Orthodox Spirituality

"Let us recall the fall of the first angel, who, for his glory and splendor, has been named Lucifer. He fell from that sublime and blessed region of the angels down to hell for no other fault than this one of pride, because, being supreme among all the other powers of heaven for the resplendence of his even greater beauty, he came to believe that he obtained this, not through the kindness of his Creator, but through his own virtue; as though he, like God, needed no further aid from any source, he judged himself similar to God, saying: 'I will take my seat in the recesses of the North and will be like the Most High.' It was this thought alone that cast him down, for he was soon deserted by God, whose protection he believed he did not need; suddenly, he became weak and wretched, he understood the inconstancy of his nature which he had not realized, and lost the gift of God which he possessed." + St. Martin of Braga, On Pride V

St. Ambrose of Milan & The Illusion of Wealth When you have eaten your fill, build a home for your habitation, abounding in flocks and in gold and silver, together with all that you possess in plentiful abundance. Then 'take heed that thine heart be lifted up and thou remember not the Lord,' as the Law states. For 'what hast thou that thou hast not received?' Do not these things pass like a shadow? Is not this home of yours but dust and desolation? Are not all these things false? Are not the treasures of the world mere vanities? Are you not yourself just ashes? Look into the sepulchers of men and take note that nothing will remain of you but bones and ashes. Look inside, I repeat, and tell me who in there is rich and who is poor? Distinguish now between the needy and the powerful. Naked we come into this world and naked we leave it. There are no distinctions discoverable among the bodies of the dead, unless, perchance, it may well be that those of the wealthy give forth a stronger odor because they were bloated with luxurious living… Because your soul is a priceless thing, poor man, be on your guard. The soul is everlasting, although the flesh is mortal. Although you may lack money, you are not therefore devoid of grace. Although your house is not commodious, your possessions are not scattered. The sky is open and the expanse of the world is free. The elements have been granted to all for their common use. Rich and poor alike enjoy the splendid ornaments of the universe. Are the paneled ceilings decked with gold in the homes of the very wealthy more beautiful than the face of the heavens decorated with glistening stars? Are the estates of the rich more extensive than the surface of the world? Hence it was said of those who join house to house and estate to estate: 'Shall you alone dwell in the midst of the earth?' You have actually a larger house, you man of low estate, a house wherein your call is heard and heeded... 'how great is the house of God and how vast is the place of his possession! It is great and hath no end. It is high and immense.' The house of God is common to rich and poor. However, 'with difficulty will a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven.'... You may gaze in admiration on their abundance of money: gold and silver. You see how much they have in abundance, but you not see how much they need. To be able to recline in litters in ivory is, to your mind, the height of luxury. But you do not realize how luxurious a possession is the earth, which spreads its couch of grass for the humble man. Here are sweet repose and gentle sleep such sleep as the restless owner of a golden bed seeks in vain to attain. How much happier does he consider you to be as you lie there so peacefully! So hard is it for him to invite sleep. Besides, there is, of course, another aspect which is much more important. I refer to the fact that the just man who is in want here will find abundance yonder, and that he who has endured toil here will find elsewhere his consolation. Moreover, whoever has acquired goods here cannot hope to receive there a return for his investment. The poor man saves up his interest, whereas the rich man squanders it. — St. Ambrose of Milan [The Hexameron]

The study of patristic books provided by Divine Providence as the moral guidance for contemporary monasticism is no trifling enterprise. In order to succeed in it, self-renunciation is necessary; the abandonment of worldly cares is necesssary – not to mention diversions, amusements and pleasures; it is necessary to live according to the commandments of the Gospel; necessary too is purity of mind and heart by which alone the spiritual, holy and mystical teaching of the Spirit can be discerned and understood according to the degree of one's purification. +St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

The Lord also sends temptations: he who belongs to God will be sent sorrows; the one for whom things go smoothly, like spreading butter, belongs to the devil. And when the Lord wishes to remove someone from the devil, he is charged with sorrows. Sorrows are Christs chalice on the earth. Whoever is a partaker of this chalice on the earth will also partake of this chalice in Heaven. +St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

"Why do we judge our neighbors? Because we are not trying to get to know ourselves. Someone busy trying to understand himself has no time to notice the shortcomings of others. Judge yourself — and you will stop judging others. Judge a poor deed, but do not judge the doer. It is necessary to consider yourself the most sinful of all, and to forgive your neighbor every poor deed. One must hate only the devil, who tempted him. It can happen that someone might appear to be doing something bad to us, but in reality, because of the doer's good intentions, it is a good deed. Besides, the door of penitence is always open, and it is not known who will enter it sooner — you, 'the judge,' or the one judged by you." +St. Seraphim of Sarov

Contact with spiritual people is most beneficial -even more so than spiritual study - because the joy of this spiritual relationship provides a great impetus to one who struggles spiritually. +Saint Paisios of Mount Athos

When a person is helped to believe in God and in the future, eternal life - that is, when he grasps the deeper meaning of life - and repents and changes his way of life, divine consolation comes immediately with the Grace of God, which transforms the person and dispels all his inherited shortcomings. Many people who repented and struggled with philotimo and humility, received Grace and became Saints... +Saint Paisios of Mount Athos

My beloved friends, there is an abundance of hidden holiness even in our own difficult times. This holiness is found not only in the life of insignificant, unknown, obscure monks in the deserts and in the cenobitic monasteries, but also in the world. There are spouses who endure with long-sufifering their unstable and prodigal spouses, who may be harsh alcoholics, all-night gamblers, totally resigned to their passions and apparently incapable of spiritual progress. These devout spouses do not take refuge in divorce, but endure and hope and pray, and do not give up the struggle to provide, at least, good nurturing for their children. –Monk Moses

Say and repeat your thinking about your brothers: These are the sheep of Christ, these are the Angels of God and your condescension toward them will disappear, that is your pride. Then, trusting in the mercy of God, peace and love will enter your heart and grace-filled actions will reveal themselves to you that you are being tempted; your eyes will open and reveal to you your real seduction. +St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

"There is nothing impossible unto those who believe; lively and unshaken faith can accomplish great miracles in the twinkling of an eye. Besides, even without our sincere and firm faith, miracles are accomplished, such as the miracles of the sacraments; for God's Mystery is always accomplished, even though we were incredulous or unbelieving at the time of its celebration. "Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?" (Rom. 3:3). Our wickedness shall not overpower the unspeakable goodness and mercy of God; our dullness shall not overpower God's wisdom, nor our infirmity God's omnipotence." +St John Kronstadt

If you would be simple-hearted like the Apostles, would not conceal your human shortcomings, would not pretend to be especially pious, if you would walk free from hypocrisy, then that is the path. While it is easy, not everyone can find it or understand it. This path is the shortest way to salvation and attracts the grace of God. Unpretentiousness, guilelessness, frankness of soul - this is what is pleasing to the Lord, Who is lowly of heart. Except ye become like children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God (Matt. 18:13). +Elder Leonid of Optina

In the words of St. Isaiah the Solitary (fA.D. 490): When a man severs himself from evil, he gains an exact understanding of all the sins he has committed against God; for he does not see his sins unless he severs himself from them with a feeling of revulsion. Those who have reached this level pray to God with tears, and are filled with shame when they recall their evil love of the passions. –Hieromonk Damascene Christensen

As perfect Man, He is dear to each soul that seeks Him. We all feel that this Divine love is somehow very far away, that God is very far away when, in fact, it is we who are moving further away from Him. He cannot move away from us, for He is life. All of Him is love. Oh, if we men could have the same love toward Him and approach Him as our only true friend! Alas, that is not how we come before Him. Instead, we are reserved, we approach Him with formality. When we pray and when we do something good, we are altogether very formal –Elder Thaddeus

"Now there is a campaign for peace all over the world, but this world is not Christ's. Everything is different for them: goals, means, content of concepts, points of application of forces, and so on, and so on. And this question, in the field of Christianity and salvation, is not a small one. The peace of Christ is connected with the very dogma of redemption (cf. Col. 3:15). The peace of God is above all understanding (Philippians 4:7), and anyone who talks about it with an unpurified mind harms himself, and to preach it in an impure sense is already a heresy." + Bishop Barnabas Belyaev