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The Holy Fathers wisely dedicated the 3rd Sunday of Great Lent to the honouring and veneration of the Precious Cross. We’ve already passed three weeks of fasting and struggle, and the precious Cross comes in the middle of Holy Lent to reinforce the faithful so that we can continue along the path that will lead to the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. An instrument which, in antiquity, represented the most horrendous of deaths was transformed by Jesus Christ into ‘a weapon against the devil’. Just as, before Christ’s coming, we were cut off from God because of the ancestral sin, so, after his resurrection, our relationship with God was restored. Our attitude is defined by the words of the Lord Jesus Christ in ...

Your body was in church, but your soul was outside. Your mouth was praying, but your mind was counting interest payments, agreements, transactions, fields, holdings, gatherings with friends.  All of this because the devil is cunning. He knows that we gain a great deal at the hour of prayer and this is why he attacks with increased vehemence. Saint John Chrysostom

We miserable wretches, monks and lay people, are in the last times, but the struggle is the struggle. We won’t give in even for a moment. Fight to the end. Then the Lord, who crowns us and establishes us eternally, at the last moment will not give us the false and vain things of this life but will enable us to reign with him in his kingdom. Eternally. Elder Amvrosios Lazaris

After the fall of the First-Created, sin and the passions of wickedness, whatever they may be, wage war against us and may prevail, depending on whether we’re aware of this war and fight back or whether we’re delighted by them,  and encourage and nourish them. But never at any time can there have been such social acceptance and legitimization of sin as in our own days.

‘Communion of deification’ means a society of people that prepares and produces gods, gods by grace. This was, in any case, God’s pre-eternal plan for us, as is clear from the fact that we were made ‘in His likeness’. We were to become like Him and share in the grace of the Triune God. The implementation of this plan, however, requires our consent and co-operation. God endowed us with freedom and does not impose anything on us by force. This is why God’s aim for us is served only through our willing cooperation. Since we became distorted through our apostasy from God, we need to strive, by God’s grace, to find our true self again and to proceed with His ...

It’s difficult to trample down the passions, which become like our natural members. Saint Paul says: ‘Put to death your members which are on earth’. When you’re constantly vigilant, when you pray and practice self-control all the time, then, with God’s help, you’ll manage to trample them down and root them out. Saint John Kronstadtskij

People who live in the past are like the dead. Those who live in the future are naïve, because the future is God’s business. The joy of Christ is to be found only in the present. In God’s eternal present. Abbess Gavriilia Papayianni

The humble soul is deeply at rest, whereas the proud one is its own torment. Proud people don’t know God’s love and are far from Him. They’re proud that they’re rich, or scholarly or famous, but they don’t realize the tragedy of their poverty and loss, since they haven’t come to know God. On the other hand, if you fight against pride, the Lord helps you to overcome the passion. Saint Silouan the Athonite

For us who firmly and resolutely believe in God’s providence, even the worst misfortune is nothing but a movement of the hand of Him, our Lord, Who never tires of drawing us to His path to eternity. And never tires of showing us the path. Saint Makarij of Optina

When, in an obvious manner, we follow the commandments, we receive a commensurate reward from the Lord and benefit spiritually in accordance with the aim of the intention. Saint Mark the Ascetic

Temptations are allowed in order to make apparent the hidden passions so that these may be attacked and the soul can be healed. They, too, are an indication of God’s mercy. So, confidently place yourself in God’s hands and ask His help, and He’ll strengthen you in your struggle. Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis

Those who don’t want to attend to their prayers don’t want to be with God. People who pray for the whole world perform the greatest act of charity for themselves and for humanity. Dimitrios Panagopoulos

I’ve seen hundreds of people weep bitter tears over the fruits of sin. I’ve never seen anyone cry because they’ve followed the path of experience of the saints. On the contrary, whereas in the eyes of the world they seemed  unfortunate, their heart was in fact full of heavenly joy and inexpressible bliss. We often wish people had even a fraction of this, so that they could finally understand where the happiness they seek is to be found. Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

Anger is a natural property of the mind. Without anger, we can’t achieve purification, that is, unless we’re angry at all the wicked thoughts which the devil sows within us. If you want to reach natural anger (that is anger which is directed at the devil and the passions), cut off your will until the state of your mind becomes as it was when God created it. Saint Isaiah the Anchorite

The evil spirit doesn’t expose our virtues but our weaknesses. Only if we give him the right to do so can the devil do us harm. If you don’t take part in the sacraments of the Church, you’re giving permission to be tempted and to be subjected to demonic influences. The further you distance yourself from God, the more difficult things become for you. Saint Païsios the Athonite

The grace of God descends on humble people. Those who are proud are surrounded by woeful circumstances, in order for them to become humble and be saved. The humble always welcome God’s mercy. Humble yourself in all things before other people. Abase yourself and you’ll see God’s glory. Strive to make everyone else look down on you, so that God may glorify you. Saint Isaac the Syrian

We cannot recognize God without God. Those who know Him better become more humble. They fear Him and love Him. Those who have fear of God have a treasury full of blessings. The fear of God protects people from sin. Saint Andronik from  the Monastery of Glinsk

If the extreme of the most perfect meekness is to treat with inner serenity and love someone who’s provoking you when they’re standing in front of you, then certainly the extreme of anger is to use various words and wild actions in order to clash with someone who has wounded you, even though they’re not there. Saint John of the Ladder