really good spiritual reading! tips on being close to God

edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
thanks to dzheremi for this link he posted on orthodoxChristianity.net,
it is one of the best books i have read.
i will include a small extract here on avoiding self righteousness:
link: http://www.cccnet.ca/Menu/Books/HH_QuestionsIII_SpiritualGeneral.pdf
(p156)
[ 42 ]
THOUGHTS OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
Question?
What should I do when Satan attacks me with thoughts of
self righteousness?.
Answer:
There are two basic methods of fighting thoughts of selfrighteousness,
and they are for a person to remember his sins,
and to recall the highest stages reached by the saints.
Recalling his sins will make a person humble, contrite and
ashamed, because even a single sin can cause him to perish.
Likewise, bringing to mind the highest stages which the saints
attained in each form of virtue, will make a person realise how
insignificant he is if he should compare himself to that level.

We must also attribute to God's grace, any virtue or
goodness that we might have done, and must remember
that self-righteousness will make God's grace forsake us
and leave us to fall.. which would soon make us aware of our
weakness and return to a humble position.
So you have to remember to be afraid of falling, whenever you
submit to thoughts of self-righteousness because, 'Pride goes
before a fall'.

may God give us mercy and peace and keep our honoured father baba shenouda for many years and peaceful times.

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