Here it were well to sigh aloud, and to wail bitterly: for not only do we imitate the hypocrites, but we have even surpassed them.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century
For I know, yea I know many, not merely fasting and making a display of it, but neglecting to fast, and yet wearing the masks of them that fast, and cloaking themselves with an excuse worse than their sin.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century
If we have true love with sympathy and patient labor, we shall not go about scrutinizing our neighbor's shortcomings. As it is said, "Charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). . . True love screens anything of this kind, as did the saints when they saw the shortcomings of men. Were they blind? Not at all! But they simply would not let their eyes dwell on sins.
St. Dorotheos of Gaza
That great man Moses, when fasting, conversed with God, and received the law. Great and holy Elijah, when fasting, was thought worthy of divine visions, and at last was taken up like Him who ascended into heaven. And Daniel, when fasting, although a very young man, was entrusted with the mystery, and he alone under-stood the secret thing of the king. . .
St. Athanasios of Alexandria
It is required that not only with the body should we fast, but with the soul. Now the soul is humbled when it does not follow wicked opinions, but feeds on becoming virtues. For virtues and vices are the food of the soul, and it can eat either of these two. Bend your appetite toward virtues, as Paul says, "Being nourished by the word of truth."
St. Athansios of Alexandria
. . .humble men like this are not men who have been converted, who have repented. They are men who are being converted, who are repenting. The Lord's call to repentance does not mean that we are to be converted once only, nor that we should repent from time to time (though one ought to begin with that). It means that our whole life should be a conversion, a constant repentance.
Archimandrite Vasileios
Hymn of Entry, 20th Century
The basis of all good things is the liberation of the soul from the captivity of the enemy. The light and life that accompany this freedom is attained by settling steadfastly in a single place and always fasting. That is, by regulating your life wisely and prudently, practicing restraint of the flesh, and remaining in a quiet place. He who puts these two rules into practice will eventually attain all the virtues.
Abba Isaac
The value of fasting consists not in abstinence only from food, but in a relinquishment of sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to an abstinence from meat is he who especially disparages it. The change in our way of life during these blessed days will help us to gain holiness. Therefore we should let our soul rejoice during the fast.
St. John Chrysostom
Fourth Century
For he who is praying as he ought, and fasting, has not many wants, and he who has not many wants is not covetous. He who fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness, and quenches his wicked lusts, and propitiates God, and humbles his soul when lifted up ... nothing is mightier than the man who prays sincerely.
St. John Chrysostom
Fourth Century
Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we are at the same time reconciled with one another. A fast without mutual love is the fast of demons. . . We do not travel the road of Lent as isolated individuals but as members of a family.
His Grace Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia
20th Century
Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
Unknown, 18th century
What He said is like this: Bury not gold in the earth, nor do any other such thing, for you do but gather it for the moth, and the rust, and the thieves. And even if you should entirely escape these evils, yet the enslaving of thine heart, the nailing it to all that is below, you will not escape: "For wheresoever thy treasure may be, there is thine heart also." ...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century
0ne must in every way flee from judging, and pray in secret for those who have sinned. "This form of love is pleasing to God." Judging is bound up with impudence and is incompatible with true repentance: "To judge is to impudently appropriate to oneself the rank of God."
St. John Climacus
One must not trust one's feelings, since because of his limitedness a man cannot know everything, and therefore his judgment is also relatively limited. "Even if you see with your own eyes that someone sins, do not judge, for the eyes also may be deceived."
St. John Climacus
A vainglorious ascetic is cheated both ways: he exhausts his body and gets no reward ... It is not he who depreciates himself who shows humility, but he who maintains the same love for every man who reproaches him.
St. John Climacus
Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.
St. Isaac of Syria
Unknown , 7th century
For the same is both treasure and seed; or rather it is more than either of these. For the seed remains not for ever, but this abides perpetually. Again, the treasure germinates not, but this bears thee fruits which never die.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century
Henceforward then we must be free from our listlessness; "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."[*] You see how he puts the Resurrection now close by them. For as the time advances, he means, the season of our present life is wasting away, and that of the life to come waxes nearer. If then thou be prepared, and hast done all whatsoever He hath commanded, the day is salvation to thee...Yes, for the day is calling us to battle-array, and to the fight. Yet fear not at hearing of array and arms. For in the case of the visible suit of armor, to put it on is a heavy and abhorred task. But here it is desirable, and worth being prayed for. For it is of Light the arms are! Hence they will set thee forth brighter than the sunbeam, and giving out a great glistening, and they place thee in security: for they are arms, and glittering do they make thee: for arms of light are they!...It is the deadly kind of passions then that he is for extinguishing, lust, namely, and anger. Wherefore it is not themselves only, but even the sources of them that he removes. For there is nothing that so kindles lust, and inflames wrath, as drunkenness, and sitting long at the wine...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 25 on Romans 13, 4th Century
Great Lent is most certainly a challenge as we have experienced in the weeks of preparation for this season. We have reflected on the parables of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee and the Prodigal Son. We have considered the true nature and impact of repentance and humility. We have heard the words of our Lord concerning the Last Judgment and the manner of life and service that leads to eternal life.
With the grace of God, the giver of all gifts, we have once again arrived at Holy and Great Lent, the arena of ascetical struggle, in order to purify ourselves with the Lord’s assistance through prayer, fasting and humility, as well as to prepare ourselves for a spiritual experience of the venerable Passion and the celebration of the splendid Resurrection of Christ the Savior.
