The priest is nothing more than a mere instrument.

When the priest celebrates the Divine Liturgy, the Father Himself, by His Holy Spirit, changes the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.
The priest is nothing more than a mere instrument.

Through Him, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit themselves celebrate the Liturgy and sanctify the Precious Gifts. *“You are the one who offers and the one who is offered”* (the priest’s prayer during the cherubic hymn).
St. John of Kronstadt

St. John of Kronstadt

Why did God not create the world at once, but in six days? To teach us, in things, that we too must not be hasty in our works, but move forward gradually, wisely. If you pray, don't run your tongue. If you are studying the Gospel, do not rush to read, but concentrate your attention on every detail of the sacred text. If you make something material, make it in an effortless way. By creating the world in six days, the Lord gives us an example. Let's follow it.

Face with humble submission to God's will every sorrow, every toil, every injustice that others do to you. Say: "Thy will be done" (Matthew 6:10). And keep in mind that God's mercy regulates everything for your good. And that the Lord can easily turn all sorrow into joy.

Look at an evil, proud, arrogant person as at the wind...

Look at an evil, proud, arrogant person as at the wind and do not be offended by his malice, pride, arrogance, but be calm in yourself. The enemy intentionally irritates you, fanning human passions or arousing in your heart various suspicions of an evil nature and dreams of the imagination. - St. John of Kronstadt

What is our life?

 

What is our life? The burning of a candle: if you blow to the One who gave it, it goes out. What is our life? A wayfarer's walk: when he has reached a certain limit, the gate is opened to him, and he leaves his wandering clothes (body) and staff and enters his home. - St. John of Kronstadt

St. John of Kronstadt

Thy will be done. For example: when you want to be and do your best to be painless and healthy, and meanwhile you remain sick all the time, say: Thy will be done; when you undertake something, but the enterprise fails, say: Thy will be done; when you do good to others, and you are paid with evil, say: Thy will be done, or when, for example, you want to sleep, and you have insomnia, say: Thy will be done; do not be annoyed at all when something is not done according to your will, and learn to obey the will of the Heavenly Father in everything. You would like that there were no temptations with you, but meanwhile the enemy torments you with them every day: he kindles you, oppresses you in every possible way - do not be irritated, but say: Thy will be done.

St. John of Kronstadt

The akathist to the Mother of God shows how many, what an infinite number of unspeakable spiritual benefits God gave to the human race through Her. - Saint John of Kronstadt

St. John of Kronstadt

 "From my own experience, I was convinced how soon God hears the prayer of two and three praying from the heart together." - St. John of Kronstadt

St John of Kronstadt

With all your sickness and sorrow, go to Church. Here is our mental and physical hospital. Confess and receive communion more often, do not condemn anyone, kiss your cross in the morning and in the evening, and everything will go away: sickness, and obsession, and blasphemous and prodigal thoughts. - St. John of Kronstadt

St. John of Kronstadt

If you want God to give more heartfelt faith to your prayer, try to speak and do everything with people with all your heart and by no means be double-faced with them: when you are straightforward and trusting with people, then the Lord will give you straightforwardness and sincere faith in relation to God. - St. John of Kronstadt

St. John of Kronstadt, On Prayer

When you see faults and passions in your neighbor, pray for him; pray for everybody, even for your enemy. If you see that your brother is proud and stubborn, and behaves proudly either to you or others, pray for him, that God may enlighten his mind and warm his heart with the fire of His grace, and say:

"Lord, teach meekness and humility to Thy servant, who has fallen into Satan's pride, and drive from his heart the darkness and burden of the evil one's pride."

If you see a wrathful brother, pray thus: "Lord, make this servant of Thine good through Thy grace."

If you see a mercenary and greedy one, pray thus: "Lord, Thou Who art our incorruptible Treasury and inexhaustible Riches, grant that this servant of Thine, created according to Thy image, may recognize the deceitfulness of riches, and that, like all earthly things, they are vain, fleeting, delusive. For the days of men are like grass, or like the spider's web, and Thou alone art our riches, peace, and joy."

If you see an envious man, pray thus: "Lord, enlighten the mind and the heart of this Thy servant, that he may recognize the great innumerable, and unsearchable gifts which he has through Thy boundless generosity; for in the blindness of his passion he has forgotten Thee and Thy rich gifts, and although enriched with Thy benefits, yet he reckons himself poor, and looks enviously upon the blessings which Thou, O our unspeakable Benefactor, hast bestowed upon each one of Thy servants, even against their own will, but in accordance with Thy purpose. Take away, Most Gracious Master, the devil's veil from the eyes of the heart of Thy servant; grant him contrition of heart , tears of repentance and gratitude, so that the enemy who has ensnared him alive in his toils may not rejoice over him and may not wrest him from Thy hands."

If you see a drunken man, say in your heart: "Lord, look mercifully upon Thy servant, allured by the flattery of the belly and by carnal merriment, make him understand the sweetness of temperance and fasting, and of the fruit of the spirit arising therefrom."

When you see a man passionately fond of eating, and finding all his happiness in this, say: "Lord, Thou are our sweetest Food, that never perishes, but leads us unto life eternal! Purify Thy servant from the filthiness of gluttony, so carnal and so far from Thy Spirit, and grant that he may know the sweetness of Thy Life-giving, spiritual food, which is thy Flesh and Blood and Thy holy, living, and acting word."

In this or in similar manner pray for all who sin, and do not dare to despise anyone for his sin, nor be vindictive, as through this you would only aggravate the wounds of those who sin, but rather correct them by means of such advice, threats, and punishments as may tent to stop or restrain the evil within the limits of moderation.

St. John of Kronstadt, On Prayer