“Elder Ephraim placed great importance on the Mystery of Confession and on obedience to the confessor, even for laymen. Particularly we remember that he told us, “For whoever kneels even just once under the stole of the priest Divine Providence will arrange things in such a way that Christ will finally gain him.””
Elder Ephraim of Katounakia
~Obedience is Life

“Those who desire and crave to belong to Christ and who abandon themselves to the will of God become worthy. It’s a great thing, all important, to have no will. The slave has no will of his own. And it is possible for us to have no will of our own in a very simple manner: through the love of Christ and the keeping of His commandments. We have to wrestle with the roaring lion. We cannot allow the devious enemy to prevail in the struggle. This presupposes tears, repentance, prayer, almsgiving and entreaties in conjunction with trust in Christ and not being of little faith. Only Christ can free us from the shackles of solitude. Prayer, repentance and almsgiving: give at least a glass of water if you don’t have money. And you may note that the more you are sanctified…for your prayers are heard.”
Elder Prophyrios
~Wounded by Love

“Until one hates his old dress he cannot desire a new one. How will we become “a new creation in Christ”, “a new man”, “sons of light” if we don’t hate our former sinful soul which has in its slavery to the body become more flesh than spirit? The old man is in total fear of God. There is the beginning and its end. In the new man fear is the beginning but love is the end. Death for the love of Christ is a guarantee of eternal life.”
St. Nikolai Velimirovich
~Missionary Letter #2

“Those who ask spiritual people in order to discover the divine will should be aware of this point: the will of God is not revealed magically nor does it hold a position of relativity since it is not contained within the narrow confines of human reason. In His consummate goodness God condescends to human weakness and gives man sure knowledge. But man must first believe absolutely and secondly humble himself by thirsting ardently for this assurance and by being disposed to carry it out. This is why he receives with faith and gratitude the first word of the spiritual father who is advising him.”
Elder Joseph
~Elder Joseph the Hesychast

“The true experience of heaven is accompanied by a feeling of such awe and fear before the greatness of God and a feeling that such unworthiness to be beholding it as is seldom found among Orthodox Christians today let alone those outside the Church of Christ…Those who have seen “paradise” in the ‘aerial realm’ today are pleased, happy, satisfied – seldom anything more; if they behold Christ in some form it is only to indulge in the familiar dialogues with him that characterize experiences in the “charismatic” movement. The element of the Divine and of man’s awe before it, the fear of God, are absent in such experiences.”
Fr Seraphim Rose
~The Soul After Death

“Usually Geronda would not tell us about his own spiritual state. For example if he had just seen a vision he wouldn’t mention it. Only later when we were overwhelmed by some difficulty and needed consolation would he bring it up and say: “Don’t despair; we have a great God Who watches over us and it is through afflictions that we approach Him. It was after the Cross that God arose and ascended into heaven in the flesh. After afflictions follow consolation, visions and revelations, to the suffering soul. They don’t come during times of happiness but when the soul is being strangled by bitter afflictions and attacks of infernal darkness.” And he would tell us one or two visions to illustrate his point and fortify us.”
Elder Joseph
~My Elder Joseph

“At other times the mine contracts or expands. It returns again to its natural state when it contracts. When you get a sponge in a perfume pot and ring it out the fragrance remains strong and can’t be removed. It’s the same with the mind…You may be doing handiwork during the day, you may be in the garden or in the brick work. However, because the mind has been soaked in the sweetness of divine myrrh effortlessly praise without ceasing. Many a time tears flow with only the remembrance of Christ or our Panagia.”
Elder Haralambos
~Elder Haralambos Dionysiastis

“I would like to comment on what Elder Ephraim the spiritual professor has taught on the subject of prayer. Those things he described from his own personal experience do not always happen to everyone because all do not have the same personal character. The elder has said that when one is saying the Prayer, he feels Divine Grace, tears come any general godly zeal awakens. The beginning stages are indeed the same but if the results are not as described this does not mean that some mistake or failure has occurred. Our part is to persevere; Grace will act in each person according to his character and intent. The tears are certainly of Grace but not always the same way since usually the weeping is born of pain and affliction welling up from man’s shame.”
Elder Joseph of Vatopedi
~Obedience is Life

“Christ recommends not an earthly but a heavenly example of love to His own, “If you keep My commandments you shall abide in my love; even as I have My Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” All of His commandments are summed up in one – to love. All the other commandments such as those concerning prayer, mercy, humility, purity, long-suffering, sacrifice, courage, carefulness, forgiveness, vigilance, joy, etc. are only individual beams of love. He requires the queen of all virtues will acquire all the Queens maidens as well.”
St. Nikolai Velimirovich
~Missionary Letter #2

“I wept, I fasted to excess, I awoke for even longer but the situation did not change. The attack would quiet and down for a little while but it would start up again with… I would beat myself with sticks until I was black and blue from the waist down but the war continued twice is fierce. My only consolation was tears and prayer but I could see that the passion lived on and did not subside at all. Whenever Grace shows its presence, everything is bearable. But sometimes for reasons that are purely providential it withholds its presence and man loses hope; his fervor decreases and even his faith is dulled. These are the hardest moments in spiritual life because if God does not hold onto him here man cannot endure.”
Elder Joseph
~Elder Joseph the Hesychast