Success in the spiritual life is not measured by spiritual consolations, which could come from the evil one, but by the depth of humility.
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humility
The enemy lurks like a lion in his den; he lays in our path hidden traps and snares, in the form of impure and blasphemous thoughts. But if we remain watchful, we can lay for him traps and snares and that are far more effective and terrible.
Prayer, the recitation of psalms and the keeping of vigils, humility, service to others and acts of compassion, thankfulness, attentive listening to the words of Scripture – all these are a trap for the enemy, a pitfall, a noose, a lash and a snare.
– St. John of Karpathos, Philokalia, Vol. 1
Featured image: source
Fortunate, worldly people tell us, are those who live in crystal palaces and have all kinds of convenience.
Blessed, however, are those who’ve managed to simplify their life and become liberated from the web of this world’s development of numerous conveniences (i.e. many inconveniences), and were released from the frightening stress of our present age.
…Fortunate, worldly people say, are those who can enjoy the goods of the world.
Blessed, however, are those who give away everything for Christ and are deprived even of every human consolation for Christ. Thus it is that they manage to be found night and day near Christ and His divine consolation, which many times is so much that they say to God: My God, Thy love cannot be endured, for it is great and cannot be fit within my small heart.
– St. Paisios, from his 6th Epistle, on the Beatitudes
If you notice a fault in one close to you you would like to correct, if it destroys your peace of mind and annoys you, then you also are sinning and, consequently, you will not correct a fault by a fault—it is corrected by meekness. And it’s good for us when they jostle us. The tree that the wind sways more is strengthened more at the roots, but the one that lives in the calm falls immediately.
Featured image: source
Let us who are weak and passionate have the courage to offer our infirmity and natural weakness to Christ with unhesitating faith, and confess it to Him; and we shall be certain to obtain His help, even beyond our merit.
– St. John Climacus (John of the Ladder)
Featured image: The Ladder of Divine Ascent, fresco on the north wall of the Chapel of Sucevita Monastery in Romania. Painted by the brothers Ioan and Sofronie of Suceava in 1595. source
The purpose of Christian marriage is for people to reach unselfish love and cut off their own will, and thence to reach God.
Featured image: Flower study, photographer Charles Aubry (or in the manner of). ca. 1880. Rijksmuseum
Let us accept everything from the hand of God. If He comforts us, let us thank Him. And if He doesn’t comfort us- let us thank Him.
Featured image: Church domes at the Church of the Magdalene. Matson Photo Service, c. 1940-1946. Library of Congress
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
To have faith is to die for Christ and for His commandments; to believe that this death brings life; to regard poverty as wealth, and lowliness and humiliation as true glory and honor; to believe that by not possessing anything one possesses everything (2 Cor. 6:9-10) or, rather, that not possessing anything is to possess the ‘unsearchable riches’ of the knowledge of Christ (Eph. 3:8); and to look upon all visible things as dross and smoke. To have faith in Christ means not only to stand aloof from the delights of this life, but also to endure patiently every temptation and test that brings upon us distress, affliction and misfortune, for as long as God wishes and until He comes to us. I waited patiently for the Lord and He heard me (Ps. 40:1).
– St. Symeon the New Theologian, Philokalia, Vol. 4
Featured image: Photographer Joanna Kosinska. source