“The most important thing in a prayer, of which one must take care primarily, – is to have a lively and clear-eyed faith in the Lord: think of Him being in front of you and inside you, – and then, if you wish, ask the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, and it shall […]

A Christian must not be a fanatic but have love in his heart for all. He who throws words around carelessly, even true words, does evil. Veneration is a good thing, and the predisposition for good is also good, but spiritual judgment and breadth are needed to guard against fanaticism, that false companion of reverence. […]

“In the words, `Take, eat, drink’, the abyss of God’s love for humankind is made manifest. O perfect love, O all embracing love, O irresistible love, what shall we give to God in gratitude for this love? The Eucharist is fire. I tremble as I receive the fire. Let me not be burned. I come […]

“As a handful of sand thrown into the ocean, so are the sins of all flesh as compared with the mind of God.” “Just as a strongly flowing fountain is not blocked up by a handful of earth, so the compassion of the Creator is not overcome by the wickedness of his creatures.” “Someone who […]

“There is nothing impossible unto those who believe; lively and unshaken faith can accomplish great miracles in the twinkling of an eye. Besides, even without our sincere and firm faith, miracles are accomplished, such as the miracles of the sacraments; for God’s Mystery is always accomplished, even though we were incredulous or unbelieving at the […]

“Prayer is the flower of gentleness and of freedom from anger. Prayer is the fruit of joy and thankfulness. Prayer is the remedy for gloom and despondency.” THE PHILOKALIA Vol 1, regarding what prayer is. Evagrios the Solitary (d. 399AD)

Twelve Commandments 1. Believe in God; 2. Live in simplicity and innocence; do not speak evil: give alms to all who beg; 3. Love truth and avoid falsehood; 4. Preserve chastity in your thoughts; 5. Learn patience and generosity; 6. Know that a good and an evil spirit attend every man; 7. Fear God and […]

We have a reliable barometer, which indicates the expansion or the decline of our spiritual life and that is — our heart. It can also be called a compass that shows us which way to swim. It reveals whether we are travelling toward the spiritual East — Christ, or headed West — toward the dark […]

“… we must most carefully look after the field of our heart, lest the tares of evil, slothfulness, luxuriousness, self-indulgence, unbelief, avarice, envy, hatred, and others, should grow within it; we must daily weed the field of our heart ? at least, at morning and evening prayers, and refresh it by salutary sighs, as by […]

“The Scriptures were not given merely that we might have them in books, but that we might engrave them on our hearts.” St. John Chrysostom