Quotes

A collection of scriptural meditations from Saints and Fathers of the Church.

Tests

When tested by some trial you should try to find out not why or through whom it came, but only how to endure it gratefully, without distress or rancor.

St. Mark the Ascetic

Simplicity

Let all of us who wish to attract the Lord to ourselves draw near to Him as disciples to the Master, simply, without hypocrisy, without duplicity or guile, not out of idle curiosity. He Himself is simple and not composite, and He wants souls that come to Him to be simple and guileless. For you will surely never see simplicity bereft of humility.

St. John Climacus

Simplicity

Walk before God in simplicity, and not in subtleties of the mind. Simplicity brings faith; but subtle and intricate speculations bring conceit; and conceit brings withdrawal from God.

St. Isaac the Syrian

Tests

Grace always precedes temptation, as if to notify you saying, 'Prepare yourself and lock your doors.'

Elder Joseph the Hesychast

Simplicity

May simplicity go before you everywhere; especially be simple in your faith, hope, and love, for God is an Essence of Simplicity, a Unity that is worshipped everlastingly, and our soul is simple. The simplicity of our soul is hindered by our flesh, when we please it.

St. John of Kronstadt

Tests

As work according to God is called virtue, so unexpected affliction is called a test.

St. Mark the Ascetic

Simplicity

Where there is simplicity, there are a hundred Angels, but where there is cleverness – there are none.

St. Ambrose of Optina

Simplicity

Blessed are those who, from love of God, have girded their loins with unquestioning simplicity for this sea of suffering, and who do not turn back.

St. Isaac the Syrian

Purity

Serving the sick is one of the most powerful weapons for guarding one's purity.

St. Anatoly of Optina

Tests

Knowing the exact nature of everything, God permits each person to be tested according to his strength. As St. Paul puts it: 'God is to be trusted not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but with the trial He will provide a way out, so that you are able to bear it' (1 Cor. 10:13).

St. Macarius the Great

Simplicity

Live simply and God will not leave you...

St. Leonid of Optina

Purity

How can one say that a man has attained purity? - When he sees all men as being good, and when none appears to him to be unclean and defiled - then he is indeed pure in heart.

St. Isaac the Syrian

Simplicity

The garment of your soul must shine with the whiteness of simplicity.

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

Purity

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Everything we do, our every objective, must be undertaken for the sake of this purity of heart. This is why we take on loneliness, fasting, vigils, work, nakedness. For this we must practice the reading of the Scripture, together with all the other virtuous activities, and we do so to trap and to hold our hearts free of the harm of every dangerous passion and in order to rise step by step to the high point of love.

St. John Cassian

Vocation

Strive to walk worthily of the vocation to which you were called.

St. Philotheus of Sinai

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When tested by some trial you should try to find out not why or through whom it came, but only how to endure it gratefully, without distress or rancor.

Walk before God in simplicity, and not in subtleties of the mind. Simplicity brings faith; but subtle and intricate speculations bring conceit; and conceit brings withdrawal from God.

Grace always precedes temptation, as if to notify you saying, 'Prepare yourself and lock your doors.'

May simplicity go before you everywhere; especially be simple in your faith, hope, and love, for God is an Essence of Simplicity, a Unity that is worshipped everlastingly, and our soul is simple. The simplicity of our soul is hindered by our flesh, when we please it.

As work according to God is called virtue, so unexpected affliction is called a test.

Where there is simplicity, there are a hundred Angels, but where there is cleverness – there are none.

Blessed are those who, from love of God, have girded their loins with unquestioning simplicity for this sea of suffering, and who do not turn back.

Serving the sick is one of the most powerful weapons for guarding one's purity.

Knowing the exact nature of everything, God permits each person to be tested according to his strength. As St. Paul puts it: 'God is to be trusted not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but with the trial He will provide a way out, so that you are able to bear it' (1 Cor. 10:13).

Live simply and God will not leave you...

How can one say that a man has attained purity? - When he sees all men as being good, and when none appears to him to be unclean and defiled - then he is indeed pure in heart.

The garment of your soul must shine with the whiteness of simplicity.

Strive to walk worthily of the vocation to which you were called.

"When anyone is disturbed or saddened under the pretext of a good and soul-profiting matter, and is angered against his neighbor, it is evident that this is not according to God: for everything that is of God is peaceful and useful and leads a man to humility and to judging himself. "

St. Barsanuphius the Great

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