Those who keep the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven, if they do not see in a Christian the likeness of Christ, as a son to his father, will by no means open them to him and allow him to enter.

St. Symeon the New Theologian
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Even if we cannot endure much labor because we are weak let us be set on humbling ourselves.

Dorotheos of Gaza
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There are saints who were very anxious, who had nervous tics, and also those who were very brusque. Others were exceptionally slow. Some saints had physical defects. What makes a saint is not outward perfection, it's that the old man is conquered on the inside. The saints are not yet totally transfigured, and the old man continues to be visible on the outside. These appearances can trick us and hide their inner reality from us.

Elder Sergei of Vanves
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If you see a man who has sinned and you do not pity him, the grace of God will leave you. Whoever curses bad people, and does not pray for them, will never come to know the grace of God.

St Silouan the Athonite
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For if we refrain from sin merely out of fear of punishment, it is quite clear that, unless punishment had awaited us, we should have done things deserving punishment, since our propensity is for sinning. But if we abstain from evil actions not through threat of punishment, but because we hate such actions, then it is from love of the Master that we practice the virtues, fearful lest we should fall away from Him.

St. Theodoros the Great Ascetic
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The self-indulgent person loves wealth because it enables him to live comfortably; -- the person full of self-esteem loves it because through it he can gain the esteem of others; -- the person who lacks faith loves it because, fearful of starvation, old age, disease, or exile, he can save it and hoard it. He puts his trust in wealth, rather than in God, the Creator who provides for all creation, down to the least of living things.

St Maximos the Confessor
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It is not enough to simply make your confession to the Spiritual Father; you must also truly repent of what you have done.

Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
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Someone is tested through the trials of life. It is there that you see if he has real love, a true spirit of sacrifice. And when we say that someone has the spirit of sacrifice, we mean that at the time of danger he does not consider himself but thinks of the others.

Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
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...the more closely we imitate the Fathers in their way of life, the more we will be able to attain their successful end.

Archimandrite Cherubim
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Be extremely careful not to offend anyone in word or deed, for it is a grave sin. When someone is offended, God, Who loves the man, is also offended, for there can be no offending man without offending God.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
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The rule of life for a perfect person is to be in the image and likeness of God

St. Clement of Alexandria
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I was diluted in the past when, while still in my childhood, I tried to start by applying to the Divine Scriptures critical discussion rather than pious research. Through my lax morals I closed off my own access to the Lord. In my pride I dared to seek that which no one can find unless he practices humility.

St. Augustine
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In our age of moral and spiritual decline, only the heroic example of righteous men and women is able to ignite a zeal for godly living in accordance with the Divine commandments.

Hieromonk Seraphim Rose
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Humility restrains the heart.

St. Isaac the Syrian
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...know who you are in truth, and not who you imagine you are. With this knowledge you become the wisest man.

Elder Joseph the Hesychast
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In order to acquire true humility in Christ, one must first bear the humiliation of Christ, one must be the last among his brothers and a servant to them, in order to be a true disciple of Jesus.

Elder Basilisk
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He who abandons prayer abandons his salvation; he who is careless about prayer is careless about his salvation; he who quits prayer renounces his salvation.

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
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It is sinful to give up to sadness. We are exiles on earth. Exiles do not wonder at insult an injury. We are under God's penance and a penance consists of deprivations and difficulties. We are ill in soul and body and bitter medicine is useful for the ill.

St. Theophil of the Kiev Caves
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When we approach someone with pain and true love, then this true love of Christ transforms our neighbor.

St. Paisios of Mount Athos
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A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning till night and yet he is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that is not profitable.

Abba Pimen
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A false understanding or conception of prayer always leads to a fruitless or harmful practice of it.

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
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He who is silent for a good end nourishes friendship and goes on his way rejoicing, for he has received the enlightenment which dispels darkness.

St. Maximos the Confessor
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By the purity of our thoughts we can see everyone as holy and good. When we see them as fools, this comes from our frame of mind.

St. Macarius of Optina
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God loves us very much; He has us in mind in each and every moment and He protects us. We should know this and not be afraid of anything.

Elder Porphyrios
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