“The day you were captured, the horses with the carriage return home on their own. I realize that you had been taken. From that day, I didn’t eat, or drink, or move from this icon Stan, until the moment you found me. Now we must fortify ourselves. That’s go and eat.” That was the Blessed and holy father of Harlem boasts. Quote for the tree is known by its fruit.”
Father of Elder Haralambos when his son was captured in war
~Abbot Haralambos Dionysiatis Teacher of Noetic Prayer

Peter therefore was kept in prison : but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Acts 12:5

Once, and amazed acquaintance asked him [Elder Paisios] why he never went back home. “I left my parents out of love for Christ,” replied the elder, “and I made a promise so I can’t stay at my family’s house anymore. For me all the people in the world are my parents, my brothers and sisters, and my relatives.” This was the ultimate goal of his estrangement from the world he once remarked characteristically, “I haven’t done anything. But even though I used to have just seven siblings, God, who is so good, has granted me to feel that everyone in the world is my brother.”
Elder Paisios
~Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos

Mark 10:29, 30

 

“The lives of the fathers show us how many of them attain holiness with facility and ease, without great labors and sacrifices, or ascetic struggles, because they practice obedience. Obedience is humility in practice and God “giveth grace unto the humble.”
Elder Ephraim of Katounakia
~Obedience is Life
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“We compare ourselves to the animals – actually, that’s an insult to the poor animals. We are worse than they are. One day I was trying to think of something to compare myself to, and I finally settled on a dung beetle. But after I really thought about it, I realized I wasn’t being fair to the poor thing.”
Elder Paisios
~Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

“Christ came to enlighten mankind. There are various religions outside His revelation where the followers are sincere – not just practicing demon worship – and where the soul is really trying to get through to God. I would say that before the people have heard of Christ, these religions are fine as far as they go, but they will not get you to the goal. The goal is eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven, and God came in the flesh to open this up to us.”
Fr. Seraphim Rose
~God’s Revelation to the Human Heart
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“Suffer and pray to God for your children. By your long-suffering you will hopefully bring them little by little to feel some shame and with your prayer you will receive help from the Almighty in clearing. up your children’s hearts. But first you must repent before him for not teaching your children. His law before anything else.”
St. Nikolai Velimirovich
~Missionary Letters Vol. 3
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“All of this [spiritual blessings] was the fruit of our holy Geronda’s prayers, teaching, and wise discipline. It was because of his tears that he shed for us. He himself admitted it. When they asked him, “Geronda, why are you fasting so strictly after being so exhausted?” He answered, “Because, my child, I want to struggle so that our good God will give his grace to all of you.”
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
~ My Elder Joseph the Hesychast

WASTE..
The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting : but the substance of a diligent man is precious .
~Proverbs 12:27 
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Elder Ephraim relates about two weak orange trees near St. Anne’s Skete and Elder Joseph’s attitude toward waste:

“Those were the only fruit trees we had, and they rarely produced any fruit. When they did Geronda did not let us peel the oranges. To avoid wasting anything edible, we had to eat the oranges with the peels! He said, “We shouldn’t throw anything out. Besides, everything here is sanctified by the prayers of the fathers.”
~My Elder Joseph