Church Fathers V3 - Fr George Grube - Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox ...

+ This is the mark of true Christianity-however much a man toils, and however
many righteous acts he performs, to feel that he has done nothing. In fasting
it is to say, “This is not fasting”, and in praying ,”This is not prayer”, and in
perseverance at prayer, “I have shown no perseverance; I am just beginning to
practice and to take pains”, and even if he is righteous before God, he should
say, “I am not righteous, not I; I do not take pains, but only make a beginning
every day.”
- St. Macarius the Great
+ A wise desert father compares one who teaches only with words, without
doing good works, to trees that have leaves, but bear no fruit.
- From the Desert Fathers
+ The extensive projects of the younger generation designed to aid the whole
of humanity may be compared to the dreams of a schoolboy who, not having
finished his secondary education, already thinks that he can be a professor and
a great educator at a university. On the other hand, one must not think that
because we cannot help the whole of humanity to advance, it is therefore
useless to labor at all. This is another extreme. It is the duty of every Christian,
according to his strength and circumstances, to labor on behalf of others,
mindful of the proper time and order for such activity as mentioned above,
and attributing any success in such endeavors to God and His holy will.
- Elder John of Valaam
+ No one can say, “I am poor and hence I have no means of giving alms.
’’For even if you cannot give as the rich gave their gifts into the temple treasury,
give two farthings as the poor widow did, and from you God will consider it a
greater gift than the gifts of the rich. And if you do not have as much as two
farthings? You can then take pity on the sick and give alms by ministering to
them. And what if you cannot do even this? Then you can comfort your brother
by your words. “A good word is better than the best of gifts.”
- Abba Dorotheus
+ There is no place anywhere where one is unmolested; and, because of this,
without patient endurance it is impossible to find peace.
- St. Peter of Damaskos
+ Every day you provide your bodies with good to keep them from failing. In the
same way your good works should be daily nourishment of your hearts.
- St. Gregory, Pope of Rome
+ Your bodies are fed with food and your spirits with good works. You aren’t
to deny your soul, which is going to live forever, what you grant to your body,
which is going to die.
- St. Gregory, Pope of Rome
- 157 -