Black as the night
Saint Theophan the Recluse When we’re outside Grace, the encasement around the soul is as black as night, if we surrender to and serve our passions. If we don’t give in entirely to those passions, then it’s as grey as fog. But we’re still living an empty life. Source:...
Real freedom
Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis Only the Son of God can free us, because He is Himself true freedom. Only if we follow the Savior are we able to remain free and can cast off the slavery of sin. So, if we wish to be free, we should follow Christ...
No-one’s excluded
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninoff The prayer of repentance has been given to all, without exception. It’s been given to those who are dominated by the passions and to those who fall into in sin in practice. They, too, have the right to cry out to the Lord for their salvation....
An ever-flowing torrent
Saint John Maximovich If we turn our attention to our mind, we’ll see a torrent of successive thoughts and ideas. This torrent is unrelenting, it tumbles quickly in every direction and at every moment- at home, in church, at work, when we’re reading, when we’re talking. Saint Theophan the...
The lesser good
Saint John Maximovich The lesser good is necessary: As a matter of fact, the lesser good is more necessary for mankind than the greater. People can get along with their lives without the greater good; without the lesser they cannot exist. Mankind perishes not from a lack of the...
Unpleasant but Beneficial
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Bad talk’s a great evil. It’s a terrible thing for others to hurl themselves at you and besmirch you. It happens. Out of nowhere. Suddenly. Sometimes it’s a fair judgment by God on us; sometimes it isn’t. In the first instance, when we ourselves are...
Set your Thoughts on Fire
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninoff I’m pouring out the words of my heart, which is leaping with unalloyed and inexpressible joy. Brethren, if you enter my words with pure thoughts, you’ll rejoice as if you were at a spiritual banquet. Faith in Christ is life. Those who are already nourished with...
Simplicity and Innocence
Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia Whatever our good self does, let it not be known to the bad self. ‘Do not let your left hand know what your right is doing’. The left is our opposite self which, if it gets wind of what’s happening, will ruin everything. The opposite...
By itself it doesn’t save
Saint Nicholas Velimirovich You can prepare for being charitable by fasting, but you’re really charitable only when you forgive offences against you. Fasting precedes forgiveness, but forgiveness by itself isn’t enough to save you. Source: pemptousia.com ABOUT THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN NETWORK Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) is a...
Rejection of Despair
Saint Peter the Damascan We shouldn’t despair when we’re not as we ought to be. Of course, it’s bad if you sin. But why do you slight God and, in your ignorance, consider Him powerless? Is He Who made this wonderful world for you perhaps unable to save your...
