“If the words of God are uttered merely as verbal expressions, and their message is not rooted in the virtuous way of life of those who utter them, they will not be heard. But if they are uttered through the practice of the commandments, their sound has such power that they dissolve the demons and dispose men eagerly to build their hearts into temples of God through making progress in works of righteousness.” IfsMenWayHeartChristianSoundPracticeProgressHeardExpressionMessagesDemonTemplesOrthodoxRighteousnessWord Of GodRootedVirtuousCommandmentsOrthodox Christian Author:Maximus the Confessor
“He who asks to receive his daily bread does not automatically receive it in its fullness as it is in itself: he receives it according to his own capacity as recipient. The Bread of Life (cf. Jn. 6:35) gives Himself in His love to all who ask, but not in the same way to all; for He gives Himself more fully to those who have performed great acts of righteousness, and in smaller measure to those who have not achieved so much. He gives Himself to each person according to that person's spiritual ability to receive Him.” WayGivingPersonsDoeChristianSpiritualAsksAbilityCapacityBreadOrthodoxRighteousnessHis LoveFullnessOrthodox ChristianCfsDaily BreadBread Of Life Author:Maximus the Confessor
“For him who is perfect in love and has reached the summit of dispassion there is no difference between his own or another's, or between Christians and unbelievers, or between slave and free, or between male and female. But because he has risen above the tyranny of the passions and has fixed his attention on the single nature of man, he looks on all in the same way and shows the same disposition to all. For in him there is neither Greek nor Jew, male nor female, bond not free, but Christ who 'is all, and in all' (Col. 3:11; cf. Gal. 3:28).” MenWayLooksShowsChristianPassionChristDifferencesPerfectAttentionFemaleSlaveMalesJewTyrannyGreekFixedOrthodoxDispositionSummitOrthodox ChristianRisenNature Of ManCfsUnbelieversGalsHe Has Risen Author:Maximus the Confessor
“He who is a beginner on the way must not be brought to practise the commandments by kindness alone, but must more often be induced to continue the struggle by being rigorously reminded of God's judgment. In this way he will not only be moved by love to desire what is divine, but will be moved by fear to avoid what is evil. For 'I will sing to Thee, O Lord, of mercy and judgment' (Ps. 101:1 LXX). He will sing to God charmed by love, and steeled by fear he will have strength for the song.” WayChristianDesireSongEvilLordKindnessStruggleDivineJudgmentMercyMovedTheeOrthodoxCommandmentsOrthodox ChristianOften IsBeginnersPractiseCharmedHaving Strength Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Blessed is he who like Joshua (cf. Josh. 10:12-13) keeps the Sun of righteousness from setting in himself throughout the whole day of his present life, not allowing it to be blotted out by the dusk of sin and ignorance. In this way he will truly be able to put to flight the cunning demons that rise up against him.” WayWholeAbleChristianSinSunIgnoranceBlessedSettingFlightSettingsDemonOrthodoxRighteousnessAllowingCunningDuskCfsJoshPresent Life 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
“He who has mastery over his incensive power has mastery also over the demons. But anyone who is a slave to it is a stranger to the ways of the Saviour, for as the Saviour enjoined us: 'Learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart: and you will find rest for your souls' (Mt. 11:29). Now if a man abstains from food and drink, but becomes incensed to wrath because of evil thoughts, he is like a ship sailing the open sea with a demon for a pilot.” IfsMenWayHeartSoulChristianEvilSeaDrinkSlaveHumbleStrangerShipsYour SoulGentleDemonOrthodoxPilotsMasterySailingWrathSaviourFood And DrinkEvil Thoughts Author:Evagrius Ponticus
“How can it be other than right to worship the Body of the Lord, all-holy and all-reverend as it is, announced as it was by the archangel Gabriel, formed by the Holy Spirit, and made the Vesture of the Word? It was at any rate a bodily hand that the Word stretched out to raise her that was sick of a fever (Mk. 1:31): a human voice that He uttered to raise Lazarus - the dead (Jn. 11:43); and, once again, stretching out His hands upon the Cross, He overthrew the prince of the power of the air, that now works (Eph. 2:2) in the sons of disobedience, and made the way clear for us into the heavens.” WayHumansMadeBodyHandsChristianSpiritHeavenVoiceLordClearAirSonHolyWorshipCrossesSickRaisesRateHoly SpiritOrthodoxDisobedienceFeverOrthodox ChristianStretchingGabrielArchangelHuman VoiceReverendsLazarus Author:John of Kronstadt