St. Symeon the New Theologian Orthodox Church

We Need to Pray for Everyone

"We Christians need to pray for everyone, and especially all those who have deviated from the faith. The grace of God preserves the baptized as pure gold. Though he be covered with rubbish, filth, and impurity, he is gold all the same. Suddenly peace of soul will manifest in the man. It is pleasant for him, good, but he does not know from where such a peaceful breath of air came to him, and when it vanishes, he does not know to where it departed. This is the Holy Spirit; this grace of God consoles, soothes, and comforts a man, often through the prayers for him by all of the church or through the prayers of spiritual people. "

- St. Rachel of Borodino

Suspicion

"By accepting a suspicion against the neighbor, by saying, 'What does it matter if I put in a word about my suspicion? What does it matter if I find out what my brother is saying or what a guest is doing?' the mind begins to forget about its own sins and to talk idly about his neighbor, speaking evil against him, despising him, and from this he falls into the very thing he condemns. Because we become careless about our own faults and do not lament our own death, we lose the power to correct ourselves and we are always at work on our neighbor. "

- St. Dorotheos of Gaza

So that you resemble Christ...

"Each person must bear the weaknesses of others. Who is perfect? Who can boast that he has kept his heart undefiled? Hence, we are all sick, and whoever condemns his brother does not perceive that he himself is sick, because a sick person does not condemn another sick person.... Love, endure, overlook, do not get angry, do not flare up, forgive one another, so that you resemble our Christ and are counted worthy to be near Him in His Kingdom. My children, avoid condemnation—it is a very great sin. God is greatly saddened when we condemn and loathe people. Let us concern ourselves only with our own faults—for these we should feel pain. Let us condemn ourselves and then we shall find mercy and grace from God. "

- Elder Ephraim

Taste the Sweetness of God

"It is in no way contrary to the principles of true knowledge to eat and drink from all that is set before you, giving thanks to God; for 'everything is very good' (cf. Gen. 1:31). But gladly to abstain from eating too pleasurably or too much shows greater discrimination and understanding. However, we shall not gladly detach ourselves from the pleasures of this life unless we have fully and consciously tasted the sweetness of God. "

- St. Diadochos of Photiki