“You should secretly give from what you have to those in need, so that you receive from God, Who sees in secret, a hundred times more, as well as life eternal in the age to come (cf. Mt. 6:4; Mk. 10:30).” NeedsGivingShouldWellsAgeChristianSecretEternalHundredOrthodoxCfsThose In Need Author:Gregory Palamas
“The commemoration of Christ's saving Passion is at hand, and the new, great spiritual Passover, which is the reward for dispassion and the prelude of the world to come. Lazarus proclaims it in advance by coming back from the depths of Hades and rising from the dead on the fourth day just by voice and command of God, Who has power over life and death (cf. Jn. 11:1-45).” WorldHandsChristianSpiritualPassionVoiceChristRewardsDepthCommandSavingRisingLife And DeathOrthodoxFourthComing BackHadesCfsPreludeGreat SpiritualLazarusCommemoration Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
“The Lord came to send fire upon the earth (cf. Lk. 12:49), and through participation in this fire He makes divine not just the human substance which He assumed for our sake, but every person who is found worthy of communion with Him.” HumansPersonsGodEarthChristianFoundReligiousLordFireDivineBibleAssumingSakeWorthyChristian InspirationalSubstanceOrthodoxTrust In GodCommunionParticipationOrthodox ChristianCommitment To GodIntimacy With GodGod Within UsCfsCommunion With GodConnecting With GodBible Verse Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
“Let none of you have a soul which is barren and without fruit. Let nobody be unloving or unreceptive to the spiritual seed. May each of you eagerly accept the celestial seed, the word of salvation (cf. Lk. 8:11), and by your own efforts bring it to perfection as a heavenly work and fruit pleasing to God. Let no one make a beginning of a good work which brings no fruit to perfection (cf. Lk. 8:14), nor declare his faith in Christ only with His tongue.” MaySoulChristianSpiritualChristEffortAcceptingPerfectionSalvationFruitTongueSeedsHeavenlyOrthodoxGood WorkOrthodox ChristianCelestialBarrenCfs Author:Gregory Palamas
“Mary properly bore the name of Virgin, and possessed to the full all the attributes of purity. She was a virgin in both body and soul, and kept all the powers of her soul and her bodily senses far above any defilement. This she did authoritatively, steadfastly, decisively and altogether inviolably at all times, as a closed gate preserves the treasure within, and a sealed book keeps hidden from sight what is written inside. The Scriptures say of her, 'This is the sealed book' (cf. Rev. 5:1-6:1; Dan. 12:4) and 'this gate shall be shut, and no man shall enter by it' (Ezek. 44:2).” MenBookSoulBodyChristianNamesWrittenSightScriptureSensesTreasureAll TimePreservesPurityOrthodoxGatesAttributesPossessedMaryBoresVirginsCfsDefilement Author:Gregory Palamas
“If... we choose death rather than true life, God does not take away the power that He gave us. And not only does He not take it away, but He reminds us of it again and again. From the dawn till the dusk of life? For, indeed, no one can come to Christ, as He Himself said in the Gospels, unless the Father draws him (cf. Jn. 6:44).” IfsDoeSaidChristianFatherChristDrawsDawnOrthodoxAgain And AgainDuskTrue LifeCfs Author:Gregory Palamas
“... we can see both that love for God is begotten from the virtues and that virtues are born of love. For this reason the Lord said at one point in the Gospels, 'He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me' (Jn. 14:21), and at another point, 'He who loves Me will keep My commandments' (cf. Jn. 14:23).” SaidReasonChristianBornLordVirtueGod LoveOrthodoxCommandmentsCfs Author:Gregory Palamas
“... the passion for popularity brings such injury upon those it masters that it shipwrecks faith itself. Our Lord confirms this when He says, 'How can you have faith in Me when you receive honour from one another and do not seek for the honour that comes from the only God?' (cf. Jn. 5:44).” GodChristianFaithPassionReligiousLordMastersPrideHonorSaintVanityInjuryOrthodoxHonourHave FaithPopularityOur LordCfsShipwreck Author:Gregory Palamas
“Anyone who has fallen into fornication, adultery or any other such bodily impurity, should desist from this revolting filth and cleanse himself through confession, tears, fasting and the like. For God judges unrepentant fornicators and adulterers. He condemns them, dismisses them and consigns them to hell, unquenchable fire and other never-ending punishments, saying, 'Let the impure and accursed be taken away, lest they see and enjoy the glory of the Lord' (cf. Isa. 26:10 LXX).” ShouldChristianEnjoyLordHellTakenFireTearsJudgingGloryPunishmentFallenOrthodoxConfessionAdulteryFastingNever EndingFilthCfsImpurity Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
“...we are not without hope of salvation, nor is it at all the right time for us to despair. All our life is a season of repentance, for God 'desires not the death of the sinner', as it is written, 'but that the wicked turn from his way and live' (cf. Ez. 33:11 LXX). For, if there were no hope of turning back, why would death not have followed immediately on disobedience, and why would we not be deprived of life as soon as we sin? For where there is hope of turning back, there is no room for despair.” IfsWayChristianLife IsDesireTurnsSinRoomsOur LivesWrittenDespairSeasonsSalvationWickedSinnerOrthodoxRepentanceRight TimeDeprivedDisobedienceNo HopeWithout HopeCfsThere Is Hope Author:Gregory Palamas
“If... God highly exalted Christ because He humbled Himself, suffered dishonour, was tempted and endured a shameful cross and death for our sake, how will He save, glorify and raise us up if we neither choose humility, nor show love to our fellows, nor gain our souls by enduring temptation (cf. Lk. 21:19), nor follow the saving Guide through the 'strait gate' and along the 'narrow way' leading to eternal life (Mt. 7:14)? To this end we were called, says Peter, the chief Apostle, ' Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow His steps' (I Pet. 2:21).” IfsWayShouldSoulEndsShowsChristianChristStepsExampleHumilityEternalGainsCrossesRaisesFellowsEndureLeavingSakeGuidesTemptationSavingChiefsPetOrthodoxGatesPeterTemptedEternal LifeApostlesOrthodox ChristianShamefulExaltedGlorifyCfsDishonour Author:Gregory Palamas
“[Our Lord Jesus Christ] was... carried up to heaven (Lk. 24:50-51). With a radiant cloud for a chariot, He ascended in glory (cf. Acts 1:9), entered the Holy of Holies not made by hands and sat down on the right hand of the heavenly majesty, making our human substance share His own throne and divinity.” HumansMadeHandsChristianJesusHeavenChristLordShareHolyGloryJesus ChristCloudsSubstanceSatDivinityHeavenlyOrthodoxThronesMajestyOur LordOrthodox ChristianRadiantLord Jesus ChristCfsChariotsOur Lord Jesus Christ Author:Gregory Palamas
“...the grace of the Spirit takes possession of the quiet soul, and gives it a taste of the unspeakable good things to come, which no passionate and negligent eye has seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of such a man (cf. I Cor. 2:9). This taste is the earnest of these good things, and the heart which accepts these pledges becomes spiritual and receives assurance of its salvation.” MenGivingHeartSoulEyeChristianSpiritualSpiritAcceptingGraceHeardTasteQuietEarsSalvationGood ThingsPassionatePossessionOrthodoxAssuranceEarnestPledgeOrthodox ChristianUnspeakableCfs Author:Gregory Palamas
“Grace comes immediately to meet some of those who strive, giving them assurance of the earnest of their inheritance (cf. Eph. 1:14), letting them taste the promised prizes, as if stretching out a loving hand to welcome them and anointing them for further struggles. With others, however, grace waits for the end of the struggle, and prepares for them the crown of patience as well. As one of the God-bearing Fathers says, 'Some receive holy rewards before their labours, some during labours, and some when they depart' (St. John Climacus).” IfsGivingWellsEndsHandsChristianFatherWaitingStruggleGraceHolyTasteRewardsStriveWelcomeLabourPrizeOrthodoxCrownsAssuranceEarnestInheritanceOrthodox ChristianStretchingCfsAnointingLoving Hands Author:Gregory Palamas
“The heavenly Father Whom we worship is the Father of the Truth, namely, of the only-begotten Son, and has the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, and those who worship Him in these Two do so because they believe in these Persons and act through Them. For the Apostle tells us that it is through the Spirit that we worship and pray (cf. Rom. 8:26), and God's only-begotten Son says, 'No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me' (John 14:6).” MenBelievePersonsTwoChristianSpiritFatherSonPrayingHolyWorshipHoly SpiritHeavenlyOrthodoxApostlesOrthodox ChristianHeavenly FatherCfs Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
“While He [the Lord Jesus] was sitting alone by the well, 'There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water' (John 4:7). As man, the Lord was thirsty, and saw that someone who was naturally thirsty was coming to quench her thirst. As God, however, He also saw that her heart was athirst for the water of salvation, although she did not know Him Who could give it to her. So He hastened to reveal Himself to her longing soul for, as it is written, He Himself longs for those who long for Him (cf. Ps. 9:10; Prov. 7:15).” KnowsMenGivingWellsHeartLongSoulChristianJesusWaterLordSawsWrittenDrawsSittingSalvationLongingOrthodoxThirstOrthodox ChristianThirstyCfsQuenchSitting Alone Author:Gregory Palamas
