Quotes on Orthodoxy – Page 14

Quotes on Orthodoxy / St. Paisios of Athos

“Some tell me they are scandalized because they see many things wrong in the Church.”

Some people tell me that they are scandalized because they see many things wrong in the Church. I tell them that if you ask a fly, Are there any flowers in this area? it will say, I don’t know about flowers, but over there in that heap of rubbish you can find all the filth you want. And it will go on to list all the unclean things it has been to.

Now, if you ask a honeybee, Have you seen any unclean things in this area? it will reply, Unclean things? No, I have not seen any; the place here is full of the most fragrant flowers. And it will go on to name all the flowers of the garden or the meadow.
You see, the fly only knows where the unclean things are, while the honeybee knows where the beautiful iris or hyacinth is.

As I have come to understand, some people resemble the honeybee and some resemble the fly. Those who resemble the fly seek to find evil in every circumstance and are preoccupied with it; they see no good anywhere. But those who resemble the honeybee only see the good in everything they see. The stupid person thinks stupidly and takes everything in the wrong way, whereas the person who has good thoughts, no matter what he sees, no matter what you tell him, maintains a positive and good thought.

– St. Paisios of Athos

Featured image: Photographer Elina Sazonova. source

Metropolitan St. Philaret of Moscow / Quotes on Orthodoxy

“People in slavery to sins more often than others appear zealots of external freedom.”

Some people by the word “freedom” understand the ability to do whatever one wants…People who have allowed themselves to come into slavery to sins, passions, and defilements more often than others appear zealots of external freedom, wanting to broaden the laws as much as possible. But such a man uses external freedom only to more severely burden himself with inner slavery. True freedom is the active ability of a man who is not enslaved to sin, who is not pricked by a condemning conscience, to choose the better in the light of God’s truth, and to bring it into actuality with the help of the gracious power of God.

– St. Philaret of Moscow, Sermon on the Birthday of Emperor Nicholas I, 1851

Featured image: Looking west from Main Range Track, Kosciuszko National Park. Photographer Christian Bass. source

Andrew Gould / Iconography & Liturgical Arts

“Iconography was not contrived as an academic or mystical image-language.”

(The modern field of) iconology is talking about icons, not painting them. It is a way of deconstructing icons and reducing them to words. In the hands of iconologists, an icon is a semiotic puzzle to be taken apart, reduced to figures, colors, and props. Each component is a symbol, a stand-in for a word, and the icon can be translated into its textual meaning.
Iconology does serve a useful purpose – it is a way of introducing icons to the visually blind. It shows modern people who are not accustomed to meaningful images that there is in fact, meaning in images. Ultimately, it provides an academic framework for studying icons in a way that can be reduced to essay questions on an exam – an absolute requirement in modern universities.

It is not surprising then, that seminaries find the idea of ‘reading and writing’ icons appealing. In fact, probably most Americans find it attractive. It particularly appeals to converts from Protestantism. After all, Protestantism has always been rife with a text bias mixed with iconoclasm; if you say it’s written and not painted, then it’s not quite so much like the Catholic paintings that you always feared as a protestant. Of course, some people are attracted to Orthodoxy for more exotic reasons – the mysticism of Eastern religion, for instance. The term will appeal to them as well, because it implies gnostic secrets locked into the icons – an ancient language accessible only to the initiated.

Fr. Seraphim Rose / Quotes on Orthodoxy / St. Symeon the New Theologian

“For all true Orthodox Christians, theology is life.”

…For Saint Symeon, as for all true Orthodox Christians, theology is life; the true words of God which speak to the Christian heart, raise it from its sloth and negligence, and inspire it to struggle for the eternal Kingdom, which may be tasted in advance even now in the life of grace which God sends down upon His faithful through His sanctifying Holy Spirit.

– Fr. Seraphim Rose

Featured image: Fr. Seraphim Rose on Pascha

Misc. Quotes on Orthodoxy / Quotes on Orthodoxy

“Let us hymn and glorify God in trials.”

Let us hymn and glorify God in trials. Let us not be beggars and only ask things from God like: give me this, give me that, why won’t you give it to me?
May our lips be used to glorify God. Let us not be sullen and self-absorbed. Let us say also Glory to Thee, oh God! We must never forget it. It should be always on our lips.

– Eldress Theosemni of Chrysopigi

Quotes on Orthodoxy / St. Basil the Great

“Be thankful to God, in every moment of your lives.”

Be thankful to God, in every moment of your lives. But many have fallen into what happens to the unhappy people. They despise the things they presently have and desire the things they don’t have. For they do not look to those who are worse off, so they will be thankful to the Lord, but they compare themselves with those who have more and estimate how far they fall short of them and are distressed and curse all the time.

– St. Basil the Great

Quotes on Orthodoxy / The Venerable Bede

“Better a stupid and unlettered brother…”

Better a stupid and unlettered brother who, working the good things he knows, merits life in Heaven than one who though being distinguished for his learning in the Scriptures, or even holding the place of a doctor, lacks the bread of love.

– the Venerable St. Bede

Featured image: source

Quotes on Orthodoxy / St. Theognostos

“Strive through virtue and purity.”

Ponder deeply on the angelic honor of which you have been found worthy and, whatever the rank to which you have been called, strive through virtue and purity to keep yourself unsullied. For you know from what height Lucifer fell on account of his pride. Do not dream up great ideas about yourself and suffer the same fate.
Regard yourself as dust and ashes (Gen. 18:27), or as refuse, or as some cur-like creature; and lament continuously, for it is only on account of God’s inexpressible compassion and kindness that you are permitted to handle the holy things at the celebration of the dread mysteries, and so are called to communion and kinship with Him.

– St. Theognostos, “On the Practice of the Virtues, Contemplation, and the Priesthood.” Philokalia, Vol. 2

Featured image: At the Moscow Theological Academy. source

Quotes on Orthodoxy / St. Basil the Great

“He who shows another to be wrong ought to do so with all tenderness.”

The Christian ought not to grudge another’s reputation, nor rejoice over any man’s faults; he ought in Christ’s love to grieve and be afflicted at his brother’s faults, and rejoice over his brother’s good deeds. He ought not to be indifferent or silent before sinners. He who shows another to be wrong ought to do so with all tenderness, in the fear of God, and with the object of converting the sinner. He who is proved wrong or rebuked ought to take it willingly, recognizing his own gain in being set right.

– St. Basil the Great

Featured image: Monks in rowboats on Lake Ladoga, Valaam Monastery in background. Photographer Einar Erici, 1930s.