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Repentance
"Weep before God so that He grants you a spirit of humility, for only through this will you advance towards higher things, toward the love of God. Spiritual progress is nothing but the acquisition of humble-mindedness. Jesus, even though He is God, humbled Himself so much, and we who are lowly by nature, exalt ourselves and fluff out the feathers of vainglory like a peacock. However when He throws us into some temptation and we peacocks see the ugliness of our feet, that is, the rotten condition of our soul, then we recognize what we, the race of Adam are by nature, and that our pride is not humbled except by slaps and falls. Tears and mourning bring much humility, therefore ask with patience from the Giver of good things. Pray: 'Do not overlook me, the prodigal one, 0 Thou Who wast born of a virgin; do not overlook my tears, 0 Joy of the angels, but receive me in repentance and save me.' I pray that Jesus, the humble of heart may give you His heart, so that you may experience humility. "
- St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Reflection on Christian Obedience
"Nothing crushes human pride as does habitual obedience toward elders. In ancient Sparta, obedience was considered a great virtue. It is said a Spartan soldier, who rushed into battle armed with a sword, caught up with his enemy and at the precise moment when he was about to slay him, the trumpet sounded to end the fighting and the Spartan replaced his sword in the sheath. When someone who saw this asked him: 'Why did you not slay the enemy?' He replied: 'It is better to obey the commander than to slay the enemy.'
Christian obedience differs from this Spartan obedience in that it is voluntary and has as its goal the salvation of the soul; i.e., it is not for the preservation of the earthly kingdom but rather for obtaining of the heavenly Kingdom. St. John the Short began his ascetical life with a certain elder of Thebes. In order to teach his disciple obedience, the elder planted a withered tree in the ground and ordered his disciple to water it daily. For
three years, John without murmuring watered this withered tree until it finally turned green and brought forth fruit. This is the fruit of resigned obedience. The Crucified Lord Himself 'became obedient to death' (Philippians 2:8).
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- St. Nikolai of Serbia
The Beginning of Darkening
"Without harsh tribulations of the flesh it is difficult for untrained youth to be held under the yoke of sanctification. The beginning of the intellect's darkening is to be seen, first of all, in slothfulness with regard to the Church services and prayer. For except the soul first fall away from these, she cannot be led in the way of error; but as soon as she is deprived of God's help, she easily fails into the hands of her adversaries. "
- St. Isaac of Syria
True Freedom ~ We are free only if we are slaves of Christ!
"For the slave called by the Lord is a freed person in the Lord, just as the free person who has been called is a slave of Christ" (I Corinthians 7:22).
"According to secular understanding, the slave is one who enjoys the world the least and a free man is one who enjoys the world the most. According to Christian understanding, a slave is one who least enjoys from the living and sweet Christ and the free man is one who enjoys most the living and sweet Christ. Further, according to secular understanding, the slave is one who carries out his own will less frequently and who carries out the will of others more frequently, and a free man is one who carries out
his will more often and even less often the will of others. However, according to Christian understanding, the slave is one who carries out his will more often and even less often the will of God, and the free man is one who carries out the will of God more frequently and who carries out even less frequently, his own will.
To be a slave to the Lord is the only true and worthy freedom of man and, to be a slave to the world and to one's self, sin and vice is the only fatal slavery. Of the kings on the throne, a man would think: Are there any more free men on earth than those? However, many kings were the most base and the most unworthy slaves of the earth. Of shackled Christians in the dungeons, a man would think: Are there any more miserable slaves on earth than they? However, the Christian martyrs in the prisons felt as free men and were filled with spiritual joy; they chanted Psalms and raised up prayers of gratitude to God. Freedom which is tied to grief and sorrow is not freedom but slavery. Only freedom in Christ is tied with unspeakable joy. Lasting joy is the mark
of true freedom.
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The Beginning of Darkening
"I suppose that it is sometimes better to fall oneself and rise, than to judge one's neighbour; because one who has sinned is incited to self-abasement and repentance, while he who judges one who has sinned becomes hardened in an illusion about himself and in pride. Therefore, everyone must guard himself, as much as possible, so as not to judge. "