St. Symeon the New Theologian Orthodox Church

Love of God and Neighbor

"We should love our neighbor no less yhan ourselves (cf. Lk. 10:27). But we should not do this in such a way that love for our neighbor goes outside the boundaries of moderation and diverts us from fulfillment of the first and chief commandment, namely, the love of God. "

- St. Seraphim of Sarov

Working for God

"The soft life makes people useless. Without toil and struggle, sancitication won't come. "

- Elder Paisios

"The path of virtue is a path of effort and toil. "

- St. Nectarios of Aegina

Tasks Unfinished

"We leave our tasks unfinished because of our negligence or debility, for we do not carry out the work of God diligently and do not regard it as our main task; on the contrary, we disdain it as a kind of incidental chore. Because of this we fail to prosper, or indeed often regress, like those others who 'turn back' and no longer followed Jesus (cf. Jn. 6:66). And yet what Jesus said was nothing harsh, as they thought, for He was speaking to them about doctrine. Nonetheless, where a resolute dispostion and desire are lacking, even easy things appear difficult -though the reverse is true as well. "

- St. Peter of Damascus

And So, Do Not Consent...

"Dear F...., you will still not understand? Why, you yourself see that for years the enemy has been scaring you but has accomplished nothing so far...Here is what Batiushka Father Amvrosy said concerning you, "She should not despair, but trust in God's mercy." The enemy only suggests thoughts; he can accomplish nothing without God's permission and unless we ourselves consent. And so, do not consent and he will not hurt you. "

- from a letter of St. Anatoly of Optina to one of his spiritual daughters

Let Us Not Disdain Our Master...

"'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' Matt. 24:403 It is clear from the aforesaid that the Lord accepts and takes everything done for our poor neighbors as done for Him Himself. And His words "ye have done it unto me" are not limited only to those to whom we were unkind, or whom we have wronged, or whose possessions we have appropriated, or to whom we have done other harm, but include also those whom we have disdained. - This latter alone is sufficient for our condemnation for, in disdaining them, we disdain Christ Himself. "

- Saint Symeon the New Theologian