“A man becomes spiritual insofar as he lives a spiritual life. He begins to see God in all things, to see His power and might in every manifestation. Always and everywhere he sees himself abiding in God and dependent on God for all things. But insofar as a man lives a bodily life, so much he does he do bodily things; He doesn't see God in anything, even in the the most wondrous manifestations of His Divine power. In all things he sees body, material, everywhere and always - "God is not before his eyes." (Ps. 35:2)” MenInspirationalDoeBodyMightEyeChristianSpiritualReligiousDivineMaterialsAll ThingsManifestationHis EyesDependentOrthodoxSpiritual LifeAbidingWondrousDivine Power Author:John of Kronstadt
“A man who is wrathful with us is a sick man; we must apply a plaster to his heart - love; we must treat him kindly, speak to him gently, lovingly. And if there is not deeply-rooted malice against us within him, but only a temporary fit of anger, you will see how his heart, or his malice, will melt away through your kindness and love - how good will conquer evil. A Christian must always be kind, gracious, and wise in order to conquer evil by good.” IfsMenHeartKindChristianOrderEvilSpeakKindnessWiseFitForgivenessAnd LoveTreatsSickConquerOrthodoxTemporaryBe KindRootedGood WillMaliceGraciousOrthodox ChristianHeart LovePlastersSick Man Author:John of Kronstadt
“Love every man in spite of his falling into sin. Never mind the sins, but remember that the foundation of the man is the same - the image of God.” MenMindChristianRememberFallSinHe ManFoundationEvery ManSpiteOrthodoxOrthodox ChristianGod Image Author:John of Kronstadt
“The man who is poor in spirit desires and says with his whole heart, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. It is as though he himself disappears; everywhere and in everything he wishes to see God-in himself and in others. 'Let everything by Thine, not mine.'” MenHeartDoneWholeEarthSpiritDesireNamesHeavenWishPoorMinesHe ManDisappearKingdomsDenialSelf-denialKingdom ComeThy Will Be DonePoor In Spirit Author:John of Kronstadt
“Every man on earth is sick with the fever of sin, with the blindness of sin and is overcome with its fury. As sins consist mostly of malice and pride, it is necessary to treat everyone who suffers from the malady of sin with kindness and love. This is an important truth, which we often forget. Very often we act in the opposite manner: we add malice to malice by our anger, we oppose pride with pride. Thus, evil grows within us and does not decrease; it is not cured - rather it spreads” MenDoeImportantEarthSufferingEvilGrowsSinForgetKindnessPrideOppositesAnd LoveTreatsOvercomingSickAddSpreadEvery ManBlindnessFuryMaliceFeverDecreaseMalady Author:John of Kronstadt
“It would seem, after this, that even when living upon earth we must live as if in the heavenly kingdom, dwelling there in anticipation by hope. But in reality, for the greater part, the contrary is the case. Men cling with their whole being to the earth and everything earthly.” IfsMenWholeRealitySeemsEarthCasesGreaterContraryKingdomsHeavenlyAnticipationAdulteryDwelling Author:John of Kronstadt
“Wherefore is this? Because our common enemy, the Devil, endeavours with all his might to oppose the intentions of the God-man, Christ. He endeavours to do everything in opposition to what Christ did and does.” MenDoeMightChristCommonEnemyDevilIntentionOppositionAdulteryEndeavourCommon Enemy Author:John of Kronstadt
“Christ wishes to raise men up to heaven, and has given them all the means to attain this; whilst the Devil, who himself for his pride was cast down from heaven into the dominions of the air, wishes by every means to attach men to earthly,- sensual, transitory things, and, in order to attain this end, he employs the most powerful, most prodigious means.” MenMeanEndsOrderGivenHeavenWishChristPowerfulAirPrideDevilRaisesCastsSensualMost PowerfulAdulteryDominionTransitoryVery MeanProdigious Author:John of Kronstadt
“The Devil endeavours by every means to keep men in error, in the enticement of the passions, in darkness of mind and heart; in pride, avarice, covetousness, envy, hatred, wicked impatience and irritation; in evil despondence, in the abominations of fornication, adultery, theft, false-witness, blasphemy, negligence, slothfulness, and sluggishness.” MenMindHeartMeanPassionEvilDarknessPrideDevilHatredErrorsEnvyWitnessWickedHeart And MindAdulteryTheftImpatienceAvariceEndeavourBlasphemyIrritationCovetousnessNegligenceVery MeanAbominationEnticementFalse WitnessSlothfulness Author:John of Kronstadt
“Do not despise any man, however poor he may be; but behave with full respect and kindness to every well-intentioned man, especially to the poor, as to our members worthy of compassion - or, rather, to members of Christ - otherwise you will cruelly wound your soul.” MenWellsMaySoulChristPoorCompassionKindnessMembersIntentionWorthyWoundsYour SoulBehaveDespiseGood IntentionsRespect And Kindness Author:John of Kronstadt
“As the Holy Trinity, our God is One Being, although Three Persons, so, likewise, we ourselves must be one. As our God is indivisible, we also must be indivisible, as though we were one man, one mind, one will, one heart, one goodness, without the smallest admixture of malice - in a word, one pure love, as God is Love. That they may be one, even as We are One (John 17:22).” MenMindHeartMayPersonsChristianThreeHolyPureGoodnessOrthodoxOne ManSmallestMaliceOrthodox ChristianTrinityPure LoveGod Is LoveIndivisibleHoly Trinity Author:John of Kronstadt
“The Lord, before His Incarnation, let mankind experience all the bitterness of sin, all their powerlessness to eradicate it; and when all longed for a Deliverer, then He appeared, the most wise, all-powerful Physician and Helper. When men hungered and thirsted after righteousness, as it grew weaker, then the everlasting righteousness came.” MenChristianSinPowerfulLordWiseMankindGrewOrthodoxRighteousnessBitternessPhysiciansEverlastingIncarnationPowerlessnessHelpersMost Wise Author:John of Kronstadt
“Worthless is the charity of the man who bestows it unwillingly, because material charity is not his, but God's gift, while only the disposition of the heart belongs to the man. This is why many charities prove almost worthless, for they were bestowed unwillingly, grudgingly, without respect for the person of our neighbor. So also the hospitality of many persons proves worthless because of their hypocritical vain-glorious behavior to their guests. Let us offer our sacrifices upon the altar of love to our neighbor, with heart-felt affection: 'for God loves a cheerful giver'” MenHeartPersonsChristianFeltSacrificeHe ManMaterialsOffersProveBehaviorCharityAffectionNeighborVainGod LoveGloriousOrthodoxGuestsDispositionWorthlessCheerfulHospitalityAltarsGiverHypocriticalHeart Felt Author:John of Kronstadt
“Besides loving each other, we must bear with each other and pardon ? 'forgive them that trespass against us' ? in order that our heavenly Father may 'forgive us our trespasses' (Mt. 6:14). Thus, with all your soul honor and love in every man the image of God, not regarding his sins, for God alone is Holy and without sin; and see how He loves us, how much He has created and still creates for us, punishing us mercifully and forgiving us bounteously and graciously. Honor the man also, in spite of his sins, for he can always amend.” MenMayStillsSoulChristianOrderFatherSinHe ManBearsHonorHolyAnd LoveForgivingEvery ManYour SoulSpiteHeavenlyOrthodoxPardonOrthodox ChristianHeavenly FatherGod Image Author:John of Kronstadt
“'If he trespass against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent; you shall forgive him' (Lk. 17:4). As the Searcher of hearts, the Lord knows that men are liable to very frequent trespass, and that, having fallen, they often rise up again; therefore He has given us the commandment to frequently forgive trespasses, and He Himself is the first to fulfill His holy word. As soon as you say from your whole heart, 'I repent,' you will be immediately forgiven.” IfsKnowsMenFirstsHeartWholeChristianTurnsGivenLordHolyForgivingSevenFallenOrthodoxCommandmentsForgivenRepentLiableSearchers Author:John of Kronstadt
“God is resplendently reflected in the souls of His chosen ones, and these pure souls, these images of God, like the transparent glass, shine forth like gold in the sun, like diamonds of the purest water, but they shine for God and the angels, not revealing their brightness to men, although at times, by God's ordering, they do shine even for them, by the light of their faith, their virtues, when necessary, similar to a candle put on a candlestick in a room, and lighting the room with all those who are in it. (cf. Mt. 5:15).” MenSoulLightChristianWaterRoomsSunVirtuePureAngelGoldShiningGlassesChosenOrthodoxCandleDiamondRevealingTransparentLightingOrthodox ChristianBrightnessGod ImageCfsPure SoulChosen One Author:John of Kronstadt
“God is inexhaustible in His gifts to men? Everywhere we see plenty and joy; only the greedy rich lay their hands on and keep in their treasuries too many of God's gifts, which might plentifully nourish hundreds and thousands of poor. Man! Believe firmly in God's inexhaustibility in His gifts, and willingly 'deal your bread to the hungry' (Isa. 58:7)?” MenBelieveHandsMightChristianJoyPoorDealsRichLaysHungryBreadPlentyOrthodoxGreedyOrthodox ChristianPoor ManTreasury Author:John of Kronstadt
“If you see the fury and hear the howling of the tempest, or read of shipwrecks, think of the storm of human passions causing daily groans and disturbance in the hearts of men, wrecking the spiritual ship of the soul or the ship of human society; and pray fervently to the Lord that He may subdue the tempest of sins, as He once subdued the tempest at sea by His word, and that He may root our passions from our hearts, and re-establish in them unceasing tranquility.” IfsThinkingMenHumansHeartMaySoulChristianSpiritualPassionSinLordSeaPrayingRootsStormShipsOrthodoxTranquilityFuryHuman SocietyTempestDisturbanceShipwreck Author:John of Kronstadt
“The heart is refined, spiritual, and heavenly by nature - guard it; do not overburden it, do not make it earthly, be temperate to the utmost in food and drink, and in general in bodily pleasures. The heart is the temple of God. 'If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy' (I Cor. 3:17).” IfsMenHeartChristianSpiritualPleasureDrinkTemplesHeavenlyOrthodoxOrthodox ChristianRefinedFood And Drink Author:John of Kronstadt
“Both learned and unlearned young men seldom go to church, and in general do not attend to their spiritual education, looking upon it as unnecessary and giving themselves up to worldly vanity. Attention must be paid to this. It is the fruit of pride... They consider attendance at church and Divine service as the business of the common people and women, forgetting that, in the temple, Angels officiate with trembling, together with men, and regard this as their highest bliss.” PeopleMenGivingChristianTogetherSpiritualYoungChurchForgetCommonAttentionDivinePrideHighestAngelPaidRegardFruitVanityBlissYoung ManTemplesOrthodoxUnnecessaryWorldlyOrthodox ChristianTremblingAttendanceSpiritual Education Author:John of Kronstadt
“He who is insolent towards men is insolent towards God... Respect in man the grand, inestimable image of God and be forbearing towards the faults and errors of fallen man, so that God may be forbearing towards your own.” MenMayChristianErrorsFaultsFallenOrthodoxOrthodox ChristianGod ImageInsolent Author:John of Kronstadt
“God is nearer to us than any man at every time. He is nearer to me than my raiment, nearer than the air or light, nearer than my wife, father, mother, daughter, son, or friend. I live in Him, soul and body. I breathe in Him, think in Him, feel, consider, intend, speak, undertake, work in Him.” ThinkingMenFeelsSoulBodyLightMotherFatherSpeakWifeAirSonDaughterMy WifeBreatheMother DaughterSoul And BodyFather Mother Author:John of Kronstadt
“Your Lord is Love: love Him and in Him all men, as His children in Christ. Your Lord is a fire: do not let your heart be cold, but burn with faith and love. Your Lord is light: do not walk in darkness of mind, without reasoning or understanding, or without faith. Your Lord is a God of mercy and bountifulness: be a source of mercy and bountifulness to your neighbors. If you will be such, you will find salvation yourself with everlasting glory.” IfsMenMindHeartChildrenLightChristianUnderstandingChristWalksLordDarknessFireLove YouSourceColdGloryMercyAnd LoveSalvationNeighborReasoningEverlastingFaith And Love Author:John of Kronstadt
