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Quote 264
Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
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Quote 264 - Форум
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Quote 264
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| readeralexey | Дата: Суббота, 08.04.2023, 12:41 | Сообщение # 1 |
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| ...the Lord does not seek the monk or the layperson, the scholar or the simpleton, the rich man or the pauper, but only the heart that thirsts for God, full of a sincere desire to be true to Him and His commandments!
 Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
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| yarovaya02 | Дата: Суббота, 15.04.2023, 00:38 | Сообщение # 2 |
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| The heart is the guardian of our spiritual life. It contemplates whatever the eyes cannot see and the mind cannot grasp. Spiritual contemplation is possible only with a heart that is pure. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord said: The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness (Matthew 6:22-23).
The pure heart and its vision of God are lofty concepts. One can only describe. According to the words of the holy, righteous John of Kronstadt, a pure heart is meek, humble, guileless, simple, trusting, true, unsuspicious, gentle, good, not covetous, not envious, not adulterous. (My Life in Christ, p. 56.) According to Venerable John of the Ladder, Purity is the assimilation of a bodiless nature (Step 15). That is, the life hidden from the physical eyes - the life of the spiritual world - is revealed to the pure in heart. He who has made his heart pure, writes Venerable Simeon the New Theologian in the Philokalia, will not only come to know the meaning and significance of things secondary and which exist after God, but on having passed through them all, will also see God Himself - in which is the extremity of good.
Spiritual activity embodies Christ in our soul. This involves continual remembrance of the Lord: you hide Him within, in your soul, your heart, your consciousness. I sleep, but my heart waketh (Song of Solomon 5:2): I myself sleep, withdraw, but the heart stays steadfast in prayer, that is, in eternal life, in the kingdom of Heaven, in Christ. The tree-roots of my being stand fast in their source.
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| marichernaya911 | Дата: Суббота, 22.04.2023, 10:36 | Сообщение # 3 |
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| "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways", says Lord in Proverbs, 23:26. God is unhypocritical Judge. He disapproves of flattering and fake and sees deeply in every human heart, distinguishing truth and falsity. He knows the abilities and measure of every of His creatures, and gives everyone according to their needs.
Human heart in the Gospel and in the writings of holy fathers has always been understood as the center of any man. Heart is what makes a person speak in a particular way: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh"(Math. 12:34); it has been understood as an "organ" of understanding and thinking. Therefore, the condition of the heart defines the whole condition of the spirit of a person.
In any outward conditions we should always strive inside of our heart. That is the only "place" in the world we can find everything: ourselves, God, calmness, peace, and at the same time everything opposite. That is why Dostoyevsky said: "Here the devil is fighting with God, and the battlefield is the hearts of people". The meaning of all our life, then, is purifying the heart to make it able to accept Christ. However, we cannot do anything without Divine help, so we must just make efforts, and God, seeing our desire and striving, gives us His strength and power and let us "observe His ways", which means to live in God's grace.
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Сообщение отредактировал marichernaya911 - Понедельник, 26.06.2023, 11:41 |
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| tsumskaa30 | Дата: Воскресенье, 23.04.2023, 21:50 | Сообщение # 4 |
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| To my mind, the words of Venerable Ephraim the Syrian are definitely true. If we look closely into the Holy Scripture we realise that God never says that one should be a monk or, on the contrary, get married, to be saved. The Lord blesses both ways as well as nothing is said about the amount of knowledge a person should necessarily have to enter the Kingdom of God. Both an educated theologian and an illiterate child are equal in the sight of God. In the Gospel we can’t find any information about the amount of money one should earn. Or if you are a pauper, this circumstance doesn’t guarantee that you automatically will be saved.
Everything that we read about Salvation, for example, in the Beatitudes, concerns spiritual life rather than material one. In the Proverbs we read such words: “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways” (Prov. 23:26). That is the only thing that is needed for Salvation. We should let the Lord fill our hearts and have just a true longing for the life with our Creator despite of all the troubles that we face during our life.
But we as people bother about so many earthly things, we are often nervous and anxious about everything except our hearts. That’s why I believe this quote of Venerable Ephraim the Syrian is vital to remember.
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| tsvioletta17 | Дата: Понедельник, 24.04.2023, 16:19 | Сообщение # 5 |
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| These words are quite simple, but extremely important, and we all need to remember them. God does not care what you have accomplished in your earthly life in material terms. Did you become a famous person or a homeless person, how much money you earned, or how many friends you had, but did you donate money for the Glory of God? How many of your friends have come to God because of you?
It is not who you are here that matters, but what your soul is. I completely agree with this quote. Also, these words motivate us to treat everyone equally humanly, no matter who is in front of us, rich or poor.
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Сообщение отредактировал tsvioletta17 - Понедельник, 26.06.2023, 22:01 |
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| katyadorniak | Дата: Среда, 26.04.2023, 02:05 | Сообщение # 6 |
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| I fully agree with Venerable Ephraim the Syrian's quote that the Lord does not discriminate based on one's social status, education, or wealth. The only criterion that matters to God is the heart that yearns for Him with sincere devotion and commitment to follow His commandments. God's love and acceptance are unconditional and available to everyone who seeks Him with an open heart.
The Bible is full of examples that illustrate God's impartiality and grace towards all those who seek Him. One such example is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42). Despite her social and moral status as an outcast in her community, Jesus engaged in a meaningful conversation with her, revealing Himself as the Messiah. He saw beyond her past mistakes and recognized her sincere thirst for spiritual nourishment, offering her living water that would satisfy her soul's deepest needs.
In conclusion, the Lord's love and grace are not limited by one's external circumstances or social status. He seeks those whose hearts thirst for Him, regardless of their background or position in life. May we all strive to cultivate a genuine desire to seek and follow God with a pure heart, knowing that we are all equal in His eyes.
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EkaterinaDolzhenkova
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| antonryadinski | Дата: Четверг, 27.04.2023, 20:21 | Сообщение # 7 |
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| I fully agree with this quote, as it aligns with my understanding of Christianity. In the Bible, Jesus Christ himself emphasized the importance of humility and sincerity in one's relationship with God. For instance, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). This suggests that it is not one's worldly possessions or status that determines their worth in the eyes of God, but rather their spiritual disposition and longing for Him. Furthermore, the quote resonates with my personal experience. I have encountered many people in my life who may not be highly educated or wealthy, but their sincere faith and devotion to God have been truly inspiring.
Conversely, I have also met individuals who are highly educated or successful but lack a true thirst for God. This quote reminds me that the outward appearance or worldly success is not what truly matters in one's spiritual journey, but rather the condition of one's heart. The practical application of this quote in my life is to continually strive for sincerity and purity of heart in my relationship with God. Instead of focusing on external markers of success or piety, I need to consistently examine my intentions and motivations in my spiritual practices. Am I truly seeking God and His will, or am I merely going through the motions? This quote reminds me to continually seek to deepen my thirst for God and to align my actions with His commandments, regardless of my social status or external circumstances.
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| posternaksophie | Дата: Четверг, 27.04.2023, 22:58 | Сообщение # 8 |
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| The Lord does not discriminate based on one's social status, education, or wealth. He looks only at the heart of a person, and if that heart is thirsty for God and His commandments, then that person is welcomed into His kingdom.
This statement speaks to the idea that God's love and grace are available to all who seek it. It does not matter if you are a monk or a layperson, a scholar or a simpleton, rich or poor. What matters is the sincerity of your desire to know and follow God. The heart that thirsts for God is one that recognizes its own need for Him. It is a heart that is humble, acknowledging that it cannot live a meaningful life without God's guidance and support. This thirst for God leads to a sincere desire to be true to Him and His commandments. It is not enough to simply believe in God; we must also strive to live according to His will.
This statement also challenges our societal norms and expectations. We often place value on things like wealth, education, and social status. We may believe that these things are what make a person worthy or successful. However, in God's eyes, these things hold no weight. What matters most is the condition of our hearts.
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| vernik04 | Дата: Пятница, 28.04.2023, 14:28 | Сообщение # 9 |
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| I fully agree with the quote of St. Ephraim the Syrian.
For the Lord, it doesn’t matter what a person does for a living, how wealthy he is, whether he lives in a monastery or as a layman. For Him, the main thing is how a person leads his spiritual life, whether he acts according to the commandments, whether he wants to be saved.
We must also prioritize all of this. For us, the main thing should be spiritual perfection and a sincere desire to be with God. Before Him, all people are equal, he evaluates us not by the merits and achievements that are recognized by other people, such as wealth, academic degrees, and so on. But He evaluates our inner achievements, such as humility, repentance, love for Him and neighbour.
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| abalakinan27 | Дата: Пятница, 28.04.2023, 15:06 | Сообщение # 10 |
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| God neglects our social status. It isn't important for Him who we are in this world as our life is limited, it is temporal. It is more significant what our soul is as it is eternal. A man can be imperfect in outward appearance, he might be even unsuccessful according to the opinion of our society. But he can be eager to follow God's commandments and in urgent situation behave like a real Man.
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Сообщение отредактировал abalakinan27 - Пятница, 28.04.2023, 15:08 |
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| anastasiadregan864 | Дата: Пятница, 28.04.2023, 22:54 | Сообщение # 11 |
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| I do agree with Venerable Ephraim the Syrian, who emphasizes that God does not discriminate between individuals based on their social status or intellectual abilities. Instead, God seeks those who genuinely desire to know and follow Him, regardless of their background or circumstances. The thirst for God and a sincere desire to be true to His commandments is what matters most to God. This idea is consistent with the notion that genuine faith and devotion come from the heart rather than external factors such as wealth or knowledge. Therefore, anyone can strive to develop a deeper relationship with God, regardless of their past experiences or current circumstances. In conclusion, this quote highlights the importance of a genuine and sincere desire to know and follow God, which is accessible to everyone, regardless of their social status, education, or wealth.
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| amasaltseva | Дата: Вторник, 09.05.2023, 00:00 | Сообщение # 12 |
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| I absolutely love these words of venerable Ephraim the Syrian. Our hearts and souls are much more precious than material things which life can give us. Status, rank, occupation and all those things valued by people are not needed by God. The fervent and pure heart which gives and gets love is what is truly important and what remains after all earthly cares disappear.
What is more, we are equal in the Face of God, the rich and the poor, men and women, monks and laity, scholars and "the simpletons". As apostle Peter said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him”.
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Сообщение отредактировал amasaltseva - Понедельник, 26.06.2023, 12:46 |
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| sasavasl15 | Дата: Вторник, 23.05.2023, 17:46 | Сообщение # 13 |
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| I partially agree with this quote. God does not look at the appearance, but at the intentions of the soul. We should also look not at worldly things, but at the depth of our striving for God. But it also seems to me that the Lord is waiting for each of us and will be glad to embrace any person who wants to come to him and reveal his soul. This means that each of us has a soul drawn to God, but some of us are distracted by earthly things and forget the way to God.
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Сообщение отредактировал sasavasl15 - Вторник, 27.06.2023, 10:33 |
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| ulyana_kazakova | Дата: Понедельник, 29.05.2023, 23:51 | Сообщение # 14 |
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| I find these words to be very comforting to some people, because their essence is that God does not care about a person's status or material possessions. All that matters is the strength of a person's faith.
Man is a spiritual being, and his relationship with God is based on faith, hope and love. Money and status, though important in the material world, have no spiritual significance. Faith is a way of submitting one's life to God's guidance, regardless of status or condition. God does not judge people by their material achievements, but calls all to come to Him with a heart full of faith.
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Сообщение отредактировал ulyana_kazakova - Воскресенье, 25.06.2023, 16:04 |
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| salomiagudova | Дата: Воскресенье, 04.06.2023, 17:57 | Сообщение # 15 |
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| I fully agree with Venerable Ephraim the Syrian. I believe that in the eyes of God all of us are equal, whether we are rich or poor, smart or simple-minded. Even if we are sinful, God doesn’t love us any less.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that we will automatically go to Heaven. God loves us, but we must love Him too. And to love God we don’t have to have a lot of money or a fancy degree. But we have to truly want to be closer to God, to be a good Christian and follow God’s commandments. And I believe that in this regard a layperson can achieve as much as a monk. Maybe it can be more difficult for a layperson because, perhaps, they are surrounded by more temptations, but it doesn’t mean that they are lesser in the eyes of God.
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Сообщение отредактировал salomiagudova - Воскресенье, 04.06.2023, 17:57 |
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