Ορθοδοξία

God doesn’t discriminate. He doesn’t take into consideration what people were – good or bad, virtuous or sinful – before they desired Grace. He simply awaits the expression of this desire from each of us, and as soon as that happens, Grace begins to act.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

Sin wears away at people every day, so they need a savior on a daily basis. This Savior is Jesus Christ. If you call upon Him in living and unshakable faith, He will save you.

Saint John of Kronstadt

You can’t go to Church on Sunday because you’re working? You can make yourself an altar at that time by saying a prayer.

Elder Ephraim of Katounakia

Just as we wish for God to love us, to forgive us, to overlook our errors, to watch over us and protect us with His providence, so we should extend the same to other people. Forgiveness doesn’t require effort, it isn’t difficult. What does it need? It needs humility.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Whatever’s wrong with people is coincidental. Don’t look down on anybody even if you see how immoral, prone to drink or blasphemous they are. The image of God is in them, somewhere, too, although, of course, they aren’t aware of it. It’s natural for the enemy to come and besmirch that image. It’s not easy to see the image of God in those who mock you and behave like brutes towards you. You should feel even more sorry for them because their souls have been distorted, to the extent that perhaps they’re beyond correction, which will condemn them to eternal torment.

How difficult is this: Love your enemies!

Blessed Gabriel the New Confessor and Fool for Christ,
from Georgia

Being a Christian, in the narrow sense, means making extreme efforts to cleanse your heart and your mind from nasty thoughts.

Saint Nicholas Velimirovich

Repentance is never lost, and you do not lose anything when you exercise it.

Elder Emilianos Simonopetritis

We should feel Christ to be our friend. He is our friend. He Himself confirms this when He says : ‘You’re my friends…’ (Jn. 15, 14). We should look on Him as a friend and approach Him as such. Do we fall? Do we sin? We should run to Him with openness, love and confidence. Not with fear that He’ll punish us, but with the courage given to us by the feeling that He’s our friend.

Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia

We shouldn’t be like flies, but like bees which buzz from flower to flower collecting pollen to make honey. We, too, should make honey, paying attention only to the good in others.

Saint Luke the Doctor

Until people receive the grace of the Comforter, they need to study the holy Scriptures, so that they’ll have within them the imprint of what’s good; so that, through constant reading the soul will be propelled towards what’s good; and so that the soul will be kept away from the dangerous paths of sin.

Saint Isaac the Syrian