“A man who gives way to his passions is like a man who is shot by an enemy, catches the arrow in his hands, and then plunges it into his own heart. A man who is resisting his passions is like a man who is shot by an enemy, and although the arrow hits him, it does not seriously wound him because he is wearing a breastplate. But the man who is uprooting his passions is like a man who is shot by an enemy, but who strikes the arrow and shatters it or turns it back into his enemies heart.” MenWayGivingHeartDoeHandsTurnsPassionEnemyHe ManShotsStrikesWoundsDenialArrowsPlungeResistingSelf-denialUprooting Author:Dorotheus of Gaza
“It is God, Who is merciful and grants everyone what he needs, Who is building him up when He gives him more than he needs; in doing so He shows the abundance of His love for men and teaches him to give thanks. When He does not grant him what he needs, He makes him compensate for the thing he needs through the working of the mind and teaches him patience.” MenNeedsGivingMindDoeShowsChristianTeachBuildingThanksAbundanceOrthodoxGrantsHis LoveOrthodox ChristianMerciful Book:Discourses and Sayings Source: Discourses and Sayings
“By keeping the Commandments the soul is purified and the mind too is enlightened, and starts to function as nature intended it to. 'The command of the Lord gives light and enlightens the eyes' (Ps. 19:8).” GivingMindSoulLightEyeChristianLordFunctionCommandEnlightenedOrthodoxCommandmentsEnlighteningOrthodox Christian Author:Dorotheus of Gaza
“The devil loves and always rejoices over the ungoverned; those who are not subject to one who has power, under God, to help them and to give them a hand.” GivingHelpingHandsChristianSubjectsDevilOrthodoxRejoiceOrthodox ChristianDevil Love Book:Discourses and Sayings Source: Discourses and Sayings
“Sin is one thing but instinctive reaction or passion is another. These are our reactions: pride, anger, sexual indulgence, hate, greed, and so on. The corresponding sins are the gratification of these passions: when a man acts and brings into corporeal reality those works which were suggested to him by his desires. It is impossible to exist without desires arising, but not to give way to them is by no means impossible.” MenWayGivingMeanRealityChristianDesireHatePassionSinImpossibleOne ThingPrideGreedReactionsOrthodoxGratificationIndulgenceOrthodox ChristianCorresponding Book:Discourses and Sayings Source: Discourses and Sayings
“Again, after his fall, God gave him an occasion to repent and to receive mercy but he kept his stiff-neck held high. He came to him and said "Adam, Where are you?" instead of saying "What glory you have left and what dishonor you have arrived at?" After that, He asked him "Why did you sin? Why did you transgress the commandment?" By asking these questions, He wanted to give him the opportunity to say, "Forgive me." However, he did not ask for forgiveness. There was no humility, there was no repentance, but indeed the opposite.” GivingSaidWantedFallAsksOpportunityLeftSinHumilityGloryMercyOppositesAskingForgivingOccasionsNecksRepentanceAdamCommandmentsRepentForgive MeDishonorAsking For ForgivenessStiff Neck Author:Dorotheus of Gaza
