Words from the Saints -- November 4, 2021
Gerald Largent
"There are three degrees to salvation. St. John Chrysostom says: a) do not sin; b) after you have sinned, repent; c) whoever repents poorly must endure the afflictions that come." --St. Ambrose of Optina
"A cross that you have begged for is hard to bear; it is better to devote yourself to God’s will in simplicity." --St. Ambrose of Optina
"One should note that God foreknows all things but that He does not predestine them all. Thus He foreknows the things that depend on us, but He does not predestine them - because neither does He will evil to be done nor does He force virtue. And so, predestination is the result of the divine command made with foreknowledge. Those things which do not depend upon us, however, He predestines in accordance with His foreknowledge. For, through His foreknowledge, He has already decided all things beforehand in accordance with His goodness and justice." --St. John of Damascus
"Faith bears fear of perdition; fear of perdition bears abstinence from passion; this abstinence bears patience in tribulation; patience bears hope in God; hope in God bears indifference to worldly matters; this disregard for worldly things bears love for God, which is the highest of all the virtues." --St. Nicodemos of Mt Athos