"We must understand that the human person in reality does not die. Death is simply a transfer from one life to the other.
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—St. Paisios of Mount Athos
"In the same way the grace of God is preserved by the practice of the commandments, and the observance of these commandments is laid down like foundations through the gift of God. The grace of the Spirit cannot remain with us without the practice of the commandments, but the practice of the commandments is of no help or advantage to us without the grace of God.
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—St. Symeon the New Theologian
"As medicines purge the body from the impurity of bad humours, so grievous afflictions purify the heart from evil passions."
—St. Isaac the Syrian
"It is a good thing to believe in Christ, because without faith in Christ it is impossible for anyone to be saved; but one must also be instructed in the word of truth and understand it. It is a good thing to be instructed in the word of truth, and to understand it is essential; but one must also receive baptism in the name of the Holy and Life-giving Trinity, for the bringing to life of the soul. It is a good thing to receive baptism and through it a new spiritual life; but it is necessary that this mystical life, or this mental enlightenment in the spirit, also should be consciously felt. It is a good thing to receive with feeling the mental enlightenment in the spirit; but one must also manifest also the works of light. It is a good thing to do the works of light; but one must also be clothed in the humility and meekness of Christ for perfect likeness to Christ. He who attains this and becomes meek and humble of heart, as if these were his natural dispositions, will unfailingly enter into the Kingdom of heaven and into the joy of his Lord."
—St. Symeon the New Theologian
"The person who has trust in divine justice is neither upset when treated unfairly, nor seeks his justice; on the contrary, he accepts the false accusations as if they were true, and does not try to convince others that he has been slandered; instead he asks to be forgiven."
—St. Paisios of Mount Athos
"Even if we cannot endure much labor because we are weak let us be set on humbling ourselves."
—Dorotheos of Gaza
"When someone abandons himself to God, God does not abandon him."
—St. Paisios of Mount Athos
"Only those who have interior prayer and watch over their souls receive the gifts of grace."
—St. Seraphim of Sarov
"When the demons inflict us vith a thought of pride, then you should remember the shameful thoughts which they flung at to you, and thus you should humble yourself. Then again, when you are subjected to corrupt thoughts, remember those thoughts of pride and be victorious over them by the use of this method so that you neither lose hope because of the impure thoughts, nor become proud because of the good ones."
—St. Peter of Damascus
"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.
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—St. Paisios of Mount Athos
"True discrimination comes to us only as a result of true humility."
—Abba Moses
"The way of humility is this: self-control, prayer, and thinking yourself inferior to all creatures."
—Abba Thithoes
"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 Poemen
"We were created for eternal life by our Creator, we are called to it by the word of God, and we are renewed by holy Baptism. And Christ the Son of God came into the world for this, that He should call us and take us there, and He is the one thing needful. For this reason your very first endeavor and care should be to receive it. Without it everything is as nothing, though you have the whole world under you."
—Abba Epiphanios