“A certain monk told me that when he was very sick, his mother said to his father, "How our little boy is suffering. I would gladly give myself to be cut up into pieces if that would ease his suffering." Such is the love of God for people. He pitied people so much that he wanted to suffer for them, like their own mother, and even more. But no one can understand this great love without the grace of the Holy Spirit.” PeopleIfsInspirationalGivingLittlesSaidWantedChristianSpiritMotherCertainSufferingFatherReligiousBoysGracePiecesCuttingHolySickGod LoveEaseHoly SpiritOrthodoxMonkGreat LoveLittle Boys Author:Silouan the Athonite
“No matter how much we may study, it is not possible to come to know God unless we live according to His commandments, for God is not know by science, but by the Holy Spirit. Many philosophers and learned men came to the belief that God exists, but they did not know God. It is one thing to belief that God exists and another to know Him. If someone has come to know God by the Holy Spirit, his soul will burn with love for God day and night, and his soul cannot be bound to any earthly thing.” IfsKnowsMenInspirationalMaySoulMatterChristianSpiritNightBeliefReligiousStudyOne ThingHolyBoundsPhilosopherGod LoveHoly SpiritOrthodoxCommandmentsKnowing GodDay And NightGod ExistsEarthly Things Author:Silouan the Athonite
“When the soul knows the love of God by the Holy Spirit, then he clearly feels that the Lord is our own Father, the closest, dearest Father, the best. And there is not greater happiness that to love God with all the mind and heart, and our neighbor as ourself. And when this love is in the soul, then all things bring joy to the soul.” KnowsInspirationalFeelsMindHeartSoulChristianJoySpiritFatherReligiousLove IsLordGreaterHolyAll ThingsNeighborGod LoveHoly SpiritOrthodoxClosestHeart And Mind Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The Lord does not show Himself to a proud soul. The proud soul, no matter how many books it reads, will never know God, since by its pride it does not give place for the grace of the Holy Spirit, while God is known only by the humble soul.” KnowsInspirationalGivingDoeBookSoulMatterShowsChristianSpiritReligiousKnownLordGracePrideProudHolyHumbleHoly SpiritOrthodoxKnowing God Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Each of us can discuss God inasmuch as he has known the grace of the Holy Spirit; for how can we think of or discuss what we haven't seen, or haven't head of, or don't know? The saints say that they have seen God, but there are people who say that there is no God. Clearly, they say this because they haven't known God, but this does not at all mean that He is not. The saints speak of that which they have truly seen and know.” PeopleThinkingKnowsInspirationalMeanDoeChristianSpiritSpeakReligiousKnownGraceHavensHolySaintHoly SpiritOrthodoxThere Is No God Author:Silouan the Athonite
“"I love them that love me, and glorify them that glorify me." (Proverbs 8:17, I Kings 2:30,) says the Lord of His saints. The lord gave the Holy Spirit to the saints, and they love us in the Holy Spirit. The saints hear our prayers and have the power from God to help us. The entire Christian race knows this.” KnowsInspirationalHelpingChristianSpiritReligiousPrayerRaceLordKingsHolySaintHoly SpiritOrthodoxOur PrayersGlorify Author:Silouan the Athonite
“When the soul by the Holy Spirit comes to know the Mother of God; when in the Holy Spirit the soul becomes kin to the Apostles, the Prophets, and all the Saints and Righteous Ones, then she is irresistibly drawn to that world, and cannot remain, but is bothered, and thirsts, and cannot cease from prayer, and although the body becomes exhausted and wants to lie down on a bed, even while lying in bed the soul longs for the Lord and the Kingdom of the Saints.” KnowsWorldWantInspirationalSoulBodyChristianSpiritLyingMotherReligiousPrayerLordHolyBedSaintCeaseKingdomsHoly SpiritProphetOrthodoxRighteousThirstExhaustedBotheredApostles Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Consider that the Holy Spirit lives in the spiritual father, and He will tell you what to do. But if you think that the spiritual father live negligently, and that the Holy Spirit can't live in him, you will suffer mightily for such a thought, and the Lord will humble you, and you will straightway fall into delusion.” IfsThinkingInspirationalChristianSpiritualSpiritSufferingFallFatherReligiousLordHolyHumbleHoly SpiritDelusionOrthodox Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The Holy Spirit acts mystically through the spiritual father, and then when you go out from your spiritual father, the soul feels her renewal. But if you leave your spiritual father in a state of confusion, this means that you did not confess purely and did not forgive your brother all of his sins from your heart.” IfsInspirationalFeelsHeartMeanSoulStatesChristianSpiritualSpiritFatherReligiousSinBrotherHolyForgivingConfusionHoly SpiritOrthodoxRenewalYour Brother Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love our enemies in such way that we pity their souls as if they were our own children.” IfsKnowsWayInspirationalChildrenSoulChristianSpiritReligiousLordEnemyTeachHolyPityHoly SpiritOrthodoxSweetness Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The Lord has given the Holy Spirit upon the earth, and in whomsoever He dwells, that one feels paradise within himself. You might say: why hasn't this happened to me? Because you have not given yourself over to the will of God, but you live according to yourself. Look at the one who loves his own will. He never has peace in himself and is always displeased with something. But whoever has given himself over to God's will perfectly has pure prayer. His soul loves the Lord, and everything is acceptable and good to him.” InspirationalFeelsLooksSoulMightEarthChristianSpiritGivenReligiousPrayerLordHappenedHolyPureGods WillHoly SpiritParadiseOrthodoxAcceptable Author:Silouan the Athonite
“By obedience a man is guarded against pride. Prayer is given for the sake of obedience. The grace of the Holy Spirit is also given for obedience. This is why obedience is higher than prayer and fasting.” MenInspirationalChristianSpiritGivenReligiousPrayerGracePrideHigherHolySakeObedienceHoly SpiritOrthodoxFastingGuardedPrayer And Fasting Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Obedience is necessary not only for monks, but for all people. Even the Lord was obedient. The proud and self-regarding do not allow grace to live in them, and therefore they never have spiritual peace, while in the obedient soul the grace of the Holy Spirit enters easily and gives joy and peace. Whoever bears even a little grace in himself joyfully submits himself to all direction. He knows that God directs even the heavens and the netherworld, and himself, and his business, and everything in the world, and therefore he is always at peace.” PeopleKnowsWorldInspirationalGivingLittlesSoulSelfChristianSpiritualJoySpiritHeavenReligiousLordGraceBearsProudHolyObedienceHoly SpiritOrthodoxSubmitMonkObedientSpiritual Peace Author:Silouan the Athonite
“We suffer because we have no humility and we do not love our brother. From love of our brother comes the love of God. People do not learn humility, and because of their pride cannot receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, and therefor the whole world suffers.” PeopleWorldInspirationalWholeChristianSpiritSufferingReligiousGraceHumilityBrotherPrideHolyWhole WorldGod LoveHoly SpiritOrthodox Author:Silouan the Athonite