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" al rab kareb laman ydoho"
in english
" god is close to thoes who call upond him"
pope kyrollise
NOT SURE WHO
dont tell Godhow Big your problems are ...tell your Problem how Big God is...
ok sorry manybe not a church father quote but just as beautiful ;D
St Basil. the Great
"Let us fast an acceptable and very pleasing fast to the Lord. True fast is the estrangement from evil, temperance of tongue, abstinence from anger, separation from desires, slander, falsehood, and perjury. Privation of these is true fasting."
-St. John Chrysostom
—St Ignatius of Antioch
—St Isaac of Syria
[www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/vita-antony.html]
1. he did not trouble his parents for varied or luxurious fare, nor was this a source of pleasure to him; but was content simply with what he found nor sought anything further.
3. taking heed to himself and training himself with patience
he confirmed his purpose not to return to the abode of his fathers nor to the remembrance of his kinsfolk; but to keep all his desire and energy for perfecting his discipline
4. He subjected himself in sincerity to the good men whom he visited, and learned thoroughly where each surpassed him in zeal and discipline
With others of the same age he had no rivalry; save this only, that he should not be second to them in higher things. And this he did so as to hurt the feelings of nobody, but made them rejoice over him
5. But the devil,...First of all tried to lead him away from the discipline, ...
In a word he raised in his mind a great dust of debate, wishing to debar him from his settled purpose. But when the enemy saw himself to be too weak for Antony's determination, and that he rather was conquered by the other's firmness, overthrown by his great faith and falling through his constant prayers
he the devil)attacked the young man, disturbing him by night and harassing him by day
But Antony, his mind filled with Christ and the nobility inspired by Him, and considering the spirituality of the soul, quenched the coal of the other's deceit.
For he (the divil), deeming himself like God, was now mocked by a young man; and he who boasted himself against flesh and blood was being put to flight by a man in the flesh. For the Lord was working with Antony--the Lord who for our sake took flesh and gave the body victory over the devil, so that all who truly fight can say ' not I but the grace of God which was with me.'
7. Antony therefore planned to accustom himself to a severer mode of life. And many marvelled, but he himself used to bear the labour easily; for the eagerness of soul, through the length of time it had abode in him, had wrought a good habit in him
(Antony)saying it behoved young men to be earnest in training and not to seek what would enervate the body; but they must accustom it to labour, mindful of the Apostle's words, ' when I am weak, then am I strong.' 'For,' said he, 'the fibre of the soul is then sound when the pleasures of the body are diminished
as though making a beginning daily let us increase our earnestness. For the whole life of man is very short, measured by the ages to come, wherefore all our time is nothing compared with eternal life. And in the world everything is sold at its price, and a man exchanges one equivalent for another; but the promise of eternal life is bought for a trifle
And though we fought on earth, we shall not receive our inheritance on earth, but we have the promises in heaven; and having put off the body which is corrupt, we shall receive it incorrupt
Wherefore, children, let us not faint nor deem that the time is long, or that we are doing something great, "for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward
—St Isaac of Syria
—St Isaac of Syria
Even if you do not possess a pure heart, at least let your speech be pure.
—St Isaac of Syria
—St Isaac of Syria
—St Isaac of Syria
"If we fear to preach the truth because that causes us some inconvenience, how, in our gatherings can we chant the combats and triumphs of our holy martyrs?”
He was the first to lead by example, fighting against Nestorius and enduring the hardhsips that it brought on him. He passed this great spirit to his disciple Dioscoros, later Pope and martyr of faith St. Dioscoros.
Even if you do not possess a pure heart, at least let your speech be pure.
—St Isaac of Syria
I really like that one since "if anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body." (James 3:2)
I also like "No man has been entrusted with great things without having first been tried in small ones" - St Isaac the Syrian.
St Isaac could also be seen as the Patron Saint of reconciliation since, although being completely Orthodox in his teaching, he was baptised and ordained in the Assyrian Church of the East (Nestorian Church) - yet he is seen as a great Church Father by both the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches.
so here it is:
Abba Antonios said: “The time is coming when people will be seized by manias and will behave like madmen. And if they see anyone acting reasonably, they will rise up against him saying: ‘You are insane.’ And they will have accurately said this to him, for he will not be like them.”
(sorry if it was posted somewhere above)
-St. Diadochos of Photiki
Give me ears to hear Thee, eyes to see Thee, taste to partake of Thee, sense of smell to inhale Thee. Give me feet to walk unto Thee; lips to speak of Thee, heart to fear and love Thee. Teach me Thy ways, O Lord, and I shall walk in Thy truth. For Thou art the way, the truth and the life.
-St. Tikhon of Voronezh
-St. Gregory Palamas in The Art of Prayer
Worldly thoughts and the cares of life have the same effect on the understanding as a veil draped over the eyes, for the understanding is the eye of the soul. So long as we leave them there, we cannot see. But when they fall away as we remember that we are to die, then we shall clearly see the true light which illumines every man as it comes into the world from on high.
-St. Symeon the New Theologian, The Practical and Theological Chapters.
If the soul is vigilant and withdraws from all distraction and abandons its own will, then the spirit of God invades it and it can conceive because it is free to do so.
-St. Theophan the Recluse
As a man whose head is under water cannot inhale pure air, so a man whose thoughts are plunged into the cares of this world cannot absorb the sensations of that new world.
St. Isaac of Syria
By throwing off the outer bonds, you throw off the inner as well. While you are freeing yourself from external concerns, your heart is freed from inner pain. It follows from this that the hard warfare you are compelled to wage with yourself is exclusively a means. As such it is neither good nor bad; the saints often liken it to a prescribed cure. However painful it may be to follow out, it nevertheless remains only a means to regain health.
The Way of the Ascetics by Tito Colliander
-Abba Evagrius
If we do not have love we are deprived of everything…Nothing attracts God so much as mercy, philanthropy…Nothing enrages God so much, as for us to be uncharitable.
-REF:Saint John Chrysostom
Love is a holy state of soul, disposing it to value knowledge of God above all created things.
-St. Maximos the Confessor
Such is the power of love: it embraces, and unites, and fastens together not only those who are present and near, and visible, but also those who are distant. And neither time, not separation in space, nor anything else of that kind, can break up and divide in pieces the affection of the soul.
-St. John Chrysostom
God's will is done on earth as in heaven when, in the way indicated, we do not disparage one another, and when not only are we without jealousy but we are united one to another in simplicity and in mutual love, peace and joy, and regard our brother's progress as our own and his failure as our loss.
-St. Symeon Metaphrastis, Paraphrase of the Homilies of St. Makarios of Egypt
-Modern Orthodox Saints Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene of Lesvos., by Constantine Cavarnos
Patience is a sweet word. Patience is a sweet breath. Patience is an invincible weapon. Patience is a priceless adornment of man. Patience is a blessing of God.
-Spiritual Counsels of St. Raphael in Modern Orthodox Saints
Patience is preferable to haste, and condescension is better than persistence.
-St. Gregory the Theologian
Patient endurance is the fruit of love, for 'love patiently endures all things' (I Cor. 13:7), and teaches us to achieve such endurance by forcing ourselves so that through patience we may attain love...
-St. Gregory Palamas
Pray Simply. Do not expect to find in your heart any remarkable gift of prayer Consider yourself unworthy of it-then you will find peace. Use the empty, cold dryness of your prayer as food for your humility. Repeat constantly: "I am not worthy, Lord, I am not worthy!" But say it calmly, without agitation. This humble prayer will be acceptable to God.
-Elder Macarius of Optina
-St. Peter of Damaskos
Always keep your mind collected in your heart.
-Theofan the Recluse
You probably have noticed -that the wonderful people at copticmail have put a little portal (dunno if that's the term, embaressing for an IT person ;D) that puts on a new saying from the fathers every time you load the login page; does any one know where they get those quotes from???
Love,
His Son
St. Theophan the Recluse
+++ "I will remind you of only one thing; one must descend with the mind into the heart, and there stand before the face of the Lord, ever present, all seeing within you. The Jesus prayer takes a firm and steadfast hold, when a small fire begins to burn in the heart. Try not to quench this fire, and it will become established in such a way that the prayer repeats itself; and then you will have within you a small murmuring stream" +++
"Let the mind wonder, but keep your heart with God."
"why do you trouble me, i am weaker than you all"
he was even humble before the devils
St Serapion
In Christ,
John
He made our poverty his own, and we see in Christ the strange and rare paradox of Lordship in servant's form and divine glory in human abasement
Saint George of Nyssa (baptism)
Jesus enters the filthy waters of the world and when He comes out, brings up the entire world with him
St Moses The Black
from Life of St Columba by Adomnan Of Iona
Once when St Columba stayed as a guest, a layman came to him and complained that his wife had an aversion to him, so he said, and would not allow him to lie with her. The saint called the wife to him and, so far as he was able, began to reproach her, saying:
'Why, woman, do you attempt to deny your own flesh? For the Lord says, "Two shall be in one flesh". Therefore your husband's flesh is your flesh.'
To which she answered:
'I am prepared to do anything you order me to, however much of a burden, except one thing. Do not make me share a bed with Luigne. I do not shirk from all the work of the house, or if you tell me to cross the seas and remain in ome woman's monastery I would do it.'
'It cannot be right to do what you say. For as long as your husband is alive, you are subject to the law of your husband. It is unlawful to put apart those whom God has joined together.'
Having said this, he went on with this suggestion:
'Today, the three of us- husband and wife and I- shall fast and pray to the Lord.'
Why say more? Both husband and wife consented to fast that day with St Columba. That night, while the couple slept, St Columba prayed for them. The next day, in this husband's presence, he charged the wife:
'Woman,will you today do what yesterday you said you were ready to enter a monastery of women?'
'Now,' she said, 'I know that the Lord has heard your prayers for me. For the husband whom I hated yesterday I love today. For during last night, I know not how, my heart was changed within me from loathing to love.'
Why linger? From then until the day of her death, the heart of the wife was fixed entirely on her husband's love.