Seek the simplest in all things, in food, clothing, without being ashamed of poverty. For a great part of the world lives in poverty. Do not say, “I am the son of a rich man. It is shameful for me to be in poverty.” Christ, your Heavenly Father, Who gave birth to you in the baptistery, is not in worldly riches. Rather He walked in poverty and had nowhere to lay His head.
St. Gennadius of Constantinople
O Lord and Creator of all, and especially of Your creature, man: You are the God and Father and ruler of Your children; You are the Lord of life and death; You are the guardian and benefactor of our souls. You fashion and transform all things in their due season through Your creating Word, as You know to be best in Your deep wisdom and providence. Receive now those who have gone ahead of us in our journey from this life. Receive us too at the proper time, when You have guided us in our bodily life as long as may be for our profit. Receive us prepared indeed by fear of You, but not troubled, not shrinking back on that day of death or uprooted by force like those who are lovers of the world and the flesh. Instead, may we set out eagerly for that everlasting and blessed life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
St. Gregory the Theologian
Three old men once came to Abba Sisoes [St. Sisoes the Great] because they had heard that he was a great man. And the first one said unto him, "Father, how can I escape from the river of fire?" And Abba Sisoes answered him never a word. Then the second old man said to him, "Father, how can I escape from the gnashing of teeth, and from the worm which never dies?" And Abba Sisoes answered him never a word. Then the third old man said to him, "Father, what will I do? For the remembrance of the outer darkness troubles me." And Abba Sisoes answered and said to them, "I never think on any of these things, but I believe that God is Merciful, and that He will show mercy to me"; then the old men went away grieved at the answer which Abba Sisoes had spoken to them. Now because he did not wish to send them away sorrowful, he brought them back, and said to them, "Blessed are ye, O my brothers, for I have been jealous of you"; and they said to him, "In what matter have you been jealous of us?" And he said, "The first one of you spake about a river of fire; and the second spake about the gnashing of teeth and the worm which dies not; and the third spake about the outer darkness; if remembrances of this kind have dominion over your minds it is impossible for you to commit sin. What can I do who am stubborn of heart? For hardness of heart will not allow me to perceive even that there a punishment for men existeth, and because of this I sin every hour." And when the old men had heard these words, they made excuses to him, and said, "In very truth according to what we have heard, even so have we seen."
from Sayings of the Holy Desert Fathers
You came into the world to save sinners; therefore You came to save Me also? You came to find and to save him who was lost; therefore You came to seek me too, for I am one of the lost. O Lord, O my God and Creator! I should have come to You as a transgressor of Your law. I should have fallen at Your feet, cast myself down before You, humbly begging forgiveness, pleading with You and craving Your mercy. But You Yourself have come to me, wretched and good-for-nothing servant that I am; my Lord has come to me, His enemy and apostate; my Master has come and has bestowed his love of mankind upon me. Listen my soul: God has come to us.
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
Only the foolish think that suffering is evil. A sensible man knows that suffering is not evil but only the manifestation of evil and healing from evil. Only sin in a man is a real evil, and there is no evil outside sin. Everything else that men generally call evil is not, but is a bitter medicine to heal from evil. The sicker the man, the more bitter the medicine that the doctor prescribes for him. At times, even, it seems to a sick man that the medicine is worse and more bitter than the sickness itself! And so it seems at times to the sinner: the suffering is harder and more bitter than the sin committed. But this is only an illusion – a very strong self-delusion. There is no suffering in the world that could be anywhere near as hard and destructive as sin is. All the suffering borne by men and nations is none other than the abundant healing that eternal Mercy offers to men and nations to save them from eternal death. Every sin, however small, would inevitably bring death if Mercy were not to allow suffering in order to sober men up from the inebriation of sin; for the healing that comes through suffering is brought about by the grace-filled power of the Holy and Life-giving Spirit.
Blessed is the man who uses his sufferings, knowing that all suffering in this brief life is loosed on men by God in His love for mankind, for the benefit and assistance of men. In His mercy, God looses suffering on men because of their sins – by His mercy and not His justice. For, if it were by His justice, every sin would inevitably bring death, as the Apostle says: “Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1: 15). In place of death, God gives healing through suffering. Suffering is God’s way of healing the soul of its sinful leprosy and its death.
St. Nikolai Velimirovich
A continuously happy life produces extremely unhappy consequences. In nature we see that there are not always pleasant springs and fruitful summers, and sometimes autumn is rainy and winter cold and snowy, and there is flooding and wind and storms, and moreover the crops fail and there are famine, troubles, sicknesses and many other misfortunes. All of this is beneficial so that man might learn through prudence, patience and humility. For the most part, in times of plenty he forgets himself, but in times of various sorrows he becomes more attentive to his salvation.
St. Ambrose of Optina
Through repentance the filth of our foul actions is washed away. After this, we participate in the Holy Spirit, not automatically, but according to the faith, humility and inner disposition of the repentance in which our soul is engaged. For this reason it is good to repent each day as the act of repentance is unending.
St Symeon the New Theologian
And pray without ceasing in behalf of other men. For there is in them hope of repentance that they may attain to God. See, then, that they be instructed by your works, if in no other way. Be meek in response to their wrath, humble in opposition to their boasting: to their blasphemies return your prayers; in contrast to their error, be steadfast in the faith; and for their cruelty, manifest your gentleness.
St Ignatius of Antioch
Before He humbled Himself, only the angels knew Him. After He humbled Himself, all of human nature knew Him. You see how humbling Himself did not make Him have less but produced countless benefits, countless deeds of virtue, and made His glory shine forth with greater brightness? God wants for nothing and has need of nothing. Yet, When He humbled Himself, He produced such great good, increased His household, and extended His Kingdom. Why, then, are you afraid that you will become less if you humble yourself?
St. John Chrysostom