s it is not possible to walk without feet or fly without wings, so it is impossibleto attain the >ingdom of Heaven without the fulfillment of thecommandments.(St. %heophan the @ec&se, 9i*e %eaching on the ay to Sa*ation, 2)

2 he "ommandments of od are higher than all the treasures of the earth.%hoever has acquired them has received od within himself.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, !7)


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4 he Holy 0postle Cohn the heologian says that the commandments of odare not difficult, but easy (I +ohn, !:2). ut they are only easy because of love,while they are all difficult if there is no love.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -I.1)

6 od requires not the doing of the commandments for their own sake, but thecorrection of the soul, for whose sake He established the commandments.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, 23)

7 od abides in each commandment by His gracious power. $od is hidden inHis commandments$, says t. :ark the 0scetic. od helps everyone whostrives to keep His commandments. hat od abides in us we know by thepirit, which He has given us. his means that a "hristian is never alone, butthat he lives and works together with the hrice8Holy od.(St. +&stin Popo*ich, 5panation of I +ohn, 2:03)

How God Sees our Deeds

19 In all of our deeds od looks at the intention, whether we do it for His sake, orfor the sake of some other intention.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 0:26)

11 812/. od values deeds according to their intentions. (or it is said, $he 3ordgrant unto you according to your heart$ (Ps. 1#:!)... herefore, whoever wants todo something but canAt is considered as having done it by od, who sees theintentions of our hearts. his applies to both good and evil deeds alike.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 1.1"3, 0.16)

1 If the intention is unclean, the deed that follows from it will also be evil, even ifit seems good.(St. 'regory the ;iaogist, Con*ersations, 1.1)

How We Should Relate to our Deeds

) ?o not think about or do anything without a spiritual purpose, whereby it isdone for od. (or If you travel without purpose, you shall labor in vain.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 1.!3)

* (asting, prayer, alms, and every other good "hristian deed is good in itself,but the purpose of the "hristian life consists not only in the fulfillment of oneor another of them. he true purpose of our "hristian life is the acquisition ofthe Holy pirit of od. ut fasting, prayer, alms and every good deed done forthe sake of "hrist is a means to the attainment of the Holy pirit. 'ote thatonly good deeds done for the sake of "hrist bear the fruit of the Holy pirit.5verything else that is not done for the sake of "hrist, even if it is good, doesnot bring us a reward in the life to come, not does it bring the grace of od inthis life. his is why our 3ord Cesus "hrist said, $%hoever gathereth not withme scattereth$ (4att. 10:2).(St. Seraphim of Saro*, Con*ersation on the 'oa of the Christian ife)

%hen the mind forgets the purpose of "hristian life, then even the clear

fulfillment of virtue becomes profitless.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0:!1)


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/ 0ll that you lose in the name of od, you keep. 0ll that you keep for your ownsake, you loose. 0ll that you give in the name of od, you will receive withinterest. 0ll that you give for the sake of your own glory and pride, you throwinto the water. 0ll that you receive from people as from od will bring you joy.0ll that you receive from people as from people will bring you worries.

(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, %ho&ghts on 'oo an *i)

2 It is needful to do everything with discernment, and to take your own measure,so that you will not be confused later. o perform alms, fasting, or anythingelse at the highest degree ingdom ofHeaven among men.(St. 'a$rie of Imereti, eary Acco&nt)

Our Good Deeds

6 Dne evil receives strength from another. In the same way, good deeds alsosprout one from another, and the one in whom they are found grows larger.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.#2)

7 5very time that we sin, we are born of the devil. ut every time that we dogood, we are born of od.(St. +ohn Chrysostom)

19 %e abide in od insofar as we do not sin.(St. /ee the enera$e, Commentary on I +ohn, 2:6)

11 (orget your good deeds as soon as possible ... ?o not record your gooddeeds, for if you record them, they will soon fade. ut if you forget them, they

will be written in eternity.(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, %ho&ght on 'oo an *i)

1) If you want the 3ord to hide your sins, then donAt talk to people about whatkind of virtues you have. (or as we relate to our virtues, so od relates to oursins.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.12!)

1* %hoever has a spiritual gift and compassionate toward one who does nothave it guards his gift through his compassion. ut whoever is proud of his giftloses it through self8opinion.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 1.")

Even a Small Good Deed has Worth


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1 If at some time you show mercy to someone, mercy will be shown to you.If you show compassion to one who is suffering


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them for the sake of these causes. 0ny other love is pseudo8love, which iseasily changed into lovelessness and hatredness toward people. rue love forman comes from love for od, and love for od grows in accordance with thekeeping of His commandments.(St. +&stin Popo*ich, 5panation of the I +ohn, 3:0, !:0)

1 3ove is the fruit of prayer ... +atiently abiding in prayer signifies a manAsrenunciation of himself. herefore the self8denial of the soul turns into love forod.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiy, 32)

) If you find that there is no love in you, but you want to have it, then do deedsof love, even though you do them without love in the beginning. he 3ord willsee you desire and striving and will put love in your heart.(St. Am$rose of >ptina)

Who Has no Love

* %hoever sees in himself the traces of hatred toward any man on account ofany kind of sin is completely foreign to the love of od. (or love toward oddoes not at all tolerate hatred for man.(St. 4a5imos the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 1.1!)

817). %ho is far from love is a bad state, and to be pitied. He passes his daysin a delirious dream, far from od, deprived of light, and he lives indarkness ... %hoever does not have the love of "hrist is an enemy of "hrist.He walks in darkness and is easily lead into any sin.(St. phraim the Syrian, Homiy on irt&es an ices)

How to Manifest Love

1 %hoever has known the love of od loves the whole world and nevermurmurs against his fate, for the burden of sorrow for the sake of od gainseternal joy.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, etters, I.07)

) 3ove is manifested not only through the distribution of oneAs possessions, buteven moreso through the spreading of the word of od and helpful deeds.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 1.06)

* %hat is perfection in love& 3ove your enemies in such a way that you woulddesire to make them your brothers ... (or so did He love, %ho hanging on the"ross, said $(ather, forgive them, for they know not what they do.$ (&ke 02:23)(St. A&g&stine, Sermons on I +ohn, I.#)

Happy is the man in whom there is love for od, for he bears od withinhimself. he one in whom there is love is with od, above all things. %hoeverhas love in himself does not fear. He is never mad at anyone, nor does hee-alt himself above anyone. He does not calumniate anyone, nor does helisten to the calumniator. He does not compete with anyone, is not jealous,does not rejoice in the fall of another, does not slander the fallen, but

sympathi@es with him and helps him. He does not disdain his brother who isfallen into need, but helps him and is ready to die for him. %hoever has love


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fulfills the will of od.(St. phraim the Syrian, Spirit&a


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1) 0s water and fire oppose one another when combined, so are self8justificationand humility opposed to one another.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiy 0.10!)

1* ome suffer much from poverty and sickness, but are not humbled, and so

they suffer without profit. ut one who is humbled will be happy in allcircumstances, because the 3ord is his riches and joy, and all people willwonder at the beauty of his soul.$(St. Sio&an the Athonite, riting, III.#)

1 Humility consists in considering oneself to be nothing in all circumstances,cutting off oneAs will in all things, accusing oneself of everything, and bearingwithout confusion that which befalls him from without. uch is true humility, inwhich vainglory finds no place. 0 humble man doesnAt need to try to show hishumility in words, nor does he need to make himself do humble deeds, forboth of these lead to vainglory, hinder progress, and cause more harm thangood. ut when they command anything, it is necessary not to contradict, butto fulfill it with obedience. his is what leads to success.(St. +ohn the Prophet, Instr&ctions, 07!)

Meekness

1/ :eekness is an unchanging state of mind, which both in honor and dishonorremains the same. :eekness consists in praying sincerely and undisturbedlyin the face of afflictions from oneAs neighbor. :eekness is a cliff rising from thesea of irritability, against which all the that waves that strive against it break,but which is itself never broken.(St. +ohn of the aer, aer, 03.3)

12 3et them push you, but do not pushB 3et them crucify you, but do not crucify.3et them insult, but do not insult. 3et them slander, but do not slander. emeek, and do not be @ealous in evil.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiy, "#)

14 0s fire is not e-tinguished by fire, so anger is not conquered by anger, but ismade even more inflamed. ut meekness often subdues even the mostbeastly enemies, softens them and pacifies them.(St. %ikhon of Baonsk)

Temperance

16 3ove hunger and thirst for the sake of "hrist. Insofar as you pacify your body,so much much will you do make your soul virtuous. od, who rewardsthoughts, words, and deeds, will give good in return for even a small thingwhich you gladly suffer for His sake.(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, 31)

17 8)1). eek the simplest in all things, in food, clothing, without being ashamedof poverty. (or a great part of the world lives in poverty. ?o not say, $I am theson of a rich man. It is shameful for me to be in poverty.$ "hrist, your

Heavenly (ather, %ho gave birth to you in the baptistery, is not in worldlyriches. Eather he walked in poverty and had nowhere to lay His head.(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, 03


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1 ;ou must teach yourself how to eat less, but with discernment, insofar as yourwork allows. he measure of temperance should be such that after lunch youwant to pray.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, .")

Obedience

) y obedience a man is guarded against pride. +rayer is given for the sake ofobedience. he grace of the Holy pirit is also given for obedience. his iswhy obedience is higher than prayer and fasting.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -.3)

* Dbedience is necessary not only for monks, but for all people. 5ven the 3ordwas obedient. he proud and self8regarding do not allow grace to live in them,and therefore they never have spiritual peace, while in the obedient soul thegrace of the Holy pirit enters easily and gives joy and peace. %hoever bears

even a little grace in himself joyfully submits himself to all direction. He knowsthat od directs even the heavens and the netherworld, and himself, and hisbusiness, and everything in the world, and therefore he is always at peace.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -.0)

V. Concerning that which Hinders us on the Path to God.

Sinful Passions

0 passion is a contranatural movement of the soul or an irrational love, or anblindfold hatred toward any material thing, or because of it# for e-ample, for

food, or for women, or for riches, or for worldly glory, or any other sensiblethingB or for the sake of such things, as in a senseless hatred for someone onaccount of the things mentioned above.(St. 4a5imos the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 0.16)

/ ome passions are bodily, other spiritual. odily passions have their sourcesin the body, while spiritual ones come from e-ternal things. ut love andtemperance cut out both the one and the other# 3ove cuts out spiritualpassions, and temperance bodily ones.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 1.63)

2 %e must consider all evil things, even the passions which war against us, to

be not our own, but of our enemy the devil. his is very important. ;ou canonly conquer a passion when you do not consider it as part of you.(St. Nikon of >ptina)

4 8))9. 0t first a simple thought about evil makes it into the mind, and if it is keptin the mind, then a passionate motion arises from it, and if you do note-tirpate the passion, then it inclines the mind to agreement, and when thishappens, it leads the mind to the commission of a sinful deed. Guard yourthoughts, for if you do not sin in thought, you will never seen in deed.(St. 4a5imos the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 1."3, 0.7")

1 Fnclean spirits increase the passions in us, making use of our negligence,and inciting them. ut the angels decrease our passions, inciting us to the


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perfection of virtue.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 0:6#)

) 0 sinful soul, full of passions, cannot have peace and rejoice in the 3ord, evenif it had charge over all earthly riches, even if it ruled over the whole world. If it

was suddenly said to such a king, happily feasting and sitting on his throne,$>ing, now you will die,$ his soul would be troubled and he would tremble withfear, and he would see his powerlessness. ut how many beggars there are,whose only wealth is love for od, and who, if you said to them, $;ou will dienow,$ would answer peacefully, $3et odAs will be done. lory to the 3ord, thatHe has remembered me and wants to take me to Himself.$(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.2)

The Struggle with the Passions

* %hen a man is given over to the passions, he does not see them in himself

and does not fight against them, because he lives in them and by them. utwhen the grace of od becomes active in him, he begins to discern thepassionate and sinful in himself, acknowledge them, and to repent and decideto guard against them. 0 struggle begins. 0t first, the struggle begins withdeeds, but when is released from shameful deeds, then the struggle beginswith shameful thoughts and feelings. 0nd here the struggle encounters manysteps ... he struggle continues. he passions increasingly are torn out of theheart. It even happens that they are entirely torn out ... he sign that thepassions are torn out of the heart is that the soul begins to feel repulsion andhatred for the passions.(St. %heophan the @ec&se, Ho? the Spirit&a ife Procees)

8))2. 0 man who hates the passion cuts off their causes. ut a man whoremains among their causes e-periences even against his will the conflictfrom the passions. It is not possible to be mentally inclined toward a passion ifone does not love its cause. (or who, disdaining shame, is given to vainglory&Dr who, loving lowliness, is bothered by dishonor& %ho, having a broken andhumble heart, accepts fleshly sweetness& Dr who, believing in "hrist, isconcerned about temporal things, or argues about them&(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiy 0.11#,100


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* he passions are uprooted and turned to flight by constant occupation of themind with od. his is a sword that puts them to death... %hoever alwaysthinks about od drives the demons away from himself and pulls up theseeds of their malice.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, ")

Spiritual Mistakes

he worst kind of sin is not to acknowledge that you are sinful.(St. Caesari&s of Ares, Commentary on I +ohn, 1:")

/ 8)*). (lee from self8love, the mother of malice, which is an irrational love forthe body. (or from it are born the three chief sinful passions# gluttony, avarice,and vainglory, which take their causes from bodily needs, and from them allthe tribe of the passions is born. his why we must always oppose self8loveand fight against it. %hoever rejects self8love will easily conquer all the other

passions with the help of od# anger, despondency, rancor, and the others.ut whoever is retained by self8love will even unwillingly be conquered by theabove8named passions.(St. 4a5im&s the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 0.!#,")

1 %hoever does not want to know the will of od is mentally walking a pathne-t to a cliff, and easily falls with any wind. If he is praised, he is proud. If heis rebuked he is angry. If he eats pleasant food, he is drawn into bodilypassions. %hen he suffers he weeps. %hen he knows something, he wants toshow that he knows. %hen he doesnAt understand, he pretends to understand.%hen he is rich he puts on airs. %hen he is poor, he is a hypocrite. %hen heis full, he is bold. %hen he fasts he is vainglorious. %hen he is denounced heloves to argue, while he looks on those who forgive him as fools.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0.1#2)

) Fnderstand two thoughts, and fear them. Dne says, $;ou are a saint,$ theother, $;ou wonAt be saved.$ oth of these thoughts are from the enemy, andthere is no truth in them. ut think this way# I am a great sinner, but the 3ord ismerciful. He loves people very much, and He will forgive my sins.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -II.1)

* incere faith is the renunciation of your own mind. It is necessary to makeyour mind naked and present it like a clean chalkboard to faith, so that she

can draw herself on it like she is, without any without any admi-ture of foreignsayings and attitudes. %hen the mindAs own attitudes remain within it, then,after the attitudes of faith are written on it, there appears a mi-ture ofattitudes. he mind will be confused, encountering contradictions between theactions of faith and the sophistries of the mind. hus are all who approach theregion of faith with their own sophistries... hey are confused in the faith, andnothing comes of it but harm.(St. %heophan the @ec&se, %ho&ght for *ery ;ay of the ear, 11.3)

here are lots of those who speak but few who do. However, no one shoulddistort the word of od by his own negligence, but it is better to confess your

own weakness, not hiding the truth of od, so that together with the breakingof the commandments you do not also appear guilty of an untrustworthy


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e-planation of the word of od.(St. 4a5imos the Confessor, Chapters on o*e, 3:"!)

/ %hoever prematurely begins a work that is above his strength receivesnothing, but only brings harm upon himself.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, 11)

2 here are people who, when they encounter inability to understand, do notask the 3ord. ut one must immediately say, $3ord, I am a sinful man and IdonAt understand as I should. ut give me understanding, merciful Dne, as tohow I must proceed.$ 0nd the merciful 3ord then inspires them as to what todo and what not to do.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, --.3)

4 'o one ever accomplishes good by means of evil, because they arethemselves conquered by the evil. Dn the contrary, evil is corrected by good.(St. /arsan&phi&s the 'reat, Instr&ctions, 1!)

6 ?o not try to decide a difficult matter by means of disputing, but that which isenjoined by the spiritual law, namely patience, prayer, and thoughtful hope.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 1:10)

7 If we weave by day and undo at night, nothing gets woven. If we build by dayand destroy by night, nothing is ever built. If we pray to od and do evil beforeHim, the nothing is woven, and a house for our soul is not built.(St. Nichoas of Ser$ia, %ho&ghts on 'oo an *i)

Remain in Place and do not Flee from Temptation

19 0mma heodora said# 0 certain monk, afflicted by many sorrows, said tohimself, $3eave this place.$ %ith these words he began to put his sandals onhis feet, and suddenly he saw the devil in the form of a man sitting in thecorner of his cell. he devil was also putting on his sandals. He said to themonk, $0re you leaving here because of me& %ell then, wherever you go, Iwill be there before you.(St. Ignati&s /rianchanino*, Patericon)

Sinful Thoughts

11 8). 0 certain monk asked one of the elders, $%hy are my thoughts alwaysinclined to defilement, so that they give me no rest even for an hour, and mysoul is troubled&$ he elder said to him, $If the demons inspire thoughts inyou, do not give in to them.$ It is their nature to tempt constantly. 0nd eventhough they never leave off this temptation, they cannot force you to sin. Itdepends on your will to listen to them or not to listen.$ he brother said to theelder, $%hat should I do& I am weak and the passion is conquering me.$ heelder answered, $uard against them, and when they begin to speak to you,do not answer them, but pray to od# on of od, have mercy on me!$(Ancient Patericon, !.2!)

1 If a man does not argue with the thoughts that the enemy secretly sows in us,

but by prayer to od uproots conversation with them, this is a sign that his


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mind has attained wisdom, and that he has found a short path.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, 2)

) 0 man who is enticed by sinful thoughts is blinded by them, and he sees theaction of sin in himself, but he can not see the cause of this action.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 1.16")

* It is impossible to keep spiritual peace if we do not take care of the mind, thatis if we do not drive out thoughts that are displeasing to od and, on thecontrary, keep thoughts which are pleasing to od. It is necessary to look intothe heart with mind and see what is done there. Is it peaceful or not& If not,then find out in what you have sinned.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -I.")

%hen bad thoughts are planted in you, then cry to od# $3ord, my :aker and"reator. ;ou see that my soul is in agony from bad thoughts. Have mercy onme.$ each yourself to root out thoughts immediately. ut when you forget and

donAt root them out immediately, then offer repentance. %ork on this, so thatyou get a habit.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, -II.3,6)

The Snares of the Devil

/ 3ove for that which is earthly makes the soul empty, and then there she issad, and grows wild, and does not want to pray to od. he enemy then,seeing that the soul is not in od, shakes her and freely places in the mindwhatever he wants, and he drives the soul from one thought to another, andthus the whole day the soul remains in such disorder and cannot purely ga@e

at the 3ord.(St. Sio&an the Athonite, ritings, I.!)

2 Dur inhuman enemy Gthe devil, in drawing a "hristian to defilement inspiresthe thought that od loves mankind, and that He quickly forgives this sin. utwhen we observe the guile of demons, then we see that after the commissionof the sin, they suggest to us that od is a righteous and implacable Cudge.he first they say in order to lead us to sin, the second, in order to weigh usdown in despair.(St. +ohn of the aer, aer, 1!:22)

4 he devil makes small sins seem smaller in our eyes, for otherwise he canAtlead us to greater evil.(St. 4ark the Ascetic, Homiies, 0:#3)

6 %hen anyone goes into sin, his thoughts are is it were enchained and hisvision is changed for the worse through that by means of which the evil one,instigating and flattering, weakens and darkens us. ut after the sin has beencommitted he sets before our eyes what we have done and cruelly revealsthat to which he has drawn us with much guile and, condeming the severity ofthe deed, endeavours by the same to draw the sinner into despair.(St. Photi&s the 'reat, Amphiochi&s, 13)

Spiritual Warfare


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7 %e have within us deeply rooted weaknesses, passions, and defects. hiscan not all be cut out with one sharp motion, but patience, persistence, careand attention. he path leading to perfection is long. +ray to od so that hewill strengthen you. +atiently accept your falls and, having stood up,immediately run to od, not remaining in that place where you have fallen. ?o

not despair if you keep falling into your old sins. :any of them are strongbecause they have received the force of habit. Dnly with the passage of timeand with fervor will they be conquered. ?onAt let anything deprive you ofhope.(St. Nectarios of Aegina, Path to Happiness, 2)

Vainglory

19 ?o not seek earthly glory in any matter, for it is e-tinguished for him who lovesit. In its time it blows on a man like a strong wind, and then quickly, takingfrom him the fruits of his good works, it goes away from him, laughing at his

foolishness.(St. 'ennai&s of Constantinope, %he 'oen Chain, 2!)

11 0bba +imen said, he who fervently desires the love of men is deprived of thelove of od. In is not good to be liked by everyone, for it is said, $%oe to you,when all men speak well of you.$ (&ke 6:06)(Ancient Patericon, ":16)

1) Dften the 3ord heals vainglory by dishonor.(St. +ohn of the aer, aer, 00.2")

1* GIt is possible to struggle against love of honor and vainglory in this way#

%hen you hear that your neighbor or friend has reproached you in yourabsence or presence, then show love and praise him.(St. +ohn of the aer, 00:1!)

Falsehood

1 In the criptures it is written that falsehood is from the evil one, and that He isthe $(ather of 3ies$ (+ohn ":33), while od is truth, for He Himself says, $I am theway, the truth and the life.$ (+ohn 13:6). hus you see from whom we estrangedourselves and to whom we are united by a lie. o then, if we really want to besaved, we must love truth with our whole hearts and guard ourselves from all

falsehood. here are three different types of lies# in thought, in word, and inlife itself. 0 man lies in thought when he accepts as true his own imaginations,that is his vain despite of his neighbor. uch a one, when he sees thatsomeone is conversing with his neighbor, makes his own estimation and says,$hey are talking about me.$ If someone say a word, he considers that it wassaid to grieve him. 'ever believe your own guesses and interpretations, for acrooked measurement makes even the straight to be crooked. Human opinionis false and harms those who are given to it. he one who sins in word is onewho, for e-ample, when out of despondency he has not gotten up for theservice, does not say, $(orgive me, I was too la@y to get up,$ but says, $I hada fever, I had too much work, I hadnAt the strength to get up, I was sick,$ and

says ten false statements, rather than make a single prostration and behumbled. 0nd if he should be rebuke is such a situation, he changes his


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words and argues, in order not to be rebuked. Dne who lies by his life is onewho, if he is defiled, pretends to be chaste, or if he is avaricious, praisesalmsgiving, or if he is proud praises humility. hus, in order to escapefalsehood and be delivered from the part of the evil one, let us strive toappropriate truth, in order to have union with od.

(St. A$$a ;orotheos, So&


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Defiled Lust

)1 luttony and satiety in food produce defiled lust, while free association withwomen enflames the fire of lusts ... 0t the time of struggle with defilement,punish your thoughts with lack of nourishment, so that you will think not of

defilements, but of hunger, and reject the invitation to go visiting.(St. Ni&s of Sinai)

)) ?onAt let your eyes look here and there, and donAt look on someone elsesAbeauty, so that the devil will not conquer you with the help of your eyes.(St. phraim the Syrian)

)* 0 certain monk had a struggle against defiled lusts. He got up and night andwent to the elder and confessed to him the thoughts that were drawing him todefilement. he elder calmed him and the brother, have benefited, returned tohis cell. ut the struggle rose up against him again, and again he went to the

elder. He did this a few times. he elder did not grieve him, but said, $?onAtgive up, but it is better that you come to me whenever the demon disturbsyou, and repel him by e-posing your thoughts. y such a repulsion he willpass you by. (or nothing so burns the demon of defilement as the revelationof his deeds Gin confession before a spiritual father. 0nd nothing makes himso happy as the hiding of thoughts.$ hus the brother came to the eldereleven times, repelling his thoughts, and the brotherAs temptation ceased.(Ancient Patericon, !.16)

) 3ust is as it were desire and desire, will which e-tends beyond the natural will,passionate, not governed by the law and moderation. here are thus manyforms of lust, like the many forms of sin ... 3ust does not approach the soul inthe form of a warlike enemy, but in the form of a friend or a pleasant servant.It suggests some sort of pleasure or illusory good. ut this is only a trick bywhich the malicious angler strives to lead astray and catch the poor soul.Eemember this when you are tempted by lust.(St. Phiaret of 4osco?, Sermon on the !th of +&y, 1"3!)

VI. Concerning What Must be Endured of the Spiritual Path

Temptation

)/ %hen you want to make a beginning of a good deed, first prepare fortemptations, which will come to you, and donAt doubt the truth Gof that whichyou do for od.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, !7)

)2 'o one can sense his own weakness is at least a small temptation is notallowed to afflict either his body or his soul. hen, comparing his weakness tothe help of od, a man comes to know its magnitude. ut whoever does notknow that he needs odAs help, let him make many prayers. Insofar as hemultiplies them, in that measure will he be humbled.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, 61)

)4 here is no man who will not be grieved at the time of his chastisementB andthere is not man who will not endure a bitter time, when he must drink the


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poison of temptations. %ithout them, it is not possible to obtain a strong will.%hen he has often e-perienced the help of od in temptations, a man alsoobtains strong faith.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, 27)

)6 %ithout temptations, it is not possible to learn the wisdom of the pirit. It is notpossible that ?ivine love be strengthened in your soul. efore temptations, aman prays to od as a stranger. %hen temptations are allowed to come bythe love of od, and he does not give in to them, then he stands before odas a sincere friend. (or in fulfilling the will of od, he has made war on theenemy of od and conquered him.(St. Isaac the Syrian, Homiies, !)

)7 "onquer temptations by the patience and prayer. If you oppose them witho

Three Hundred Sayings of Ascetic Fathers

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