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Grace
For the Grace of the Spirit, when it has entered into the mind and has been established, springs up more than any fountain, fails not, becomes not empty, stays not. To signify therefore at once its unfailing supply and unlimited operation. He has called it 'a well' and 'rivers,' not one river but numberless. "
- St. John Chrysostom
From Matins Canon of Pentecost
"The pure and sacred Word cried out: I will not be separated from you, My friends, for sitting upon the Throne with the Father, I will pour out the Grace of the Spirit upon those who desire it. "
Two Thoughts on the Holy Spirit and Man's Free Will from St. Macarius of Egypt
"The light that illumined St. Paul on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 9:3), the light through which he was raised to the third Heaven where he heard unutterable mysteries (cf. II Cor. 12:4), was not merely the enlightenment of conceptual images or of spiritual knowledge. It was the effulgence of the power of the Holy Spirit shining in our Lord's own person... Such was its brilliance that corporeal eyes were notable to bear it and were blinded; and through it all spiritual knowledge is revealed and God is truly known by the worthy and loving soul.
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A Living Spirit
"The Grace of the Holy Spirit was shed by God abundantly in Antioch. There were there prophets and teachers of whom Agabus was one (cf. Acts 11:28). And 'as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." And after hands had been laid on them, they were sent forth by the Holy Spirit' (Acts 13:2-4). Now it is manifest, that the Spirit which speaks and sends, is a living Spirit, subsisting as a Person, and operating... the Holy Spirit, who in unison with the Father and Son has established the New Covenant in the Catholic Church.
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- St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Not Abandoned
"Never think anything great about yourselves, so that you are not abandoned by the Grace of God which is guarding you, and a great trial befalls you...! entreat our Panagia (Most-Holy Theotokos)very much that she grant me humility in all things, for it is a fundamental virtue, and without it the grace of the All-holy Spirit does not validate any of our work!
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- Elder Ephraim
The Holy Trinity, Our God
"God the Father is life. God the Son is life. God the Holy Spirit is life. The Holy Trinity is life. Life is in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If you deny in your heart the
Father, you deny the life of your heart. If you deny the Son, you deny your life. If you deny the Holy Spirit, you also deny your life. Thus, your doubt will bring spiritual death into your heart, sorrow and painful oppression, while God will remain the God of life in Three Persons. If you cast away doubt from your heart, and acknowledge with your whole heart all the Three Persons
as your God, as your life, then life will again enter into your heart.
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- St. John of Kronstadt
"As the Holy Trinity, our God, is One Being, although Three Persons, so, likewise, we ourselves must be one. As our God is indivisible, we must also be indivisible, as though we were one man, one mind, one will, one heart, one goodness, without the smallest admixture of malice - in a word, one pure love, as God is Love. 'That they may be one, even as We are One.'
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- St. John of Kronstadt
"When he began, the blessed Abba Zosimas spoke in the following manner. First, he would perform the sign of the Cross over his mouth. He would say that, when the Divine Word became human, He granted abundant Grace to those who believed and who still believe in Him. For, it is possible to believe even now, indeed even to begin from this very day, if we so desire. After all, our desire depends on our free will, with the cooperation also of Grace.
We must endeavor not to do battle with the Spirit, Who is our Helper and Comforter in prayer. We do battle with Him when we defile His dwelling-place, our body, with lustful passions; and we do battle with Him when we muffle His Divine voice with our paltry words. Let us offer instead a pure body and a quiet heart, for these present the Spirit with a peaceful country in which to reign.
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- Fr. Dn. Matthew Steenberg
"The 'agenda of the Church" is to manifest the Kingdom of God as the ultimate term of reference, and thus to relate it to the whole life of man and of his world.
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- Fr. Alexander Schmemann
"Do not forget that we are going through difficult times, and much prayer is needed. You must remember the great need that people have for prayer today, and the great expectation God has of us to pray. Pray for the general outrageous condition of the whole world, that Christ
may have pity on His creation; for they are heading for destruction. Pray for His divine intervention in our outrageous time, for the people are heading into general confusion — into madness and an impasse.
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- Elder Paisios
Spiritual Vision
"'God is greater than our heart and knows all things' (I Jn. 3:20). Through our spiritual vision we see and know the smallest movements of the heart, all our thoughts, desires and intentions
in general, almost everything that is in our soul. But God is greater than our heart. He is within us and around us and everywhere, in every place, as the Single, All-seeing, Spiritual Eye, of which our own spiritual vision is but a small specimen, and, therefore, He knows all that is in us a thousand times better and more clearly than we ourselves; at the same time He knows
everything that is in every man, in every angel, and in all the heavenly powers, in every animate and inanimate creature; sees as upon the palm of His hand all that is within us and every creature, being inherent in each one of them, and maintaining each one of them in its existence and functions, as the All-Provident Creator.
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