Matthew the Poor: On Contrition

 One fact should shame us all. While we persist in sinning against God and in defying His rights and commandments, He still looks upon us with compassion without ever diminishing His love for us. How can we not feel contrite when pondering the great love of God who humbled Himself and even underwent contrition for us on the cross! And at whose hands? Was it not at the hands of mankind, of which you and I are members? The thought of the sufferings of the crucified God is enough to occasion contrition upon contrition.

Contrition cannot be grasped in a day or be taught from a book. It is life that flows between the soul and God. At first glance, it looks arduous, being a struggle against self-regard and a humiliation of one's pride. But after awhile, when the soul is cleansed from its false majesty and conceit, the life of contrition becomes a poignant, sweet melody that makes shorter the soul's long journey to God. It invites the soul to make its approach to God's dwelling place until it finds its complete rest in Him.

A contrite soul is full of peace. As it grows in grace and perfection, contrition and humility flow out. Any perversion toward pride or vainglory makes it shudder as a musician shudders at a discordant note in a beautiful symphony.

+Matthew the Poor, from Orthodox Prayer Life, The Interior Way, Chapter 6 Contrition of the Spirit

St. Theophan the Recluse: The Fire of Zeal

 What success can one expect when there is no enthusiastic zeal for a Christian pleasing of God? If there is something that involves no labor, one is ready to do it; but as soon as one is required to do a little extra labor, or some kind of self-sacrifice, immediately one refuses, because one is unable to accomplish it oneself. For then there will be nothing to rely on that can move one to good deeds: self-pity will undermine all the foundations. And if any other motive besides the one mentioned becomes involved, it will make the good deed into a bad deed...

Zealous pleasing of God is the path to God which is full of consolation and gives wings to the spirit. Without it one can ruin everything.

One must to everything for the glory of God in defiance of the sin which dwells in us. Without this we will do everything only out of habit, because it seems "proper", because this is the way it has always been done, or the way others do it. We must do all we can, otherwise we will do some things and neglect others, and this without any contrition or even knowledge of what we have omitted. One must to everything with heedfulness and care, as our chief task; otherwise we will do everything just as it comes.

And so, it is clear that without zeal a Christian is a poor Christian. He is drowsy, feeble, lifeless, neither hot nor cold - and this kind of life is not life at all. Knowing this, let us strive to manifest ourselves as true zealots of good deeds, having neither stain nor spot, nor any of these things.

+St. Theophan the Recluse, from The Path to Salvation, Chapter 1, #2.

St. Gurias of Kazan: On Spiritual persistence

 The whole of the present life is a time of labors. The reward will be granted in the life to come. The joys of heaven will only be granted to him who has struggled in spirit during this life and who has left corruptible goods for the sake of the good things that are incorruptible. In the spiritual life, we have to press on in spite of every adversity and misfortune for, as the Apostle says: "The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Rom 8:18).

+St. Gurias of Kazan, quoted in The Synaxarion Volume 1, entry for October 4th.

St. Sophrony (Sakharov): Spiritual Strugge

 Sin begins with delectation and ends in tragic downfall. Deliverance from the power of sin over us starts with painful repentance but the end is - joyous victory. More than one have I heard people say, "I am ready to accept religion if it will bring me happiness". But they expect happiness from the very outset of their believing, which is not always possible. Yet the same people will put up with all sorts of difficulties to make a base for themselves for their striving after their daily bread, or for some advantage or other. Artists who would prefect themselves in their chosen field have to struggle even harder. Poets, painters, writers and musicians often willingly throughout their lives undergo every sort of deprivation for the wake of their art. So will the man who has been singled out for contact with the heavenly fire be even more prepared to endure all things.

+St. Sophrony (Sakharov), from We Shall See Him as He Is, The Bliss of Knowing the Way