“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 aim of every hierarchy is always to imitate God so as to take on His form... the task of every hierarchy is to receive and to pass on undiluted purification, the divine light, and the understanding which brings perfection.” LightChristianFormUnderstandingDivinePerfectionTasksAimOrthodoxHierarchyOrthodox ChristianPurificationDivine Light Author:Maximus the Confessor
“What is perfection in love? Love your enemies in such a way that you would desire to make them your brothers ... For so did He love, Who hanging on the Cross, said "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)” KnowsWayInspirationalSaidChristianDesireFatherReligiousEnemyLove YouBrotherCrossesPerfectionForgivingOrthodoxLukeYour BrotherHanging OnLove Your Enemies Author:Saint Augustine
“Unclean spirits increase the passions in us, making use of our negligence, and inciting them. But the angels decrease our passions, inciting us to the perfection of virtue.” InspirationalUseChristianSpiritPassionReligiousVirtueAngelPerfectionIncreaseOrthodoxDecreaseNegligence Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Temptations come on some people for the cleansing of previous sins, on other for the beautification of their current perfection, and on yet others, as preparation for things to come, except temptations, which are for the increase of a man's faith and virtue, as it was with Job.” PeopleMenInspirationalChristianJobsReligiousSinVirtuePerfectionIncreaseCurrentsTemptationPreparationOrthodoxCleansingBeautification Author:Maximus the Confessor
“What brings us to perfection? An ingrained faith in God, the 'faith that makes real the things for which we hope' (Heb. 11:1), the faith whereby Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain and was commended as righteous (cf. Heb 11:4). It is such faith that fills those assiduous in the search for truth with great aspiration for the exalted gifts of God, and leads them to the spiritual knowledge of created beings; and it pours into their hearts the inexhaustible treasures of the Spirit.” HeartRealChristianSpiritualSpiritSacrificePerfectionTreasureAspirationOrthodoxRighteousFaith In GodOrthodox ChristianExaltedGift From GodCfsCainSearch For TruthSpiritual KnowledgeAbel Author:Niketas Stethatos