“Every day we should stand in awe of Him, as He is with us, and do what is pleasing before Him. If we are unable now to perceive Him with our physical eyes, we can, if we are watchful, see Him continuously with the eyes of our understanding and not just see Him, but reap great benefits from Him.” IfsGivingShouldEyeSpiritualEvilUnderstandingSinVisionBirthBenefitsEternalPerceivePurityAweEternal LifeReapDemolish Author:Gregory Palamas
“Through the fall our nature was stripped of divine illumination and resplendence. But the Logos of God had pity upon our disfigurement, and in His compassion He took our nature upon Himself. On Tabor He manifested it to His elect disciples clothed once again most brilliantly. He showed what we once were and what we shall become through Him in the age to come if we choose to live our present life, as far as possible, in accordance with His ways.” IfsWayAgeSpiritualFallCompassionDivinePityDiscipleIlluminationLogosPresent LifeDisfigurement Author:Gregory Palamas
“It is pointless for someone to say that he has faith in God if he does not have the works which go with faith. What benefit were their lamps to the foolish virgins who had no oil (Mt. 25:1-13), namely, deeds of love and compassion?” IfsDoeChristianCompassionBenefitsDeedsOilFoolishOrthodoxHave FaithFaith In GodVirginsLampsPointlessOrthodox ChristianLove And CompassionHave Faith In God Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
“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
“If from one burning lamp someone lights another, then another from that one, and so on in succession, he has light continuously. In the same way, through the Apostles ordaining their successors, and these successors ordaining others, and so on, the grace of the Holy Spirit is handed down through all generations and enlightens all who obey their spiritual shepherds and teachers.” IfsWayLightChristianSpiritualSpiritGraceTeacherGenerationsHolyBurningHoly SpiritOrthodoxLampsEnlighteningApostlesSuccessionShepherdsSuccessors Author:Gregory Palamas
“Given that we desire long life, should we not take eternal life into account? If we long for a kingdom which, however enduring, has an end, and glory and joy which, great as they are, will fade, and wealth that will perish with this present life, and we labour for the sake of such things; ought we not to seek the kingdom, glory, joy and riches which, as well as being all-surpassing, are unfading and endless, and ought we not to endure a little constraint in order to inherit it?” IfsShouldWellsLittlesLongEndsChristianJoyDesireOrderGivenWealthOughtEternalGloryAccountsEndureSakeRichesEndlessKingdomsLabourOrthodoxFadesLong LifeEternal LifeConstraintsOrthodox ChristianSurpassingPresent Life Author:Gregory Palamas
“...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
“...if anyone looks with faith at the mystical table and the Bread of Life placed on it, he sees the Person of the Word of God, Who was made flesh for our sake and dwelt among us (John 1:14). If he shows himself a worthy receptacle, he will not only see but become a partaker of Him, receive Him to dwell within him, and be filled with His divine grace.” IfsLooksPersonsMadeShowsChristianGraceDivineTablesFilledSakeWorthyFleshBreadOrthodoxWord Of GodMysticalOrthodox ChristianDivine GraceBread Of Life 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
“Being bodiless, God is nowhere, but as God He is everywhere. If there were a mountain, a place or any part of Creation where God was not, then He would be found to be in some way circumscribed. So He is everywhere and in everything. In what way is this so? Is He contained not by each part but by the whole? No, because then that would be a body. He embraces and encompasses everything, and is Himself everywhere and also above everything, worshipped by true worshippers in His Spirit and Truth.” IfsWayWholeBodyWould BeChristianSpiritFoundCreationMountainEmbraceOrthodoxOrthodox ChristianWorshippers Author:Gregory Palamas
“If you put something fragrant on to burning coals, you motivate those who approach to come back again and to stay near, but if instead you put on something with an unpleasant, oppressive smell, you repel them and drive them away. It is the same with the mind. If your attention is occupied with what is holy, you make yourself worthy of being visited by God, since this is the sweet savour which God catches scent of. On the other hand, if you nurture evil, foul and earthly thoughts within you, you remove yourself from God's supervision and unfortunately make yourself worthy of His aversion.” IfsMindHandsChristianEvilAttentionSweetHolyApproachWorthySmellBurningRemoveOrthodoxWithin YouScentNurtureCoalFoulBack AgainAversionSupervisionSavourBurning Coal Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
“Let no one out of laziness or continuous worldly occupations miss these holy Sunday gatherings, which God Himself handed down to us, lest he be justly abandoned by God... If you are detained and do not attend on one occasion, make up for it the next time, bringing yourself to Christ's Church. Otherwise you may remain uncured, suffering from unbelief in your soul because of deeds or words, and failing to approach Christ's surgery to receive... holy healing.” IfsMaySoulChristianSufferingNextChristChurchHealingFailingMissingHolyApproachDeedsOccasionsYour SoulSundayOrthodoxOccupationAbandonedLazinessNext TimeSurgeryWorldlyGatheringUnbelief Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
