How to not put yourself out

If you tire yourself for your neighbor out of pure love, you will find rest in tiredness. But if you love only yourself and are lazy, you will tire yourself just by sitting. – Elder Paisios (Eznepidis) of the Holy Mountain

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Being a Moneychanger

No friend of gold ever became a friend of Christ or a friend of people. — Saint John Chrysostom

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Let your table be open to everyone

Look at all the earth supplies in summer and in autumn! Every Christian, especially the priest, ought to imitate God’s bountifulness. Let your table be open to everybody, like the table of the Lord. The avaricious is God’s enemy.” — St. John of Kronstadt

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Poverty purchases the Kingdom

Do not say that you are collecting money for the poor; with two mites the Kingdom was purchased. — St. John Climacus

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Commandments are a Means

The whole purpose of the Savior’s commandments is to free the mind from
incontinence and hate and to bring it to the love of Himself, and of its
neighbor. From these is begotten the splendor of holy knowledge,
actually possessed.
St. Maximus the Confessor

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Personal Attachments

First of all, Christianity is a religion not so much of principles, rules and precepts, but primarily and above all of personal attachments, in the first place an affectionate attachment to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through Him to other members of His Church, the living and the dead. – St. Nikolai [...]

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The Path of Mercy

“A clear path way comes from showing mercy.” – St. Evagrios

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The Unforgiving are the Unforgiven

The drunkard, the fornicator, the proud – he will receive God’s mercy. But he who does not want to forgive, to excuse, to justify consciously, intentionally…. that person closes himself to eternal life before God, and even more so in the present life. He is turned away and not heard. – Elder Sampson of Russia

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Enemies and Communion

“As it is not to be imagined that the fornicator and the blasphemer can partake of the sacred Table, so it is impossible that he who has an enemy, and bears malice, can enjoy the holy Communion.… I forewarn, and testify, and proclaim this with a voice that all may hear! ‘Let no one who [...]

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Praying for Enemies and Self Control

“Prayer for our enemies is the very highest summit of self-control.” – St John Chrysostom, Homily 18 on the Gospel of St Matthew
“Praying against one’s personal enemies is a transgression of law.” – St John Chrysostom, Homily against Publishing the Errors of the Brethren

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