Church Fathers V3 - Fr George Grube - Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox ...
Church Fathers V3 - Fr George Grube - Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox ...
Church Fathers V3 - Fr George Grube - Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox ...
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how could you become conscious of your badness? If they are trying to demean<br />
you, they want to humble you. You yourself are asking God for humility. Why<br />
then should you lament over others?<br />
- Venerable Elder St. Amvrossy<br />
+ Why does humility lead up to the heights of righteousness, whereas self-<br />
conceit leads down to the depths of sin? Because anybody who thinks he is<br />
something great, even before God, is rightly abandoned by God, as one who<br />
thinks that he does not need God’s help. Anybody who despises himself, on the<br />
other hand, and relies on mercy from above, wins God’s sympathy, help and<br />
grace. As it says, “The Lord resists the proud, but He gives grace to the lowly”<br />
(Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6).<br />
- St. Gregory Palamas<br />
+ It was said of a certain elder that he held a special affection for those who<br />
despised him and in any way dishonored him.<br />
“These are our friends," he used to say, “because they lead us to humility.<br />
Those who honor and praise us do injury to our souls. The Holy Scriptures<br />
say, “Those who regard you well, will seduce you.” (Luke 6:26)<br />
- <strong>Fr</strong>om the Desert <strong>Fathers</strong><br />
+ One does an injustice to himself and to his neighbor, but more importantly<br />
to God-when he ascribes his own achievements to himself. For if a man<br />
believes that any good thing he does, or talent he possesses, is due to himself,<br />
then what he thinks he possesses will be taken from him.<br />
- St. Peter of Damaskos<br />
+ Those who have longed to see the “land of promise’’ (Hebrews 11:9), which<br />
the eyes of the meek, the humble and the poor have been granted to see, then<br />
gratefully accept every trial and tribulation.<br />
- St. Symeon the New Theologian<br />
+ Unless humility and love, simplicity and goodness regulate our prayer, this<br />
prayer, or rather this pretense of prayer-cannot profit us at all. And this applies<br />
not only to prayer, but to every work and hardship taken for the sake of virtue,<br />
whether this be virginity, fasting, vigils, reading the Psalms or any good service<br />
to men.<br />
- St. Makarios of Egypt<br />
+ Neither fasting, nor vigils, nor human effort, nor any praiseworthy effort<br />
pleases God as much as a soul that is humble, simple and good.<br />
- St. Symeon the New Theologian<br />
+ Discrimination comes from seeking advice with humility and from criticizing<br />
oneself and what we think and do.<br />
- St. Peter of Damaskos<br />
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