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

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The key is to recognize that we have certain gifts and not to be discouraged that we don’t fit our own self- made ideas. God measures what is great and glorious, not we. Most of us are destined to do amazing things, no matter how small and trite they may seem to us at the moment. If each of us used the gifts God has imparted to the fullest we could do wondrous things . It is our privilege to bring men and women to the Kingdom. We may be responsible for bringing someone closer to God simply by a kind act, our good example, or profoundly truthful words . We are all capable of simple things that have everlasting rewards. WRITINGS OF THE FATHERS: ++++++++++ + When you stand praying, burdened with many sins and overpowered with despair, begin to pray with hope, with a fervent spirit, and remind yourself that “The Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26)! When you remember with faith this action of the Spirit of God within us, then tears of emotion will flow from your eyes, you will feel in your soul peace, sweetness, justification, “and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17), and you will cry in your heart, “Abba Father”. - St. John of Kronstadt + Nothing is so strong as desperation. It knows no defeat at the hand of any, whether on the right hand or the left. - St. Isaac the Syrian + When someone has despaired of all hope of life, no one is more daring than he; no foe can face him, no rumors of affliction can weaken his purpose, for any affliction which may come is less than death, for he has resolved that death is inevitable. - St. Isaac the Syrian + If, in every place and in every circumstance, and on every occasion you resolved to set your mind’s sight on toil and affliction, then you will find yourself courageous in facing all difficulties. - St. Isaac the Syrian + Through the power of deliberation, the timidity that resides in those who seek only a life of comfort will take flight. Not only this, but all difficult and hard things which you may encounter will appear easy and light for you. Indeed, it can often happen that your affairs turn out in opposite ways to what you expected. - St. Isaac the Syrian -85-
+ When despair seizes us, let us not give in to it. Rather, fortified and protected by the light of faith, let us with great courage say to the spirit of evil, “What are you to us, you who are cut off from God, a fugitive from heaven, and a slave of evil? You dare not do anything to us. Christ, the Son of God, has dominion over us and over all. Leave us, you thing of death. We are made steadfast by the uprightness of His Cross. Serpent, we trample on your head." - St. Seraphim of Sarov + The soul that really loves God and Christ, though it may do ten thousand good deeds, esteems itself as having accomplished nothing, by reason of its insatiable aspiration after God. Though it should exhaust the body with fastings, with watchings, its attitude towards virtue is tinged with despair, as if it had not yet even begun to labor for them. - St. Macarius the Great + What toil we must endure, what fatigue, while we are attempting to climb hills and the summits of mountains! With what efforts must we ascend to heaven? If you consider the promised reward, what you endure is less. Immortality is given to the one who perseveres, everlasting life is offered, and the Lord promises His Kingdom. - St. Cyprian + A person must strive to goodness first, by purifying his body from the actual committing of sin, and then purge his soul of every form of desire or anger. His moral impulses need to be disciplined by good habits, so that he does not, in despair or lack of opportunity, do anything through his five senses that is contrary to the purpose of his intellect, nor does his inner self- consent to any such thing. It is then, when finally he becomes in control, that God makes all things subject to him through dispassion and by the grace of the Holy Spirit. - St. Peter of Damaskos + Do not fall into despair because of your stumblings. I do not mean that you should not feel pain because of them, but that you should not consider them incurable. For it is better to be wounded than to be dead. There is indeed a healer, He who on the Cross asked for mercy on those who were crucifying Him, who pardoned murderers as He hung on the Cross. Christ came on behalf of sinners, to heal up the broken- hearted and to bind up their wounds. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, He says; for that reason He has anointed me in order to proclaim good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captive, recovery of sight to the blind, and to strengthen the bruised by forgiveness’’ (Isaiah 61 and St. Luke 4:18-19). -86 -
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More— What the Church Fathers Say
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Light & Life Publishing Company P.O
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INTRODUCTION The Church depends on
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BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES OF SOME CHURCH FA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS wfaat the Church
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PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: O Lord, grant
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+ To be subjected to our lusts, and
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generally kept the commands of Jesu
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+ In writing to a young man, a holy
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+ God created us in His image and l
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PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: Prayer of Phil
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+ Glory is like the human shadow; i
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+ What is “the world”? What are
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+ Show forth all your wealth in giv
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W pat tye Qnwcy Fathers Say About..
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much is one willing to pay, and do
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“Why are you crying, Father?" the
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+ A young monk confessed to his eld
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+ An anchorite who, going to a spri
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Wlpat th)e cbrwrcl) Fathers Say Abo
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While we cannot meet Christ in the
Page 43 and 44: you pay back abuse with abuse. You
Page 45 and 46: + It is useless to try to teach wha
Page 47 and 48: + For the preservation of peace of
Page 49 and 50: PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: Dear Lord, the
Page 51 and 52: + Even if we are entirely despised
Page 53 and 54: + The wrath of man is a terrible, u
Page 55 and 56: well as his impurities, his darknes
Page 57 and 58: Wlyat tbe C \)w c\) Fathers Say Abo
Page 59 and 60: to perform or refuse. An example of
Page 61 and 62: even sharper than fire and knives.
Page 63 and 64: + He that is freed owes obedience t
Page 65 and 66: + The Lord helps us amid sorrows an
Page 67 and 68: PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: An Athonite Pr
Page 69 and 70: + The constant welcome expectation
Page 71 and 72: + A Christian has great difficulty
Page 73 and 74: + We view the water of a river flow
Page 75 and 76: + He is not worthy to receive conso
Page 77 and 78: PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: Prayer of St.
Page 79 and 80: is mighty and, know that everything
Page 81 and 82: + Three monks met unexpectedly at t
Page 83 and 84: PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: Prayer to the
Page 85 and 86: + No sense of virtue can possibly b
Page 87 and 88: the name of the One who became huma
Page 89 and 90: + If you live in the noisy world, h
Page 91 and 92: we cannot practice the bodily virtu
Page 93: PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: Increasing the
Page 97 and 98: + Be true to yourself and no one ca
Page 99 and 100: + As long as you have bad habits do
Page 101 and 102: Wyat tv)e Cyurcy Fathers Say About.
Page 103 and 104: Devil for his sins because the Devi
Page 105 and 106: through our fasts, we know the Holy
Page 107 and 108: eckon them as nothing. Often, we pl
Page 109 and 110: + Our most dire enemy is pride. Its
Page 111 and 112: W pat uie Cv)vwc\) Fathers Say Abou
Page 113 and 114: People of the world do not understa
Page 115 and 116: partner in God’s nature, refuse t
Page 117 and 118: + Some say the flesh is a sinner, s
Page 119 and 120: + He who does not believe in God is
Page 121 and 122: Wyat tl)e Cyurcl) Fathers Say About
Page 123 and 124: This is the way it should be with u
Page 125 and 126: + In a brokenness of spirit a man c
Page 127 and 128: + Christ, who is the Good Shepherd,
Page 129 and 130: PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: Prayer of Hipp
Page 131 and 132: + It behooves us to do all things i
Page 133 and 134: + I will honor the king but only Go
Page 135 and 136: + Where the Church is, there also i
Page 137 and 138: + Follow the custom of the Church i
Page 139 and 140: PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: Remember, Lord
Page 141 and 142: + The Church is the salt of the ear
Page 143 and 144: + Only the priest who imitates that
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What tl^e Church Fathers Say About,
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operated in this way He would becom
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The Holy Fathers of the Church arme
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+ When a trial comes upon you sudde
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+ Live each day as if you were dyin
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PRAYER: Christ, give me strength; Y
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+ God has shown how close He is to
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W^at tf?e cl?u rcl? Fathers Say Abo
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REFLECTION: Much of contemporary Ch
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+ There was in the monastery an old
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+ In all your works, either at home
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+ Happiness consists in not regardi
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16. O Lord, grant me only pure thou
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PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: With You Lord,
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+ Many parents teach their children
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+ If any woman should abandon her h
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+ Marriage is honorable above all,
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PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: We bless You,
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+ An intelligent use of concepts (i
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+ There is a knowledge that precede
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+ instead of searching after no oth
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+ He who knows himself is a man. -
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PRAYER BEFORE STUDY: PRAYER AGAINST
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+ If one man should suffer all the
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+ Those, therefore, who cast away t
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W yat tye Cyurcv} Fathers Say About
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There is a constant struggle both f
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+ We leave undone what we know we s
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+ It is very important that the inn
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W pat tf?e Cyurcy Fathers Say About
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How often we Christians bemoan the
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+ The Bible limits itself to reprov
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W yat tye Cyurcy} Fathers Say About
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Jesus talks about a man's faith as
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+ Even the demons with their malice
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+ Among angels, some are angels of
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MiERKMNCHmsiwt by J. Bajis t DAILY
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Church Fathers V3 - Fr George Grube - Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox ...

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