“Even when your body does nothing, sin can be active in your mind. When your soul inwardly repulses the evil one's attack by means of prayer, attention, remembrance of death, godly sorrow and mourning the body, too, takes its share of holiness, having acquired freedom from evil actions. This is what the Lord meant by saying that someone who cleans the outside of the cup has not cleansed it inside, but clean the inside and the whole cup will be clean” MindMeanDoeSoulWholeGodBodyActionChristianDeathEvilReligiousFreedomPrayerSinAttentionLordShareSorrowCleanActiveYour BodyChristian InspirationalCupsYour SoulMourningHolinessOrthodoxRemembranceGodlyTheologianRepulsion Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
“We know that prayer in and of itself cannot save us, but carrying it out before God can. For when the Lord's eyes are upon us He sanctifies us, as the sun warms everything upon which it shines.” KnowsEyeChristianPrayerLordSunShiningOrthodoxOrthodox ChristianSanctify Author:Gregory Palamas
“When we become incorruptible and immortal, and attain to the blessed state of conformity with Christ, we will be ever with the Lord (as Scripture says), gaining fulfillment in the purest contemplations of His visible theophany which will illuminate us with its most brilliant rays, just as it illuminated the disciples at the time of the most divine Transfiguration.” SaidStatesLightChristianChristLordOpinionDivineBlessedSaintBrilliantFulfillmentContemplationVisibleRevelationsImmortalOrthodoxConformityRaysDiscipleOrthodox ChristianTransfiguration Author:Gregory Palamas
“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
“The light of the Lord's transfiguration does not come into being or cease to be, nor is it circumscribed or perceptible to the senses, even though for a short time on the narrow mountain top it was seen by human eyes.” HumansDoeHas BeensMomentsLightEyeChristianSpiritLordSawsTaughtHolyMountainTransformationFleshSensesCeaseGrantedHoly SpiritOrthodoxThat MomentDiscipleShort TimeIneffableMountain TopHuman EyesTransfiguration 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
“Life of the soul is union with God, as life of the body is union with the soul. As the soul was separated from God and died in consequence of the violation of the commandment, so by obedience to the commandment it is again united to God and is quickened. This is why the Lord says in the Gospels, 'The words I speak to you are spirit and life' (Jn. 6:63).” SoulBodyChristianSpiritSpeakUnitedLordConsequenceDiedUnionsObedienceOrthodoxCommandmentsViolation 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
“They have not understood that the Lord's Cross discloses the entire dispensation of His coming in the flesh, and contains within it the whole mystery of this dispensation. Extending in all directions, it embraces everything above, below, around and between.” MenWholeChristianLordMysterySonGloryCrossesEmbraceFleshOrthodoxLiftingOrthodox ChristianExtendingLifting Up Author:Gregory Palamas
“Prayer changes from entreaty to thanksgiving, and meditation on the divine truths of faith fills the heart with a sense of jubilation and unimpeachable hope. This hope is a foretaste of future blessings, of which the soul even now receives direct experience, and so it comes to know in part the surpassing richness of God's bounty, in accordance with the Psalmist's words, 'Taste and know that the Lord is bountiful' (Ps. 34:8). For He is the jubilation of the righteous, the joy of the upright, the gladness of the humble, and the solace of those who grieve because of Him.” KnowsHeartSoulChristianJoyPrayerLordMeditationDivineTasteBlessingDirectHumbleGrievingOrthodoxRighteousRichnessSolaceGladnessBountySurpassingJubilation 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
“The disciples worshipped the most high Lord Who had come down from heaven, made the earth into heaven and gone up again whence He came, having united things below with things above and formed one Church, at the same time heavenly and earthly, to the glory of His love for mankind.” MadeEarthChristianHeavenChurchUnitedLordGoneMankindGloryHeavenlyOrthodoxDiscipleHis Love Book:The homilies Source: The homilies
“[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
“We start... imitation of Christ with Holy Baptism, which symbolizes the Lord's Burial and Resurrection. Virtuous living and conduct in accord with the Gospel are its intermediate stage, and its perfection is victory through spiritual struggles against the passions, which procures painless, indestructible, heavenly life.” ChristianSpiritualPassionChristLordStruggleStageVictoryHolyPerfectionHeavenlyOrthodoxResurrectionVirtuousImitationAccordOrthodox ChristianBaptismBurialIndestructiblePainless Author:Gregory Palamas
“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
