In Christian Orthodoxy we value scripture as well as the wisdom handed down from Church Fathers who were the Disciples of the Apostles and the Fathers who learned from them. Especially appropriate for Fathers’ Day, here we share some wisdom from Church Fathers.
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Speak well of those who speak evil of you.
Pay good for evil.
Pray for those who cause you various offenses, wrongs, temptations, persecutions.
Whatever you do, on no account condemn anyone; do not even try to judge whether a person is good or bad, but keep your eyes on that one evil person for whom you must give an account before God – yourself.
+ St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), The Arena: Guidelines for Spiritual and Monastic Life
The Lord remained silent before Pilate and Herod; He made no attempt to justify Himself. You must imitate His holy and wise silence when you see that your enemies accuse you, with every intention of certain conviction; they accuse only with the purpose of hiding their own evil intention under the guise of judgement.
+ St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, The Cup of Christ
St. John Chrystotom
Be ashamed when you sin. Do not be ashamed when you repent. Pay attention to what the devil did to you. These are two things: sin and repentance. Sin is a wound; repentance is a medicine. Just as there are for the body wounds and medicines, so for the soul are sins and repentance. However, sin has the shame and repentance possesses the courage.
+ St. John Chrystotom, Homily 8, On Repentance and Almsgiving (Fathers of the Church Patristic Series)
We think we know a lot, but what we know is very little. Even all those who have striven all their life to bring progress to mankind — learned scientists and highly educated people — all realize in the end that all their knowledge is but a grain of sand on the seashore. All our achievements are insufficient.
+ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives
Elder Thaddeus
It seems that we do not understand one thing: it is not good when we return the love of those who love us yet hate those who hate us. We are not on the right path if we do this. We are the sons of light and love, the sons of God, his children. As such we must have His qualities and His attributes of love, peace, and kindness towards all.
+ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives
The book “Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives” is available in our bookstore.
These sayings were taken from an extended compilation found on http://www.orthodoxchurchquotes.com/page/5/