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In order to experience Christ's Ascension and comprehend its mystery as far as possible, we must keep the life-giving commandments, acquire the deifying virtues, especially humility and love, so that we can endure every tribulation and temptation which comes by reason of our being Christians, but even to have the desire for martyrdom for the glory of Christ's name.
St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain
We ask something of God beseechingly and gently for a certain period of time. If we see that God refuses to give it to us, we stop disturbing Him. The more we want something, the farther away it goes from us. And when we have forgotten it, it will come imperceptibly. God does not forget. He receives our request, and when He thinks that it is time, He answers to it.
St. Porphyrios the New
“I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.” Psalm 17:1
Consider well, brothers, how great is the power of humility. Consider how great is the spiritual energy behind saying, 'Pardon me'. Why is the devil called not only 'enemy', but also 'adversary'? He is called 'enemy' because he is a hater of men, one who hates what is good, a traitor; an 'adversary', because he always puts obstacles in the way of good. If someone wants to pray he puts obstacles in the way through evil suspicions, shameful thoughts, and spiritual torpor. If a man wants to give alms he obstructs it through avarice or procrastination. If a man wants to keep vigil he obstructs it with hesitations or laziness. In every single thing he is against us when we desire to do good. This is why he called the enemy and the adversary and why, by lowliness, all his attacks and devices are brought to nothing. Lowliness is really a great thing, for every kind of good is advanced by lowliness, and by working at it we cut short our journey, as it says, 'See my humility and my toil, and take away all my sins,' and 'I was humiliated, and the Lord saved me'! For humility alone can bring us into the spiritual life (as Abbot John used to say) even if slowly. Therefore, let us also be humble for a short time and we shall be saved.
St. Dorotheus of Gaza (Abba Dorotheus)
“Never break the fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, This fast is ordained by the Church, and is well-attested. If, at any time in your life, you break this fast, pray for forgiveness and do not sin again. Devout people do not regard themselves as dispensed from this fast either when traveling or in sickness. St. Pachomius once met some people who were carrying a corpse, and saw two angels in the funeral procession. He asked God to reveal to him the mystery of the presence of the two angels at the burial of this man. What especial good had he done that two angels should escort him to the grave? Then, by the providence of God, the two angels came across to Pachomius and explained to him: ‘One of us is the angel of Wednesday, and the other the angel of Friday. As this man fasted every Wednesday and Friday right up to his death, we are giving his corpse a solemn escort. As he kept the fast up to his death, so we are here to glorify him.’“
St. Nikolai Velimirovic’s Prologue from Ochrid
“It is the Day of Resurrection, so let us be radiant for the festival, and let us embrace one another. Let us speak, brothers and sisters, also to those who hate us, and in the Resurrection let us forgive everything, and so let us cry: CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, TRAMPLING DOWN DEATH BY DEATH, AND ON THOSE IN THE TOMBS BESTOWING LIFE!”
Through abstinence, Moses was counted worthy to speak with God face to face on Sinai. With faith let us follow his example.
St. Andrew of Crete
Man overcomes death by conquering sin within himself with Christ. If you have lived a day without vanquishing a single sin of yours, know that you have become even more mortal than you are already. Vanquish one, two, or three of your sins, and behold, you have become younger by way of never-aging youthfulness, younger by way of immortality and eternity. Never forget that to believe in the Resurrection of the Lord Christ means to carry out a continuous fight with sins, with evil, with death.
St. Justin Popovich
