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

+ Be true to yourself and no one can harm you. And equally, no one can harm a
man who does himself no wrong.
- St. John Chrysostom
+ When you are praying alone, and your spirit is dejected, and you are wearied
and oppressed by your loneliness, remember then, as always, that God the
Trinity looks upon you with eyes brighter than the sun: also, all the angels, your
own Guardian Angel and all the saints of God. Truly they do, for they are all one
in God, and where God is, they are there also. Where the sun is, in that
direction are directed all its rays. Try to understand what this means.
- St. John of Kronstadt
+ Let us always take the opportunity to forsake all the other things that belong
to this transitory life, such as vainglory, envy, mutual strife, deceit, complaining,
intrigue - all the things that turn us away from God and imperil the soul. Let us
long with all our soul for the opportunities to embrace things God commands
us to embrace, spiritual poverty, which the world calls humiliation, constant
mourning by night and day, from which there wells forth the joy of the soul
and the hourly consolation for those who love God. By this means all who
strive in truth succeed in attaining meekness. Those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness and seek it at all times will obtain “the Kingdom of God, which
surpasses all human understanding” (Philippians 4:7). Further, one becomes
“merciful, pure in heart, full of peace, a peacemaker, and courageous in the
face of trials (Matthew 5:3-11)”.
- St. Symeon the New Theologian
+ Should we fall, we should not despair and so estrange ourselves from the
Lord’s love. For if He so chooses, He can deal mercifully with our weakness.
Only we should not cut ourselves off from Him or feel oppressed when
constrained by His Commandments, nor should we lose heart when we fall
short of our goal...let us always be ready to make a new start. If you fall, rise
up. If you fall again, rise up again. Only do not abandon your Physician, lest
you be condemned as worse than a suicide for your despair. Wait for Him and
He will be merciful, either reforming you, or sending you trials, or through some
other provision of which you are ignorant.
- St. Peter of Damascus
+ Nothing false or artificial is really pleasing.
- St. Ambrose of Milan
+ How many have despaired and suffered, and still suffer because their hearts
were not firm in their good inclinations, because they imprudently looked with
impure eyes, because they heard with ears unaccustomed to discern between
good and evil, because they tasted greedily. The senses of the sin- loving,
greedy flesh, unrestrained by reason and by God’s Commandments, have
drawn them into worldly passions, have darkened their minds and hearts,
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