Instructions
of the Holy Fathers
on the Spiritual Life
Part 1
Table of Contents:
The Teachings of the Venerable Anthony the Great
Instructions of the Venerable Macarius the Great
Instructions of the Venerable Mark the Ascetic
Instructions of the Venerable Abbot Evagrius
Instructions of the Venerable John of Karpathos
Instructions of the Blessed Diadochus, Bishop of Photiki
The Instructions of Presbyter Elijah Ekdikt
Instructions from Some Ancient Ascetics
This brochure is the first in a series of anthologies in which we plan to include selected teachings from the Orthodox ascetic Fathers on the Christian life. The following books were used in compiling this collection: the five-volume collection *Dobrotolyubie* (edited by Bishop Theophan the Recluse); *The Ladder* by St. John, the abbot of Mount Sinai; *Spiritual Instructions* by Abba Dorotheus; “The Invisible Struggle” by Saint Nicodemus the Hagiorite; the reflections of Elder Silouan the Athonite; “The Father’s Book” by Bishop Ignatius Bryanchaninov; and other similar ascetic collections (asceticism—a spiritual struggle). From these, we have selected those instructions that are applicable to people living in the world and omitted those that pertain primarily to monastic and hermitic conditions.
Judging by numerous pre-revolutionary book catalogs, the lives of the saints and the teachings of the Holy Fathers were the favorite reading of spiritually minded Russians. Indeed, this literature possesses something particularly appealing, because it is not dry and abstract philosophy, but a reflection of the Divine life in a righteous soul. To read the life of a saint or his teachings is, as it were, to visit him and draw from the treasure trove of his spiritual experience.
Who are these ascetic elders, and how do they differ from other Christians? While most people are content with ordinary life, there have long been people in the Church of Christ whom Christ called “not of this world” (John 17:14). These righteous people withdrew from worldly vanity and unrighteousness into the desert or dense forests, or otherwise hid themselves from worldly temptations and prying eyes, devoting their lives entirely to God. They were people who thirsted for truth, yearned for the highest spiritual values, burned with love for God, and saw their true homeland only in the Kingdom of Heaven. Some of these righteous people reached such spiritual heights and experienced such grace-filled revelations as are unknown and unimaginable to most people.
Saint Gregory the Theologian, who experienced the grace-filled state of the hermit’s life, justified his flight into the desert to his flock as follows:
“Above all, I desired—as it were, shutting off my senses, renouncing the flesh and the world, withdrawing into myself, and without extreme necessity touching anything human—to converse with myself and with God, to live above the visible, and to bear within myself the divine images, always pure and unmixed with earthly and deceptive impressions. I longed to be—and to become, ceaselessly—a truly pure mirror of God and the divine, to acquire light upon light—the most radiant light amidst the less clear, to reap even now the blessings of the age to come, to dwell with the Angels, and, while still on earth, to leave the earth behind and be lifted up by the Spirit to the heights. “If any of you are familiar with this love, you will understand what I am saying.”
Most of the ascetics who shared Saint Gregory the Theologian’s desire remained unknown to the world, as did their spiritual experiences. However, it pleased God, for the benefit of the faithful, to reveal some of His chosen ones to the world from time to time, and then an unexpected encounter with one ascetic or another invariably left a bright and beneficial impression on a person. Sometimes, however, meeting a righteous person became a turning point in a person’s life, and a desire would arise to move closer to him in order to imitate his righteous life. Thus, a group of people (the brotherhood) would gradually gather around a solitary ascetic, and a skete, a lavra, or a monastery would be formed. At the same time, the institution of spiritual guidance ( ) took root, as the monks of the monastery and visiting pilgrims placed themselves under the spiritual guidance of an experienced mentor—an elder. From our national history, we know what a beneficial influence the numerous monasteries, lavras, and hermitages scattered across the expanses of Holy Rus’ had on the Russian people. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Valaam Monastery, the Solovetsky Monastery, the Optina Hermitage, and others served as centers of moral renewal.
On rare occasions, the ascetic elders wrote formal sermons. Their instructions were usually brief. As a rule, they were answers to specific questions from visitors; yet they still radiate great spiritual power, are always based on the elder’s personal experience, and shed light with great accuracy on the various difficulties a person faces on their path to God. The teachings of the most authoritative elders were often recorded. Thus, over the course of more than 1,500 years, beginning with St. Anthony the Great (mid-4th century), a rich body of patristic ascetic literature has been compiled, illuminating many aspects of Christian life.
Despite the diversity of eras, cultures, and living conditions in which these ascetics lived, their teachings are characterized by complete unity. This is due to two reasons. First, since all people share the same nature, the temptations they must struggle against remain essentially the same, just as the moral laws established by the Creator are unchanging; moreover, their goal is one and the same—the Kingdom of Heaven.
Second, the same Holy Spirit spoke through the Holy Fathers as He did through the holy prophets and apostles, and Who, according to the Savior’s promise, will remain in His Church until the end of the world. The Holy Fathers proclaim the same divine truth as Holy Scripture. What distinguishes their teachings is their more detailed examination of various aspects of the spiritual life, illustrated with concrete examples and advice.
Scripture lays the foundation for faith and a godly life, while the Holy Fathers thoroughly explain the various aspects of this life, offering guidance on how to discern and overcome the devil’s wiles and how to more successfully attain righteousness.
Such unanimity in the work of the Christian Church throughout the ages, the unity of the path, and the testimony of the goal achieved—these in themselves constitute the strongest and indisputable confirmation of the truth of the Orthodox path to salvation. The same Holy Spirit breathes through both Holy Scripture and the writings of the Holy Fathers of the Church, and this will undoubtedly be felt by anyone who strives to live a truly Christian life.
It should be noted here, in passing, that a completely different spirit prevails in the writings of Western mystics of the 14th–19th centuries: Thomas à Kempis, Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, and others who preached ascetic practices that the Orthodox Fathers strictly forbid, because they lead to delusion or self-deception. Characteristics of delusion: clouded thinking, daydreaming, conceit turning into pride, mistaking demons for the Savior and angels, a bloody, nervous ecstasy, and subtle sensual pleasure. Delusion is a grave and destructive spiritual affliction, from which only a special intervention by God can save one. (Meditation and ascetic practices prescribed by yogis and the Buddhist religion are no less dangerous to mental health.)
The twentieth century is an age of flourishing for the wildest cults and of catastrophic spiritual impoverishment. The wider Christian world is becoming increasingly materialistic; sectarians are increasingly watering down Christian teaching and adapting it to the desires of the flesh. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly difficult for an Orthodox Christian to find a spirit-bearing and wise elder. The only consolation is that the teachings of many elders have been preserved and are available to us in books.
In our modest little books, we have compiled the teachings of the Holy Fathers and arranged them by author in chronological order. At the beginning of each chapter, brief information about the respective ascetic is provided. For ease of use, the teachings are organized by topic, which we have divided into three major groups: faith, hope, and love.
The section on faith contains teachings on the power of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ, on God’s love and His care for humanity, on grace, on the characteristics of true faith, and on our relationship with God: on reverence, the fear of God, prayer, contemplation of God, and discernment of God’s will.
The section on hope contains teachings related to the Christian life: on the struggle against passions and the cultivation of virtues. In particular, this section contains instructions on diligence, patience, courage, and perseverance; on the purification of the conscience; on moderation and self-restraint; on chastity, non-covetousness, honesty, and meekness; on controlling anger, malice, envy, and slander; on our attitude toward sorrows, illnesses, and temptations; on overcoming sorrow and despondency; on acquiring humility; and on combating evil thoughts. It then addresses the higher virtues: vigilance, weeping, and contrition; purity of heart; peace of mind; prudence and wisdom; and spiritual enlightenment.
Finally, the third section on love contains teachings about our relationship with God and others, and about acts of love: mercy, non-judgment, goodwill, and forgiveness of offenses. Occasionally, the appendix includes reflections by this holy father on death and the Last Judgment, on the wiles of demons, and other topics.
We hope that the reader of these teachings will be able to appreciate the spiritual wisdom and experience of the Orthodox ascetics, and even if they cannot always put their advice into practice, they will at least acquire an Orthodox, patristic way of thinking—which is so important in our age of the prevalence of all manner of heretical and anti-Christian teachings. For it is better to travel a shorter distance but in the right direction than to go far but in the wrong direction. Moreover, as Saint Ephrem the Syrian taught, “Good deeds are surely born of good thoughts.”
Anthony the Great was born in Egypt around the year 250 to noble and wealthy parents who raised him in the Christian faith. At the age of 18, he lost his parents and was left alone with his sister, whom he took under his care.
St. Anthony’s withdrawal from the world did not happen suddenly, but gradually. At first, he stayed near the city with a pious elder who lived in seclusion, and he tried to imitate him in everything. He also visited other hermits living in the vicinity of the city and sought their advice. Even at that time, he had become so renowned for his deeds that he was called “the friend of God.” Then he decided to go further afield. He invited the elder to accompany him, but when the elder refused, he bid him farewell and settled in one of the remote caves. One of his friends would bring him food from time to time. Finally, Saint Anthony withdrew completely from inhabited areas, crossed the Nile River, and settled in the ruins of a military fortification. He brought six months’ worth of bread with him, and afterward received it from his friends only twice a year through an opening in the roof.
It is impossible to describe how many temptations and what struggles this great ascetic endured. He suffered from hunger and thirst, from cold and heat. But the most terrible temptation for a hermit, in Anthony’s own words, lies within the heart: it is longing for the world and the agitation of the mind. Added to all this were the allurements and terrors inflicted by demons.
Once, during a terrible struggle with his thoughts, Anthony cried out: “Lord, I want to be saved, but my thoughts won’t let me.” Suddenly he saw someone who looked just like him sitting and working; then the figure stood up and began to pray, and then sat down to work again.
“Do this, and you will be saved,” the angel of the Lord said to him.
Anthony had already been living in seclusion for twenty years when some of his friends, having learned of his whereabouts, came to settle around him. For a long time they knocked on his door and begged him to come out of his self-imposed seclusion; finally, just as they were about to break down the door, Anthony opened it and came out. They were amazed to find no signs of exhaustion in him, even though he had subjected himself to the greatest privations. Heavenly peace reigned in his soul and was reflected on his face. Calm, reserved, and equally friendly to all, the elder soon became a father and mentor to many. The desert came to life: monasteries appeared throughout the surrounding mountains; countless people sang, read, fasted, prayed, worked, and served the poor. Saint Anthony did not give his disciples any specific rules for monastic life. He was concerned only with instilling in them a pious disposition; he inspired in them devotion to God’s will, prayer, renunciation of all earthly things, and tireless labor.
The Venerable Anthony died at a very advanced age (106 years old, in 356) and, for his deeds, earned the title “the Great.”
Saint Anthony founded the hermit monastic tradition. Several hermits, under the guidance of a single spiritual father—an abba (abba means “father” [Hebrew])—lived apart from one another in huts or caves (sketes) and devoted themselves to prayer, fasting, and labor. Several sketes, united under the authority of a single abba, were called a lavra.
It should be noted that even during the lifetime of Anthony the Great, another form of monastic life emerged. The ascetics gathered together in a community, performed communal labor (each according to their strength and abilities), shared a common meal, and obeyed a single set of rules. Such communities were called monasteries. The abbots of these communities came to be known as archimandrites.
1. God the Father, in His goodness, did not spare His Only-Begotten Son, but delivered Him up to save us from our sins and iniquities. And the Son of God, humbling Himself for our sake, healed us of our spiritual infirmities and provided for our salvation from our sins. Therefore, we must come to know and always keep in mind this great work of God—that God the Word, for our sake, became like us in every way except sin. Everyone should remember this and strive earnestly to be truly freed from sin with the help of the Lord (Ant. the Great).
2. The grace of the Holy Spirit is given primarily to those who wholeheartedly undertake this struggle and resolve from the very beginning to stand firm and yield nothing to the enemy. However, the Holy Spirit, who has called them, first makes everything easy for them in order to encourage and comfort those embarking on the path of repentance, and then reveals to them the full difficulty of the virtuous path. Helping them in everything, He teaches them how to bear the labors of repentance and sets limits and guidelines for them, both in regard to the body and in regard to the soul, until He brings them to a perfect turning toward God (Ant. the Great).
4. Whoever fears the Lord and keeps His commandments is a servant of God. But this servitude, in which we too find ourselves, is not actually servitude, but righteousness leading to adoption as sons. Our Lord chose the Apostles and entrusted them with the Gospel message. The commandments He gave them have established for us a glorious servitude, so that we may master our passions and adorn ourselves with virtues. And when we draw nearer to grace, our Lord Jesus Christ will say to us, just as He said to His disciples: “I no longer call you servants, but My friends and brothers; for everything I have heard from My Father, I have told you” (Ant. Vel.)
8. The eye sees what is visible, but the mind comprehends what is invisible. A God-loving mind is the light of the soul. Whoever has a God-loving mind is enlightened in heart and beholds God with his mind (Ant. Vel.)
8. If you are about to undertake any task and do not see in it the will of God, do not do it under any circumstances (Ant. Vel.)
11. One should not say that it is impossible for a person to lead a virtuous life, but rather that it is not easy. And indeed, it is not attainable for everyone, but only those who are pious and possess a God-loving mind partake of the virtuous life. The ordinary mind, however, is worldly and fickle; it gives rise to both good and evil thoughts, is changeable, and inclined toward material things, whereas the God-loving mind puts evil to death (Ant. the Great)
11. Those who spend their lives engaged in small and modest deeds, on the one hand, are spared from dangers, and on the other, have no need for special precautions. By overcoming various sinful desires, they easily find the path that leads to God (Ant. the Great)
11. People who lack a natural inclination toward goodness should not, in despair, give up and neglect a God-loving and virtuous life, no matter how difficult it may be for them. Rather, they should reflect and do their best to take care of themselves. For although they may not be able to reach the pinnacle of virtue and perfection, by striving they will either become better or, at the very least, will not become worse—which in itself is a considerable benefit to the soul (Ant. Vel.)
21. Evil clings to our nature like rust to copper or dirt to the body. But just as it was not the coppersmith who caused the rust, nor the parents who caused the dirt on their children, so too did God not cause evil. He endowed man with a conscience and reason so that he might avoid evil, knowing that it is harmful to him and leads to suffering. Watch yourself carefully: when you see some fortunate person in power and wealth, do not praise him under any pretext. But immediately picture death before you, and you will never desire anything evil or worldly (Ant. the Great).
21. The soul has its own passions: pride, hatred, envy, anger, despondency, and others. When the soul surrenders itself entirely to God, then the generous God sends it true repentance and purifies it of all passions, teaching it not to follow them and giving it the strength to overcome them and defeat the enemies who never cease to place obstacles in its path. And if the soul remains steadfast in its conversion and in good obedience to the Holy Spirit, who teaches it repentance, then the merciful Creator will have compassion on it, for the sake of its labors carried out amid every kind of affliction and need—in prolonged fasting, frequent vigils, the study of God’s Word, and unceasing prayer, in renunciation of worldly pleasures, in humility, and in spiritual poverty. And if she remains steadfast in all this, the generous God will deliver her from all temptations and rescue her from the hands of her enemies by His mercy (Ant. the Great)
24. The more moderate a person’s life is, the more at peace he becomes, because he does not worry about many things—such as servants and the acquisition of possessions. But if we cling to these [earthly] things, we are exposed to the sorrows that arise from them and come to grumble against God. Thus , the desire for many things fills us with confusion, and we wander in the darkness of a sinful life, not knowing ourselves (Ant. the Great)
27. There should be no rudeness in our conversations, for modesty and chastity usually adorn intelligent people more than they do virgins. A God-loving mind is a light that illuminates the soul, just as the sun illuminates the body (Ant. the Great)
36. People are usually called wise due to a misuse of the word. It is not those who have studied the sayings and writings of the ancient sages who are wise, but those whose souls are wise, who can distinguish good from evil; and they avoid all that is evil and harmful to the soul, while they wisely seek out what is good and beneficial and do so with great gratitude to God. They alone should truly be called wise people (Ant. the Great)
36. When the wind blows gently, any sailor can think highly of himself and boast. But it is only when the winds suddenly change that the skill of experienced helmsmen becomes apparent (Ant. Vel.)
38. A person who lives a godly life does not allow evil to enter the soul. And when there is no evil in the soul, then it is safe and unharmed. Neither a malicious demon nor chance has any power over such people. God delivers them from evil, and they live safely protected, as if they were godlike. If someone praises him, he does not take the praise seriously; if someone slanders him, he does not defend himself or take offense against the offender (Ant. the Great).
38. Whoever is free from malice is perfect and godlike; he is full of joy and the Spirit of God. But just as fire consumes vast forests when left unchecked, so too will malice—if you allow it into your heart—destroy your soul, defile your body, and stir up many evil thoughts within you. It will stir up in you agitation, envy, quarrels, hatred, and similar fierce passions, which will weigh you down and cause you great sorrow. Therefore, let us strive to acquire the gentleness and simplicity of heart of the saints, so that the Lord Jesus Christ may receive us into His presence and each of us may joyfully say: “But You have received me because of my gentleness and have established me before You forever” (Ps. 40:13; Ant. Vel.)
38. Just as a body that leaves the womb prematurely cannot live, so too the soul that leaves the body without having attained the knowledge of God through a virtuous life cannot be saved or live in communion with God (Ant. Vel.)
38. Just as the body, while the soul dwells within it, passes through three stages of life—namely, youth, maturity, and old age—so too does the soul pass through three stages: the beginning of faith, progress in faith, and perfection. In the first stage, when the soul begins to believe, it is born again in Christ, as it is written in the Gospel. The Apostle John gave us the signs of this new birth, as well as of the intermediate state and perfection, saying: “I have written to you, young men; I have written to you, children; I have written to you, fathers” (1 John 2:12–14). Thus, he wrote not to his carnal friends, but to believers, revealing the three stages— —that those striving toward the spiritual realm must pass through in order to attain perfection and be deemed worthy of full grace (Ant. the Great).
39. When sin ceases to reign in a person, then God comes into the soul and purifies it along with the body. But if sin continues to reign in the body, then a person cannot see God: for the soul is still in a sinful body, and the body does not admit into itself the light, which is the vision of God. David says: “In Your light we see light” (Ps. 35:10). What, then, is this light in which a person sees light? It is the light of which our Lord Jesus Christ speaks in the Gospel, that a person must become entirely light, so that there may be no dark part within him (Luke 11:36). The Lord also said: “No one knows the Father except the Son, and no one knows the Son except the Father and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him” (Matt. 11:27). But the Son does not reveal His Father to the sons of darkness, but only to those who abide in the light and are sons of light, whose eyes of the heart He has enlightened with the knowledge of His commandments (Ant. the Great).
50. Death, for those who understand it, is immortality; but for the simple-minded, who do not understand it, it is death. One should not fear physical death, but rather the destruction of the soul, which arises from ignorance of God—that is what is truly terrible for the soul! Life is the union of soul and body; and death is not the disappearance of these parts of human nature, but the dissolution of their union. God preserves all of this even after the dissolution. Just as a baby emerges from its mother’s womb, so too does the soul emerge from the body naked. Some are pure and bright, some are stained by their failings, and others are blackened by many transgressions. That is why a wise soul that loves God, remembering and reflecting on the misfortunes that await after death, lives a godly life so as not to be condemned and not to be subjected to them. But the unbelievers, in their folly, are unaware of this and sin, without giving thought to what awaits them there. Just as, having emerged from the womb, you do not remember what was in the womb, so too, having left the body, you will not remember what was in the body. Just as, having emerged from the womb, you became better and larger in body, so too, having left the body in a state of purity, you will pass into Heaven as a better and imperishable being. Mortals must care for their salvation, knowing in advance that death awaits them. For blessed immortality is the lot of a virtuous soul when it remains good, while eternal death meets it when it becomes evil. Remember that your youth has passed, your strength has waned, your infirmities have increased, and the time of your departure is near, when you will have to give an account of all your deeds. And know that there neither a brother will atone for a brother, nor a father deliver his son. Always remember your departure from the body, never letting the thought of eternal condemnation slip from your mind. If you set your mind in this way, you will never sin (Ant. the Great).
51. How numerous are the evil demons, and how many are their schemes! Even after we have repented and strive to avoid evil deeds, they do not leave us alone, but continue to tempt us with desperate effort, knowing that their fate has already been definitively sealed and that their inheritance is hell, because of their extreme malice and aversion to God. May the Lord open the eyes of your hearts, so that you may see how numerous are the schemes of the demons and how much evil they cause us daily, and may He grant you a vigilant heart and a spirit of discernment, so that you may offer yourselves as a living and blameless sacrifice to God (Ant. Vel.).
51. The devil, having fallen from his heavenly rank because of his pride, strives with all his might to lead into ruin all those who desire with all their hearts to serve the Lord—by the very same path by which he himself fell, that is, through pride and love of vain glory. It is by these means that the demons wage war against us: through these and other similar means, they seek to separate us from God. Furthermore, knowing that whoever loves his brother also loves God, they instill hatred toward one another in our hearts—to such an extent that some cannot even look at their brother or speak a word to him. Many truly great ascetics endured the hardships of a virtuous life, but through folly they destroyed themselves. The same thing can happen to you if, for example, having grown lukewarm in your ascetic practice, you come to think that you possess virtues. For then you have already fallen into this devilish disease (conceit), thinking that you are close to God and dwelling in the light, when in reality you are in darkness. What prompted our Lord Jesus Christ to take off His garments, gird Himself with a towel, and wash the feet of those beneath Him, if not to teach us humility? Yes—He demonstrated humility by His example at that time. And indeed, all who wish to enter the first rank can achieve this only through humility… Therefore, unless a person possesses the utmost humility—humility with all his heart, all his mind, all his spirit, all his soul, and all his body—he will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Ant. the Great).
Saint Macarius lived in Egypt from 301 to 391. In his youth, he tended flocks and lived in seclusion. Upon reaching the age of 30, he withdrew to a remote desert. Because of his meekness and humility, he was ordained a presbyter. He left behind moral treatises that are of great importance both for monastics and for all Christians. The content of his instructions is as follows: The luminous state of the first man at the beginning and the dark state after the Fall. Our only salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. A firm resolve to follow the Lord. Constant self-improvement. The state of those who have received the grace of the Holy Spirit. The possibility of Christian perfection on earth. The future state after death and the resurrection.
2. Just as God created heaven and earth for man to dwell in, so He created man to dwell within the human body as in His own home, with man’s soul as His beautiful bride, created in His image. That is why the Apostle Paul says, “We are His house” (Heb. 3:6; Mac. Cent.).
2. Just as a bee builds honeycombs in a hive unnoticed by people, so grace secretly weaves its love into the human heart, transforming bitterness into sweetness and a cruel heart into a kind one. And just as a silversmith, engraving a plate, gradually covers it with patterns, and only after finishing his work reveals it in all its beauty. So too does the true Artist, the Lord, adorn our hearts with carvings and mysteriously renew them until we depart from our bodies, at which time the beauty of our souls will be revealed (Mac. Vel.).
11. Whoever strives toward God and truly desires to become a follower of Christ must follow Him, striving to change, to become a better and new person, retaining nothing within himself that belongs to the old man—for it is said: “Whoever is in Christ is a new creation” (Macarius the Great).
11. A soul that truly loves God, even if it has performed thousands of righteous deeds, thinks of itself—because of its insatiable longing for the Lord—as though it has not yet achieved anything. And even if it has exhausted its body through fasting and labor, it thinks as though it has not yet begun to acquire virtues; even if it has been deemed worthy to attain various spiritual gifts, or revelations, or heavenly mysteries, because of its great love for the Lord, it considers that it has not yet acquired anything…
She is pierced by the love of the heavenly Spirit. With the help of grace, she ceaselessly stirs up within herself a fervent longing for the heavenly Bridegroom; she desires to attain fully the mysterious and ineffable communion with Him in the sanctuary of the Spirit; with the purified eyes of her soul, she beholds the heavenly Bridegroom face to face; in spiritual and indelible light, she enters into union with Him, conforms herself to His death, and ceaselessly awaits death for Christ with great longing; she believes without a doubt that through the Spirit she will receive complete deliverance from sins and the darkness of passions, so that, having been purified by the Spirit and sanctified in soul and body, she may be deemed worthy to become a pure vessel for receiving the heavenly kingdom and a dwelling place for Christ, the heavenly and true King. And it is then that he becomes worthy of heavenly life, having already here become a pure dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (Mac. Vel.).
13. Very few people have combined a good beginning with a good end. Having renounced everything, they reached their goal without stumbling and love the one God. At first, many are moved to devotion; many are graced with heavenly grace and inspired by heavenly love. But later, unable to endure the struggles, hardships, and various temptations on the path to virtue, they returned to their former way of life and sank into sin (Mac. Vel.).
13. Just as a fetus in the womb does not immediately become a human being, but gradually takes on human form; and it is not born as an adult, but grows and develops over many years until, finally, it reaches maturity. And just as seeds of barley or wheat do not take root immediately upon being sown, but only after the cold and winds have passed do they sprout stalks at the proper time… So it is in the spiritual life, which requires so much wisdom and experience—a person grows gradually until he reaches perfection, becoming like Christ (Eph. 4:13; Mac. Sec.).
13. Human beings are changeable by nature. Therefore, just as one who has fallen into the depths of vice and is enslaved by sin can turn to goodness, so too is one who is sealed by the Holy Spirit and filled with heavenly gifts free to return to evil. Some who have tasted God’s grace and become partakers of the Holy Spirit, when they lose their caution and vigilance, grow spiritually cold and become worse than they were before. This happens not because God changes or the grace of the Spirit fades, but because people themselves lose grace and are therefore led astray and fall into many evils (Mac. Vel.).
21. After a person has strayed from the commandment and been subjected to God’s judgment, sin has taken him into its bondage, and like a subtle and deep abyss of bitterness, having penetrated within, it has taken possession of the soul down to its deepest recesses. Thus, the sin that has penetrated us can be likened to a large, branching tree whose roots extend deep into the earth. Likewise, sin, having entered the soul and taken possession of its powers down to its deepest recesses, has become a habit which, beginning in infancy, grows over the years and draws one ever more strongly toward evil (Mac. Vel.).
21. Sometimes what appear to be good intentions are carried out for the sake of one’s own glory and human praise. But before God, this is no different from falsehood, theft, and similar sins, for it is said: “God has scattered the bones of those who please men” (Ps. 52:7). The Evil One seeks his own gain even in our good deeds. He is very resourceful in deceiving people with worldly desires. When a person becomes attached to someone through carnal love, sin seizes him, binds him with chains, and drags him down with a heavy burden, preventing him from gathering his strength and returning to God. Whatever a person comes to love in this world weighs down his mind and, having taken possession of it, prevents him from gathering his strength. The degree of carnal attachment determines the intensity with which that passion battles against us. Thus the entire human race and all Christians are tested… When a person, ensnared by his own willfulness, begins to love something, this love binds him, and he no longer strives wholly for God. Thus, for example, one loves his home, another loves wealth, another loves complex worldly wisdom for the sake of human glory; some love power, others want to be famous; some love social gatherings, others spend all their time in distraction and pleasure; some are deluded by idle thoughts; others, out of ambition, seek to lecture; some revel in laziness and carelessness, while others are attached to fine clothes; some are consumed by worldly cares; some love to sleep, or to joke, or to use foul language. Whatever binds a person to the world, whether small or great, holds him back and prevents him from gathering his strength (Mac. the Great).
30. The Lord, knowing man’s weakness and his tendency to become arrogant, restrains him and does not allow him to be in a state of constant striving for perfection. For if, when you acquire something small, you become arrogant and unbearable to others, how much more so will you become unbearable if you are immediately satiated with all spiritual gifts. Therefore, God, knowing your weakness, sends you trials according to His providence, so that you may become humble and earnestly seek Him (Macarius the Great).
30. One who has received grace considers himself worse than all sinners. And such a thought is natural for him. The deeper a person comes to know God, the more he considers himself ignorant; and the more he learns, the more he regards himself as knowing nothing. The grace that helps him instills in him this way of thinking as natural (Macarius the Great).
30. But if you see someone boasting and being arrogant about his gifts, know that even if he were to perform signs and raise the dead, … an evil power is deceiving him without his knowledge. Even if he performs miracles—do not believe him, for it is a hallmark of Christianity that those who have been granted gifts from God conceal them from the eyes of others. Possessing the king’s treasures, the believer hides them, as if to say, “This treasure is not mine; another has placed it here.” But if anyone says, “What I have acquired is enough for me, and I need nothing more,” then such a person is no longer a Christian, but is deluded and has become an instrument of the devil. For the delight in God is insatiable, and to the extent that one tastes and partakes of spiritual blessings, to that extent one becomes more eager for them. Such people have a fervent and uncontrollable love for God. The more they prosper and acquire, the more they realize their own poverty (Mac. Vel.).
36. Just as merchants sailing the sea—even with a favorable wind and calm waters—fear that a strong headwind might suddenly blow, the sea might rage, and the ship might be endangered before they reach the harbor, so too do Christians, though they feel within themselves the beneficial breath of the Holy Spirit, they nevertheless fear that the wind of the enemy’s power might blow and stir up turmoil of the passions within them. Therefore, we must exercise great caution in order to safely reach the peaceful harbor of eternal life and eternal joy—the city of the saints, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and the Church of the firstborn (Heb. 12:23, Macc. the Great).
40. You say, “I love God and have the Holy Spirit.” But examine yourself carefully: is this truly the case? Are you devoted to the Lord day and night? And if you have such unceasing love, then you are pure. But consider this: when earthly cares or various wicked and deceitful thoughts come upon you, are you truly steadfast against evil at such times, and does your soul then desire to love God and be wholly devoted to Him? For worldly thoughts, by distracting the mind with earthly and transitory things, prevent a person from loving God and always thinking of Him. It happens that an uninformed person begins to pray, bends his knees—and his mind finds peace. And to the extent that he undermines the opposing wall of malice and burrows beneath it, to that extent is it destroyed, so that a person gradually attains spiritual knowledge and wisdom. But neither the powerful of this world, nor scholars, nor writers attain this level (Mac. Vel.).
51. The spirits of malice bind the fallen soul with the chains of darkness, and so it is unable to love the Lord as much as it desires, nor to believe, nor to pray as much as it would like. For ever since the fall of the first man, resistance to goodness has taken root within us, both openly and secretly (Mac. Vel.).
Saint Mark, known as the Ascetic, is the most famous of the Egyptian Holy Fathers, although little information about his life has survived. It is known that he was of an exceedingly quiet and meek disposition, knew the Old and New Testaments by heart, and attained a high degree of spiritual perfection. He lived for over a hundred years and passed away at the beginning of the 5th century. He was renowned for his gift of teaching, but only a few of his instructions have survived to this day: “Epistle to the Monk Nicholas”; “Collection of Instructions”; “200 Chapters on the Spiritual Law”; and “226 Chapters to Those Who Think They Can Be Justified by Their Deeds.”
1. If, in accordance with Scripture, you always remember that “the Lord’s judgments are throughout the earth” (Ps. 104:7), then every circumstance will be a teacher of the knowledge of God for you (Mark the Venerable).
2. Whatever deeds God favors, all creation contributes to them; and whatever He turns away from, all creation opposes (Mark the Confessor).
2. Every blessing comes providentially from the Lord. But it departs secretly from the ungrateful, the insensitive, and the idle (Mark the Confessor).
2. Everyone baptized in the Orthodox Church mysteriously receives all grace. However, they are tangibly assured of it [feel its effect] to the extent that they fulfill the commandments (Mark the Confessor).
3. One who does not know the truth cannot believe truly, for knowledge by its very nature precedes faith (Mark the Confessor).
3. Do not refuse to learn, even if you are very wise. For God’s order is more beneficial than our wisdom (Mark the Confessor).
3. Whoever does not willingly accept hardship for the sake of the truth [in its defense] will be punished much more severely against his will (Mark the Confessor).
6. As long as you remember God, increase your prayers, so that the Lord may remember you when you forget Him (Mark the Confessor).
6. Pray that temptation may not come upon you, and when it does, accept it as your own and not as something foreign (Mark the Confessor).
6. One who prays with the body and does not yet possess a spiritual mind is like the blind man who cried out [to Christ], “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark the Ascetic).
11. If you are curious, be diligent as well, for knowledge alone makes a person arrogant (Mark the Ascetic).
11. Often, knowledge is clouded by neglect of one’s duties. For those deeds that are completely neglected will gradually fade from memory (Mark the Ascetic).
11. Do the good deeds you remember: then the ones you do not remember will also be revealed to you; and do not recklessly consign your thoughts to oblivion (Mark the Confessor).
12. Evil draws strength from one another; in the same way, good grows [and strengthens] from one another (Mark the Confessor).
12. When, out of a desire to please yourself, your heart strays from the path of virtue, it rolls uncontrollably, like a very heavy stone that has begun to slide down a slippery slope (Mark the Confessor).
13. Whoever accepts reproach and dishonor for the sake of the truth walks the apostolic path, having taken up the cross and being bound by its chains. But whoever, without this, attempts to heed his own heart is deceived by his mind and falls into the devil’s temptations and snares (Mark the Confessor).
13. If Christ died for us and we “no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died for us and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:15), then it is clear that we have committed ourselves to serving Him until death. How, then, can we consider adoption [into God’s family] to be the proper reward? (Mark the Confessor).
13. One who does good and seeks a reward is not serving God, but his own desire (Mark the Confessor).
13. A person who wishes to feel the Holy Spirit at work within him before fulfilling the commandments is like a purchased slave who—as soon as he is bought—wants his freedom to be signed for him along with the payment of the money (Mark the Confessor).
14. Do not say that a poor person cannot indulge in pleasures because he lacks the means, for it is possible to indulge in sensuality in one’s thoughts even more intensely than in action (Mark the Ascetic).
14. A pleasure-seeking heart [that seeks all that is pleasant] becomes, at the hour of departure, a prison and bonds for the soul, while a diligent heart [that labors for the Lord’s sake] is an open door to another life (Mark the Confessor).
21. The devil makes small sins seem insignificant in our eyes, because otherwise he cannot lead us into greater sins (Mark the Confessor).
21. Having allowed the beginning of sin within yourself [by entertaining a thought], do not say, “It will not overcome me,” for to the extent that you have allowed it, to that extent you have already been overcome by it (Mark the Confessor).
21. Do not say, “What am I to do? I do not even want it, yet it [forgetfulness] comes.”—This is because you neglected what was right when you remembered it (Mark the Confessor).
21. When the mind, strengthened in the Lord, diverts the soul from a long-standing bad habit, then the heart is put to death, as by executioners, by the mind and passion, which drag it this way and that (Mark the Confessor).
21. Whoever has indulged in bodily pleasures beyond what is proper will pay a hundredfold for this excess through various sufferings (Mark the Confessor).
21. It is difficult for one who sins without necessity to repent, for it is impossible to hide from God’s righteousness (Mark the Confessor).
21. If anyone, having sinned openly and without repentance, has not suffered any afflictions until the very end [of this life], know that his judgment will be without mercy (Mark the Confessor).
21. One who truly repents is subjected to ridicule by the foolish. But this is a sign to him that his repentance is pleasing to God (Mark the Confessor).
21. If anyone falls into any sin and does not grieve over it in proportion to the offense, he will easily fall again into the same snare of the enemy (Mark the Confessor).
28. Do not think that you have acquired virtue without sorrow: such virtue is unreliable [untested] because of the ease [with which you acquired it] (Mark the Confessor).
28. Having fulfilled the commandment, expect temptation; for love for Christ is tested by hardships (Mark the Confessor).
28. Whoever wishes to be spared future sorrows must willingly endure the present ones. For in this way, by mentally exchanging one for the other, he will avoid great torments through small sorrows (Mark the Confessor).
28. Do not seek its [the Law’s] perfection in human virtues, for there is no perfection in them: its perfection is hidden in the cross of Christ (Mark the Confessor).
28. Insults from people cause pain to the heart, but they are a source of purity for those who endure them (Mark the Confessor).
28. Christ’s commandment, when faithfully observed, grants comfort amid many sorrows of the heart; yet both come in their own time (Mark the Confessor).
28. Whoever wishes to be spared future sorrows must willingly endure the present ones. For in this way, by mentally exchanging one for the other, he will avoid great torments through small sorrows (Mark the Confessor).
28. When, as a result of an offense, your gut and heart are agitated, do not grieve that the evil hidden within you has been providentially set in motion. But joyfully cast aside the thoughts that arise, knowing that as they are destroyed the moment they appear, the evil lying beneath them and setting them in motion is also destroyed along with them. If, however, you allow these thoughts to take root and appear frequently, then the evil usually grows stronger (Mark the Confessor).
30. If you see someone hypocritically praising you, expect him to rebuke you at another time (Mark the Confessor).
30. One who possesses any spiritual gift and shows compassion toward those who lack it preserves his gift through this compassion. The arrogant, however, will lose his gift, being overcome by proud thoughts (Mark the Confessor).
30. The lips of the humble speak the truth, and whoever contradicts it is like a servant who strikes the Lord on the cheek (Mark the Confessor).
30. Do not boast of knowledge [drawn] from Scripture, lest your mind fall into a spirit of blasphemy (Mark the Confessor).
30. Do not attempt to resolve a dark and confusing matter through argument, but through prayer and unshakable hope (Mark the Confessor).
30. When you notice that a thought promises you human glory, know for certain that it is preparing a humiliation for you (Mark the Confessor).
30. If you want the Lord to cover your sins, do not boast before others about any virtue you may have. For just as we treat our virtues, so does God treat our sins (Mark the Confessor).
30. If you see someone whose heart is deeply troubled by dishonor, know that he is vain, and now he is reaping with displeasure the fruits of the seeds he himself has sown in his heart (Mark the Confessor).
35. [Peace of] mind is freedom from passions, which cannot be attained without the influence of the Holy Spirit (Mark the Confessor).
36. The meek in God are the wisest of the wise, and the humble of heart are the strongest of the strong, for they bear the yoke of Christ with wisdom (Mark the Confessor).
36. Think and do nothing without a purpose that leads to God, for he who journeys aimlessly labors in vain (Mark the Confessor).
44. There is one kind of rebuke [of others] born of malice and a spirit of vengeance, and there is another: born of the fear of God and love for the truth (Mark the Confessor).
44. Do not rebuke one who has ceased to sin and is already repentant. But if, as you say, you wish to rebuke him for God’s sake, first confess your own sins before him (Mark the Confessor).
44. It is better to pray benevolently for your neighbor than to rebuke him for every sin (Mark the Confessor).
44. Do not desire to hear about the deceitfulness of others, for in doing so, the traits of that deceitfulness become imprinted within us as well (Mark the Confessor).
44. A listener to evil things becomes a harbinger of evil himself (Mark the Confessor).
53. If you have received from the Lord the calling to teach others, yet they do not listen to you, grieve over this in your heart, but do not show your distress outwardly. Thus, because of your grief, you will not be condemned along with those who do not heed you, and because of your distress, you will not be tempted [by feelings of hostility] (Mark the Confessor).
53. What is said in general to many is beneficial to all; yet each person’s conscience guides them individually (Mark the Confessor).
53. If someone does not listen to you from the very first word, do not force them with an argument; but rather, win them over to your side by showing them the benefit they have rejected. For your lack of malice is more beneficial to you than their obedience (Mark the Confessor).
53. One who speaks rightly must also give thanks to God, having received from God what ought to be said. For truth is the work not of the one who speaks, but of God who acts (Mark the Confessor).
53. Do not attempt to correct someone who boasts of his virtues, for the same person cannot be both a lover of ostentation and a lover of truth (Mark the Confessor).
53. Do not rebuke a strong man for his vanity, but rather point out to him the burden of future disgrace; for in this way, a wise man more readily accepts rebuke (Mark the Confessor).
Abba Evagrius was born around the middle of the 4th century near the Black Sea. Gregory of Nyssa ordained him a deacon in Constantinople. The saint then went to Egypt, where he lived as a hermit in cells and later in a skete as a monk. He died in the desert at the age of 54. He composed 100 prayers and wrote three books on practical lessons and on the struggle against demons and passions.
1. Sometimes, out of malice, a person unwittingly takes upon himself the burdens of his neighbor. It happens this way: one who deprives a neighbor of something takes upon himself the temptation of the one deprived; likewise, the slanderer takes upon himself the temptations of the one slandered; the deceiver, those of the one deceived; the one who wearies others, those of the one wearied; the one who speaks ill of others, those of the one spoken ill of; and the one who despises others, those of the one despised. And so as not to list everything separately, I will say briefly: anyone who wrongs a neighbor takes upon himself, in proportion to the wrong caused, the temptations of the one he has wronged. Divine Scripture also testifies to this, saying: “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone upward will have it roll back upon him” (Prov. 26:27) (Evargius of Mont).
24. Do not give your body too much food, and then you will not see evil dreams; for just as water extinguishes fire, so hunger extinguishes evil dreams (Evagrius the Monk).
24. Eat bread in moderation and drink water in measure, and the spirit of fornication will flee from you (Evagrius of Monte).
44. Do not listen to words spoken against your spiritual father, and do not incite those who do not respect him to turn against him, lest the Lord be angered by your actions and blot you out of the book of life (Evarge of Mount Athos).
45. If your neighbor offends you, invite him into your home, and do not be too lazy to go to his house and share a meal with him. By doing so, you will free yourself from confusion, and you will have no stumbling block during prayer (Evarge the Monk).
51. Demons do not know our hearts, as some believe. There is only one who knows the heart—God, who knows the human mind because He created humankind (Ps. 32:15). But partly through our words and partly through our actions, demons discern the intentions of our hearts. For example, when we argue with someone who has slandered us, demons infer from our angry words that we harbor ill will toward that person. Then, having discerned our weakness, they instill hostile thoughts in us. By accepting these thoughts, we fall under the yoke of the demon of vindictiveness, who from that moment on begins to increasingly fan the flames of vengeance within us against that offender. For the evil demons watch our every movement with curiosity and pay close attention to everything that could be used against us: whether we are sitting, standing, walking, speaking, or looking—they observe it all carefully. Every day they devise various temptations against us, so that during prayer they may confuse our humble mind and extinguish the blessed light within it (Evarge the Monk).
Saint John of Karpathos lived in the 5th century on the island of Karpathos, located between Rhodes and Crete. Nothing is known about the place of his ascetic labors or his life. He wrote a consolatory message to monks in India, consisting of one hundred instructions, in which he urges them to bear sorrows and temptations with courage.
4. Nothing disrupts a good disposition as much as laughter, jokes, and idle talk. And yet, nothing renews a weary soul and prepares it for closeness with God as much as the fear of God, attentive devotion, constant study of the Word of God, and prayer (John of Karpathos).
6. Just as iron, when it comes into contact with fire, becomes invulnerable, so frequent prayers strengthen the mind for the struggle against the enemy. That is why the demons strive with all their might to weaken our desire for prayer, knowing that prayer defeats them (John Carp.).
28. It sometimes happens that a teacher is subjected to disgrace and temptations on behalf of those who have received spiritual benefit from him. That is why the apostle wrote: “We are weak and subjected to disgrace—through the wiles of the wicked one of the flesh—but you are glorious and strong in Christ” (1 Cor. 4:10, John Carp.).
30. First, the keys [of the Kingdom of Heaven] are entrusted to the Apostle Peter, and then he is permitted to deny Christ the Lord, so that through such a fall his opinion of himself might be humbled. So too, if—having received the keys of knowledge and understanding—you fall prey to various temptations, do not be surprised by this, but glorify the one all-wise Lord, who through your fall curbs your pride. For temptation is a bridle that, by God’s providence, curbs the pride of men (John Carp).
51. With threats and abuse, the devil boldly attacks the soul that has just departed from the body, appearing as a bitter and terrifying accuser of its failings. But one can also see how the soul that loves God and is faithful to Him—even though it has been wounded many times before by sin—is not afraid of his attacks and threats, but grows ever stronger in the Lord, is uplifted by joy, and inspired by wisdom as it sees the heavenly forces accompanying it; and how the light of faith shields her like a wall, and with great boldness she cries out against the evil devil: “What have you to do with us, you who are alien to God? What have you to do with us, you wicked servant cast down from Heaven? You have no power over us. Christ, the Son of God, has authority over us and over all in the world; to Him we have sinned, and to Him we will give an account, having as our guarantee His mercy toward us and salvation in Him through His honorable cross. But you, wretched one, flee from us! (John of Karpathos).
Blessed Diadochus lived in the second half of the 5th century and was bishop of the city of Photiki in Illyrian Epirus. No information about his life has survived. He was renowned for his holy life and wisdom. His works, written in Greek, are well known: “An Ascetic Discourse,” “A Sermon on the Ascension of the Lord,” “Against the Arians,” and “One Hundred Sayings” on the spiritual life, vigilance, and virtuous living. He died a martyr’s death.
2. Some believe that grace and sin—the Spirit of Truth and the evil spirit—coexist in the souls of the baptized. Holding this view, they teach that while the good Spirit draws the mind toward good, the evil spirit draws it toward the opposite. I, however, have come to understand from the Divine Scriptures and from my own experience that before baptism, grace from without directs the soul toward good, while Satan lurks in its very depths, attempting to hinder the mind’s righteous intentions. But from the moment of a person’s rebirth in the sacrament of baptism, grace is instilled within the person and guides him from there, while the devil attacks him from without. Thus, if before baptism delusion reigned over the soul, after baptism truth reigns over it. Even after baptism, Satan attacks the soul, sometimes even more fiercely than before baptism. However, this is not because evil coexists with grace in the human soul. Far be it! But through the frailty of the body and the allure of base pleasures, Satan, as it were, casts a smoke screen before the mind, seeking to cloud it. And this happens by God’s permission, so that a person may attain spiritual joy only through storm, fire, and temptation. That is why it is said in Scripture: “We have passed through fire and water, and You have brought us to freedom” (Blessed Diad.).
2. From the very moment of baptism, grace dwells invisibly in the depths of the soul, though it conceals its presence from the newly baptized person’s senses. But when he begins to love God with all his heart, then grace, through the faculties of the mind, begins to converse mysteriously with the soul, partially partaking it in its blessings. Therefore, when a person decides to preserve this gift within himself forever, he joyfully renounces all earthly goods in order to fully acquire the field in which he has found the hidden treasure of life (Matt. 13:44). For a person finds within himself the place where God’s grace is hidden only after he has renounced all worldly goods. Then, as the person progresses in virtue, the gift of divine grace reveals its beneficence in his soul. But then the Lord allows the demons to trouble the soul even more, in order to teach it to discern good from evil with discernment and to make it humble (Blessed Diad.).
3. A person who explores the depths of faith is tossed about by waves of various thoughts, whereas one who contemplates the objects of faith with a simple-hearted disposition enjoys inner peace (Blessed Diad.).
3. Fasting, as a means leading to chastity, has value, but not in the sight of God. Therefore, the ascetic should not be proud of his act of fasting, but should expect to achieve his goal solely through faith in God. After all, even master craftsmen do not prove their excellence to others by the quality of their tools, but by patiently completing their work, which testifies to how skilled they are (Blessed Diad.).
4. No one can love God with all their heart without first kindling the fear of God in their heart, for the soul attains active love only after it has been purified and softened by the influence of the fear of God (Blessed Diad.).
5. We are all created in the image of God. But becoming like God is possible only for those who, out of their great love, have made themselves servants to Him. For the more we deny ourselves, the more we become like the One who, out of His great love, reconciled us to Himself. No one can attain this state unless they first convince themselves not to be carried away by the allurements of a self-indulgent life (Blessed Diad.).
13. To those who are just beginning to love piety, the path of virtue seems harsh and frightening. And this is not because it is inherently so, but because people grow accustomed from childhood to a life of ease and pleasure. For those, however, who have lived a certain part of their lives piously, the path of virtue appears good and joyful. For when we suppress evil desires with good habits, our very inclination toward carnal pleasures also disappears. After that, the soul willingly follows the path of virtue. Therefore, the Lord, calling us to begin our salvation, says that the path leading to life is narrow and difficult, and few are those who walk it (Matt. 7:14). To those who earnestly desire to live according to His holy commandments, He says: “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). At the beginning of our spiritual struggle, we must compel ourselves to fulfill the holy commandments. Then the merciful Lord, seeing our good intention and effort, will grant us the readiness and free will to obey His holy commands with joy for the rest of our lives (Blessed Diad.).
13. Just as wax that has not been heated and softened cannot clearly bear the seal impressed upon it, so too a person, until tested by labors and infirmities, cannot imprint within himself the seal of God’s virtue. We should endure with gratitude all trials that befall us by God’s will and providence—and then, both illnesses and the struggle against the thoughts instilled in us by demons will be counted as a second martyrdom. For the enemy of the human race, who once spoke to the holy martyrs through the mouths of lawless rulers, saying, “Renounce Christ and love the glory of this age,” now says something similar to the servants of God. He who once tormented the righteous and, through heretics, reviled the honorable teachers of the Church, now inflicts various sufferings upon the confessors of piety through insults and humiliations—especially when, for the glory of the Lord, they assist the oppressed and the poor with great zeal. For this reason, we must carefully and patiently discern within ourselves the following testimony of conscience before the Lord: “I have firmly trusted in the Lord, and He has inclined toward me and heard my cry” (Blessed Diadetus).
27. Just as our body becomes sluggish and unresponsive when overburdened by food, so too, when exhausted by excessive self-restraint, it renders the contemplative part of the soul listless and incapable of reasoning. Therefore, we must adjust the amount of food we eat to the state of our physical strength. Thus, when the body is healthy, it is necessary to discipline it as needed, and when it is weak, to relax the discipline somewhat. The ascetic should not fall into laxity, but must preserve the strength necessary for the ascetic struggle, so as to purify his soul through bodily labor (Blessed Diad.).
27. Just as in a bathhouse, doors that are frequently opened allow the internal heat to escape, so too does a person who speaks at length—even if everything said is beneficial—lose spiritual composure through the “door” of conversation. This deprives the mind of purity of thought, and then, swept away by a disorderly flood of thoughts, the person begins to engage in disorderly conversation. In such a state, a person no longer possesses the Holy Spirit, who keeps his thoughts collected, because the good Spirit, being alien to all turmoil and daydreaming, shuns verbosity (Blessed Diad.).
29. When the soul ceases to desire deceptive earthly goods, then from time to time a certain spirit of despondency creeps into it, which prevents it from willingly laboring in the ministry of the Word and robs it of the desire for future blessings. It presents this present life to the soul as utterly worthless and devoid of worthy deeds of virtue, and it belittles the spiritual knowledge the soul has acquired, treating it as something known to all and revealing nothing special. We can avoid this lukewarm and enfeebling passion if we keep our thoughts firmly focused on the remembrance of God, for only in this way can our spirit, having returned to its natural spiritual fervor, overcome this enfeebling passion (Blessed Diad.).
40. Whoever loves himself cannot fully love God, but only he who does not love himself because of his intense love for God truly loves God. Such a person will never seek glory for himself, but only for God alone… It is characteristic of a God-loving soul, filled with the sense of God, to seek only the glory of God, while regarding himself, to delight in humility. For glory befits God, because of His greatness, but humility befits man (Blessed Diad.).
42. When a person begins to feel a strong love for God, then he begins to love his neighbor as well, and once he begins, he does not cease. This is precisely how Holy Scripture teaches us to love. And while carnal love evaporates at the slightest provocation, spiritual love remains. In a God-loving soul, under God’s influence, the bond of love is not severed, even when someone causes it grief. This is because a God-loving soul, warmed by love for God, even if it has suffered some sorrow at the hands of a neighbor, quickly returns to its former good disposition and willingly restores within itself the feeling of love for its neighbor. In such a soul, the bitterness of discord is completely absorbed by God’s sweetness (Blessed Diad.).
40. A novice asked the elder, “Who, Father, can fulfill all the commandments when there are so many of them?” The elder replied, “The one who imitates the Lord Jesus Christ and follows Him step by step.”—“But who can imitate the Lord?” the novice asked in bewilderment. “After all, the Lord was God, even though He became man, but I am a sinful man, enslaved by countless passions. How can I imitate the Lord?” The elder explained: “Among people enslaved by worldly vanities, no one can imitate the Lord. But only those who, together with the apostles, can say: ‘We have left everything and followed You’ (Matt. 19:27)—receive the strength to imitate the Lord and follow all His commandments.” Then the novice said, “But, Father, the Lord’s commandments are many, and who can remember them all, let alone fulfill them, especially a weak man like me? I would like to hear a brief instruction from you so that I may be saved by following it.” The elder replied: “Although there are many commandments, they are all summed up in one: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your strength, with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself’ (Luke 10:27). A person who strives to fulfill this commandment fulfills all the others as well. But whoever does not completely free himself from attachment to material things cannot truly love either God or his neighbor. Therefore, do not concern yourself solely with the things of the flesh, but, having taken upon yourself a task within your power, turn your whole mind toward the inner life, “for—as the Apostle says—physical training is of little value, but godliness is of value in every way” (Blessed Diad.).
51. When the soul begins to enjoy the grace-filled consolation of the Holy Spirit, then Satan, during the night’s rest or during a moment of drowsiness, tries to instill in it his own false consolation in the form of a seemingly sweet sensation. But if, at that moment, the mind is keeping the holy name of the Lord Jesus warmly in its memory and uses this most holy and glorious name as a sure weapon against the enemy’s deception, then the cunning deceiver immediately withdraws. However, having suffered defeat, he then turns against the God-loving person openly (and not merely in thoughts). Thus, the mind, faithfully discerning the cunning snares of the evil one, succeeds more and more in understanding spiritual matters (Blessed Diad.).
Information about the Venerable Elijah is extremely scarce. It is known that he was distinguished by spiritual wisdom, and that his words were eloquent and powerful. His teachings are called a “collection of flowers,” since they are composed of the teachings of various ancient Fathers.
6. If the words of prayer do not penetrate the soul, then even tears will not cleanse its exterior (Elijah Ekd.).
13. A Christian who sincerely believes in God should not carelessly give in to complacency, but must always expect temptations and be ready to face them; and when they come, he should not be confused or upset, but should bear his sorrow with gratitude (Elijah of Ekd.).
21. Do not burden yourself even with a small sin, for then you will not be enslaved by a greater one, because it never happens that a greater sin arises before a lesser one (Elijah Ekd.).
23. People who are not inclined to repent sin more often, while those who have sinned against their will find it easier to repent. However, they also have less need for it (Elijah of Ekd.).
23. Do not be angry with the one whose rebuke has exposed the evil hidden within you. But, seeing the impurity cast out, condemn yourself, and give thanks to God, who providentially arranged it this way (Elijah Ekd.).
27. Rebuke stirs up energy in the soul, while praise relaxes it and makes it lazy when it comes to good deeds (Elijah Ekd.).
29. Neither the sinner nor the righteous is free from sorrow; but the former grieves that he has not yet completely turned away from sin, and the latter, that he has not yet mastered all virtue (Elijah Ekd.).
30. Just as one who thinks highly of himself fails to notice his own shortcomings,
so the humble person fails to see his own good qualities. In the former, flaws are concealed by wicked ignorance, and in the latter, by godly humility (Elijah Ekd.).
30. Just as a merchant without gold is no merchant, even if he is very skilled in trade, so too a person who strives without humility will not see the good fruits of virtue, even if he relies heavily on his own reason (Ilya Ekd.).
36. It is not only necessary for a good deed to be performed with a good disposition, but also for a person to perform it properly—that is, taking into account both the time and the measure (Ilya Ekd.).
3. Faith is a gift that sets us on a virtuous path. It instills in us the fear of God. And the fear of God teaches us to keep the commandments and live virtuously. From a virtuous life comes the desired dispassion, and from dispassion comes love, which is the fulfillment of all the commandments, uniting them all (St. Theodore of Edessa).
3. Faith and hope are not mere or random spiritual states. For faith requires spiritual strength, and hope requires a righteous character and a righteous heart. Moreover, how can a person easily believe in the invisible without the assistance of grace? And how can he place unshakable hope in the invisible and the future unless he first gains some personal experience of the Lord’s gifts, which confirm Him in the future just as in the present? Thus, both of these virtues require the effort of our will, and at the same time God’s assistance and help, without which all our labor will be in vain (St. Theognostus).
6. Whoever wishes for God to hear his prayer more quickly should, before any other prayer, pray for his enemies; and for this reason, God will accept his prayer (Abba Zeno).
7. Water is soft by nature, while stone is hard. However, when water flows down a gutter and drips onto a stone, it gradually wears it away. So too, the Word of God is gentle, while our hearts are hard. But if a person frequently listens to the Word of God, his heart is softened and becomes capable of receiving the fear of God (Abba Pimen).
7. A tree is known by its fruit, and the disposition of the mind is known by the thoughts that dwell within it (Abba Isaiah).
13. A disciple said to his elder: “My thoughts tell me that I am good.” The elder replied: “A person who does not see his own sins always considers himself good. But the one who sees his sins cannot think that he is good, because he acknowledges himself for what he sees—a sinner. Everyone must work hard to see themselves. Negligence, ignorance, and complacency cloud the eyes of the heart” (an unknown elder).
13. Destroy temptations and the struggle against thoughts—and not a single saint will remain. He who flees from saving temptation also flees from eternal life. One of the saints says: “Who bestowed the crowns upon the holy martyrs, if not their tormentors? Who granted the protomartyr Stephen such great glory, if not those who stoned him?” And in doing so, he quoted the saying of another saint, who said: “I do not blame those who revile me; on the contrary, I call them my benefactors and honor them, and I do not reject the Physician of souls, who gives my vain soul the medicine of piety, lest He one day say to my poor soul: ‘We tried to heal Babylon, but it was not healed’ (Abba Zosima).
21. The more we have indulged our passions, the more our passionate memories will agitate our soul. But when passionate memories are erased from the heart to such an extent that they cannot even approach it—this is a sign of forgiveness for past sins. For as long as the soul is passionately attached to anything sinful, it is a sign that sin still reigns over it (Theodore of Edessa).
24. Abba Daniel said: “The fatter the body, the weaker the soul; and the leaner the body, the stronger the soul… The more the body withers away, the more refined the soul becomes; and the more refined it is, the more ardent it becomes” (Abba Daniel).
24. The body strives to enjoy sensual pleasures, and the more it enjoys them, the more it craves them. This desire of the body is opposed to the desire of the soul. Therefore, let us first and foremost strive to rein in our senses so as not to indulge in physical pleasures. Since the body, the stronger it becomes, the more it strives for its own ends, and the more successfully it achieves them, the more uncontrollable it becomes, the soul must strive to mortify the flesh through fasting, vigil, standing, sleeping on the bare ground, and other such deprivations, so that, by weakening sensual desires, the flesh may be made humble and submissive to the soul. But as easy as it is to desire this, so difficult is it to achieve. Therefore, the remedies of prayer and tears are wisely offered to us (Theodore of Edessa).
25. A novice asked Abba Agathon how to combat lustful passions. The elder replied, “Go, cast down your strength before God [humble yourself completely before Him]—and you will find peace” (Abba Agathon).
25. Abba Pimen says regarding lustful thoughts: “If a chest filled with belongings is left standing for a long time, and the clothes inside are not sorted through, they will eventually rot away. The same is true of the evil thoughts planted in us by the devil: if we do not act on them, they will eventually decay and disappear” (Abba Pimen).
30. The humble-minded person does not even have the tongue to say of anyone else that they are negligent or careless in the matter of salvation. They do not have eyes to see the faults of others. They do not have ears to listen to harmful conversations. They do not concern themselves with anything temporary, but are concerned solely with their own sins (Abba Isaiah).
30. If you see a young man living as he pleases and boldly ascending to heaven, take him by the feet and pull him down to earth, for such an ascent is ruinous for him (an unknown elder).
30. I prefer defeat with humility to victory with pride (an unknown elder).
30. A person’s spiritual progress is measured by his humility. The more deeply one immerses himself in humility, the higher he will rise in virtue (an unknown elder).
30. I prefer a person who sins and repents to one who does not sin but does not repent (Abba Pimen).
31. Reject blasphemous thoughts by paying no attention to them, and they will depart from you. They trouble only those who fear them (Abba Isaiah).
44. Once, Abba Isaiah saw someone committing a grave sin. The elder did not rebuke him, but said to himself, “If God, who created him, sees this and has mercy on him, who am I to rebuke him?” (Abba Isaiah).
45. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15). If anyone hears a hurtful word and, instead of responding with a similar insult, overcomes himself and remains silent, or, having been deceived, endures it and does not take revenge on the deceiver—then by this he lays down his life for his neighbor (Abba Pimen).
50. Truly, deep reflection on death combines many virtues. Reflections on death lead to self-restraint, remind us of hell, aid in prayer, bring forth tears, protect the heart, and foster self-reflection. From these virtues, in turn, a deep fear of God is born, and the heart is purified of passionate thoughts (St. Philotheos of Sinai).
50. What unspeakable consolation it is when the soul, confident of salvation, separates from the body, laying it aside as a garment! For, as if already possessing the blessings to come, it leaves the body carefree, going in peace toward the Angel who descends from above to meet it with joy, and together with him passes unhindered through the air, without being subjected to any attack by the spirits of malice, but ascending joyfully with boldness and cries of thanksgiving until it reaches worship of the Creator, and there receives the decree to be placed among the host of its kindred in virtue until the general resurrection (St. Theognostus).
51. Just as Satan wages war against God through us by inciting us to violate God’s commandments, thereby hindering the fulfillment of His will, so too does God, through us, thwart the wicked one’s destructive plans by helping us to fulfill His holy will, as expressed in His divine and life-giving commandments. Thus, through our human weakness, God thwarts the enemy’s godless schemes (St. Philotheos of Sinai).
53. It is dangerous to rush into teaching your neighbor, lest you yourself fall into the very thing from which you wish to warn him. One who sins cannot teach others how not to sin (Abba Isaiah).
Missionary Leaflet A11
Editor: Bishop Alexander (Mileant)