It rages inside us
Saint John of Kronstadt All the passions are fire in the soul, a huge fire that rages within us. We have to extinguish them with the water of love, which is so powerful it can put out any internal fire of wickedness and the passions. But woe to us,...
East and West
Saint Nicholas Velimirovich The West is in the throes of turmoil while the East sits in resignation and submission to fate. The West is continually feasting on the Tree of Knowledge and increasingly feels a hunger for knowledge. The East is seated under the Tree of Life but can’t...
Our Governor
Saint Symeon the New Theologian A soul governed by God should have the following properties: straightforwardness, meekness, truth, humility, goodness, righteousness and great piety. It should also have forbearance, charity, sympathy, unfeigned love, clemency, endurance and patience. If you don’t have these things, you aren’t being governed by God....
The only unerring star
Saint Maximos the Greek You should know that the only unerring star that leads you to practice the holy virtues is fear, divine and always pure, through which each one of us is removed far from evil. Always steer strictly by it as you sail straight for the heavenly,...
It doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist
Saint Silouan the Athonite Each of us will have an opinion about God that’s commensurate with the measure of the Grace of the Holy Spirit we have. Because, how is it possible to think about and judge things we haven’t seen and don’t know? The saints say they’ve seen...
The times are thirsting…
Elder Gavriil Tsafos † Our times, our world need monasteries. We need saintly and dedicated monks and nuns. Our times are thirsting for beauty. Thirsting for Christ. Source: pemptousia.com ABOUT THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN NETWORK Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) is a 501(c)3 and an official agency of the Assembly of...
Thrash the enemy
Saint Theophan the Recluse When you turn to the Lord, don’t look at what’s happening within you. Keep your attention fixed on Him and beg for help. If a mind is paying full attention to the Lord, there’s no room for nasty thoughts. Source: pemptousia.com ABOUT THE...
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...
