Orthodox Christian Quotes and Catechism

Repentance is the door of mercy, opened to those who seek it. -St. Isaac the Syrian

Try to know yourself, your own wickedness. Think on the greatness of God and your wretchedness. Meditate on the suffering of Christ, the magnitude of Whose love and suffering surpass our understanding. Ascribe the good that you do to God alone. Do not think about the sin of a brother but about what in him is better than in yourself …. Flee from glory, honors and praise, but if this is impossible, be sorry that such is your lot. Be benevolent to people of low origin. Be freely and willingly obedient not only to those above you but to those below …. The lowlier we are in spirit, the better we know ourselves, and without humility we cannot see God. -St. Tikhon of Zadonsk 

…though remission of sins is given equally to all, the communion of the Holy Spirit is bestowed in proportion to each man’s faith. If you have labored little, you receive little; but if you have wrought much, the reward is great. You are running for yourself, see to your own interest. -St. Cyril of Jerusalem 

…Nothing is better than to realize one’s weakness and ignorance, and nothing is worse than not to be aware of them. St. Peter of Damascus 

A certain brother asked the abbot Poemen, saying, “What am I to do, Father, for I am troubled in sadness?” The old man said to him, “Look to no man for aught, condemn no man, disparage no man: and God shall give thee rest.” The Sayings of the Desert Fathers 

Sin, to one who loves God, is nothing other than an arrow from the enemy in battle. The true Christian is a warrior fighting his way through the regiments of the unseen enemy to his heavenly homeland. St. Herman of Alaska 

Until we have acquired true prayer, we are like those who introduce children to walking. Make the effort to raise up, or rather, to enclose your mind within the words of your prayer; and if, like a child, it gets tired and falters, raise it up again. The mind, after all, is naturally unstable, but the God Who can do everything can also give it firm endurance. Persevere in this, therefore, and do not grow weary…  -St. John Climacus of Sinai

The life of today’s Saint, Platon the Martyr, can confront us about many things. We must confront ourselves, lest we hear “I never knew you; depart from me.” (Mt. 7:21-23)

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In order to bathe one must first undress. So it is with the heart: it must be set free from the world’s outer covering in order to be accessible to the Cleanser. The healthful rays of the sun cannot reach the skin if we do not first uncover it and stand naked. So it is with the Spirit’s healing and life-giving power.  -Tito Colliander, The Way of the Ascetics”

Do not dare to raise your weak hand to stop the elemental tide of apostasy. Avoid it, protect yourself from it, and that is enough for you. Get to know the spirit of the times, study it so you can avoid its influence whenever possible.  -St. Ignatius Brianchaninov