St. Paisios the Athonite

 "Worldly people make sure their yard is clean. They don't care if there is trash inside the house. They sweep the yard and throw the trash inside the house! They tell you: ''Others see the yard, they don't see the house inside''. That is, I may have trash inside, but not outside! They care about others bragging about them. On the contrary, spiritual people make sure the house inside is clean. They don't care what the world says, because Christ dwells in the house, in the heart, he does not dwell in the yard."

 

CHRIST IS THE ONLY HOPE OF SALVATION

Why is Christ called the way in Scripture?

So that you may learn that through Him we ascend to the Father.

Why is He called the cornerstone?

So that you may learn that He supports us all.

Why is He called the lamb?

So that you may learn that He was sacrificed for our sake.

Why is He called life?

Because while we were dead in sin, He raised us up.

Why is He called light?

Because He brought us out of the darkness of deception.

Why is He called garment?Because we are clothed with Him in Baptism.

Why is He called table?

Because we partake of Him with the holy mysteries.

Why is He called house?

Because we live within Him.

Why is He called inhabitant?

Because we are His temples.

St. John Chrysostom

Among the people around us, there are people who do not believe in God, but nevertheless are good and do many good deeds. Often we hear the question: “Well, is this not enough? Will they not be saved by their good deeds?”

Among the people around us, there are people who do not believe in God, but nevertheless are good and do many good deeds. Often we hear the question: “Well, is this not enough? Will they not be saved by their good deeds?” I must give an answer. No, they will not be saved. Why will they not be saved? Because our Lord and God Jesus Christ said so when “a lawyer asked him, testing him, saying, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. ...This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:35-39).
If faith in God, if love for God is the first and most important commandment in the law, and the second commandment about love for one’s neighbor follows from this first, receives its power from love for God, then it means that in order to be saved, one must love God with all one’s heart, for this is the first and most important commandment of the law.
What does it mean to be saved? It means to receive eternal life, it means to enter the Kingdom of God, it means to become partakers of this Kingdom! What is the Kingdom of God? What is eternal life?
The Lord Jesus Christ told us this in His great high priestly prayer addressed to God the Father. He said this: “And this is eternal life, that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
(John 17:3). This is eternal life: eternal life in the knowledge of God, in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that without knowledge of God, without knowledge of the Holy Trinity, without faith in the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no eternal life, that is, there is no salvation.

St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon

"Unjust death makes our hearts bleed. But God justifies unjust death."

 

“God, my child, does not hide behind bushes!

 

“God, my child, does not hide behind bushes!

Nor do you need to climb mountains to meet Him!
He comes and finds you, every time you forgive someone who has hurt you, every time you help someone in need…
Divine Grace is drawn, my child, it is not blackmailed...”
St. Sophrony of Essex

Communing on Feast Days

 

I know that many of us, because of the custom of doing so during the Feast, will approach the divine Table. You must, however, as I have said so many times not receive Communion just because of a certain Feast; but you must purify your conscience and then partake of the divine Table. For the sinner and unclean person is not worthy even durng a Feast to partake of that holy and dread flesh. But the one who has washed away his sins through true repentance is clean, both during the Feast and at all times, and he is always worthy to partake of the divine Mysteries and enjoy the gifts and graces of God. I do not know why, but many overlook this. Such people, even if they are full of many sins, when they see that a Feast has arrived, rush because of the particular day and receive the sacred Mysteries, which they are not worthy even to look upon. - St. John Chrysostom