“Many have said much about love, but you will find love itself only if you seek it among the disciples of Christ. For only they have true Love as love's teacher. 'Though I have the gift of prophecy', says St. Paul, 'and know all mysteries and all knowledge? and have no love, it profits me nothing' (I Cor. 13:2-3). He who possesses love possesses God Himself, for 'God is love' (I Jn. 4:8). To Him be glory throughout the ages. Amen.” IfsKnowsSaidAgeChristianChristTeacherMysteryGloryProfitOrthodoxDiscipleProphecyFinding LoveOrthodox ChristianAmenNo LoveGod Is Love Author:Maximus the Confessor
“By His gracious condescension God became man and is called man for the sake of man and by exchanging His condition for ours revealed the power that elevates man to God through his love for God and brings God down to man because of His love for man. By this blessed inversion, man is made God by divinization and God is made man by hominization. For the Word of God and God wills always and in all things to accomplish the mystery of His embodiment.” MenMadeChristianMysteryConditionsAll ThingsBlessedSakeAccomplishGods WillGod LoveOrthodoxWord Of GodHis LoveGraciousOrthodox ChristianEmbodimentExchangingCondescensionInversions Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Before His visible advent in the flesh the Logos of God dwelt among the patriarchs and prophets in a spiritual manner, prefiguring the mysteries of His advent. After His incarnation He is present in a similar way not only to those who are still beginners, nourishing them spiritually and leading them toward the maturity of divine perfection, but also to the perfect, secretly pre-delineating in them the features of His future advent as if in an ikon.” IfsWayStillsChristianSpiritualPerfectMysteryDivinePerfectionFleshFeaturesMaturityProphetVisibleOrthodoxIncarnationOrthodox ChristianBeginnersAdventLogos Author:Maximus the Confessor
“The saints are like the Lord, but so are all people who keep the commandments of Christ; but those who live according to their own passions and do not repent are like the devil. I think that if this mystery were revealed to the world, then they would stop serving the devil, and every one would strive to serve the Lord with all his strength, and to be like Him.” PeopleIfsThinkingWorldInspirationalChristianPassionChristReligiousLordMysteryDevilStriveSaintOrthodoxServingCommandmentsRepent Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Draw nigh to the righteous, and through them you will draw nigh to God. Communicate with those who possess humility, and you will learn morals from them. A man who follows one who loves God becomes rich in the mysteries of God; but he who follows an unrighteous and proud man gets far away from God, and will be hated by his friends.” MenInspirationalChristianReligiousMoralRichMysteryHumilityProudDrawsCommunicateGod LoveHatedOrthodoxRighteousFar AwayBecome RichProud ManMystery Of God Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“If you want to attain salvation, learn and keep in your heart all that the holy Church teaches and, receiving heavenly power from the mysteries of the Church, walk the path of Christ's commandments, under the direction of lawful pastors, and you will undoubtedly attain the Heavenly Kingdom and be saved. All of this is naturally necessary in the matter of salvation, necessary in it entirety and for all. Whoever rejects or neglects any part of it has no salvation.” IfsWantInspirationalHeartMatterChristianChristChurchReligiousWalksTeachPathMysteryHolySalvationSavedKingdomsHeavenlyRejectsOrthodoxNeglectReceivingCommandmentsPastorEntirety Author:Theophan the Recluse
“God hears and fulfills the prayer of a man who fulfills His commandments. "Hear God in His commandments," says St. John Chrysostom, "So that He might hear you in your prayers." A man who keeps the commandments of God is always wise, patient, and sincere in his prayers. Mystery of prayer consists in the keeping of God's commandments.” MenInspirationalMightChristianReligiousPrayerWiseMysteryPatientOrthodoxSincereCommandmentsOur PrayersCommandments Of God Author:Justin Popovic