St. Symeon the New Theologian Orthodox Church

On the Christian Faith

"The Christian Faith is the only Faith in the world that has one determined and never changing standard of values. About how it [Christianity] measures and classifies its values, St. John Chrysostom speaks clearly. He says, 'Things have a three-fold distinction: the first are good and cannot be evil, for example: wisdom, charity and the like; the second are evil and can never be good, for example: perversion, inhumanity and cruelty. The third, at times becomes this or at times becomes that, whenever, according to the disposition of those who make use of it.' This divine teacher explains, how riches and poverty, and freedom and slavery, and power and disease and even death itself fall into the neutral distinction which, are neither good nor evil by themselves, but become either this or that according to the disposition of men and according to the use which men make of them. For example, if riches were good and poverty evil, then all rich men would be good and all the poor would be evil. However, we are daily convinced that as there are good and evil rich men, so also are there good and evil poor men. The same can be applied to the healthy and the sick, to the free and the enslaved, to the satiated and the hungry, to those who are in authority and to those under subjugation. Even death is not evil for 'the martyrs, through death, became more fortunate than all.' "

- St. Nikolai - Prologue of Ochrid

Grace and Humility

"But as soon as Grace sees that a little self-esteem has begun to steal into a man's thoughts, and that he has begun to think great things of himself, she immediately permits the temptations opposing him to gain in strength and prevail, until he learns his weakness, and takes to flight, and clings to God in humility. "

- St. Isaac the Syrian

Following God's Will

"If, then, we truly love Jesus Christ with our hearts and not just with our words, and if we are grateful to Him, are we then not bound to carry out what He wills for us to do? When a person truly loves his benefactor, he expresses his gratitude by doing what pleases his benefactor. "

- St. Innocent, Apostle to America

Holy Baptism

"Holy Baptism is like a door by which those that are baptized enter into the Holy Church and become 'fellow citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God.' Beloved, let us watch ourselves and let us be with Christ here in this world, as we have vowed at Baptism; let us be with Christ here that we may be with Christ in the age to come, according to His promise that cannot lie, 'where I am, there shall also my servants be.' Let us serve Him here as our King and God, that on the Day of Judgment, He will acknowledge us as His laborers and number us with His faithful servants and open unto us the doors of everlasting joy. Remeber the vows made at Baptism. "

- St. Tikon of Zadonsk