Tiny Little Stones

Of the demons

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opposing us in the practice of the ascetic life, there are three groups who fight in the front line: those entrusted with the appetites of gluttony, those who suggest avaricious thoughts, and those who incite us to seek the esteem of men. All the other demons follow behind and in their turn attack those already wounded by the first three groups.

Evagrius, in the Philokalia

Sola Gratia?

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Theorists are greatly occupied by the question of the relationship between grace and free will. For anyone who has grace within him, this question is resolved by practical experience.

Theophan the Recluse, read here

"Lord, why is there so much beauty?"

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Seeking to converse with God through pure imageless prayer resting in his heart, Eleazar's wonder at the beauty of creation was a difficulty for him, and he exclaimed with tears:

'Lord, why is there so much beauty in your creation which in your mercy you offer to your unworthy servant?'

Eleazar of Anzersk

Justice

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A brother whom another brother had wronged came to see Abba Sisoes and said to him, “My brother has hurt me and I want to avenge myself.” The old man pleaded with him saying, “No, my child, leave vengeance to God.” He said to him, “I shall not rest until I have avenged myself.” The old man said, “Brother, let us pray.” Then the old man stood up and said,

“God, we no longer need you to care for us, since we do justice for ourselves.”

Hearing these words, the brothers fell at the old man’s feet, saying, “I will no longer seek justice from my brother; forgive me, abba.”

Abba Sisoes in Lives of the Desert Fathers, found here

Without love, vanity

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All the virtues and all asceticism are in vain without love. The Devil can easily imitate all our virtues; he is conquered only by humility and charity.

Melania the Roman

Know two thoughts and fear them.

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One says: you are a saint; the other: you will not be saved. Both these thoughts are from the enemy, and there is no truth in them.

Silouan of Mt. Athos here

On annoyances

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Our goal should be to take all that comes our way and make the best out of it for the sake of the spiritual struggle in which we are engaged. We must strive to acquire inner tranquility...

If you cannot find tranquility in the midst of disturbance, you will not be tranquil even in the midst of tranquility. When inner tranquility comes to a man, everything inside him will be tranquil, and he will not be disturbed by anything.

Elder Paisios, found here

A Christian must not be fanatic

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A Christian must not be fanatic; he must have love for and be sensitive towards all people.

The way of the Church is love; it differs from the way of the legalists. The Church sees everything with tolerance and seeks to help each person, whatever he may have done, however sinful he may be.

A person that begins to do something with a good intention and eventually reaches an extreme point, lacks true discernment. His actions exemplify a latent type of egotism that is hidden beneath this behavior; he is unaware of it, because he does not know himself that well, which is why he goes to extremes.

Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos, here

I die daily

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If we awaken each day and think "I will not be alive until evening", and again when we are about to go to sleep, if we think "I am not going to wake up", then we will not take for granted that our life is so certain when we know that it is measured out each day by Providence.

Thus if we are disposed in this way and live each day like this, we will neither sin nor will we desire anything, nor will we be angry with anyone, nor will we lay up treasure for ourselves on earth. But because we expect to die each day, we will live without possessions and will yield everything to everyone. With regard to the lust for women or some other pleasure, we will not even entertain it but, as though passing right by it, will turn ourselves completely away from it, always struggling against it as we look toward the day of judgment.

Anthony the Great, in The Life of St. Anthony

Christ Pantocrator, the Ruler of all

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You cannot put straight in others what is warped in yourself.

Athanasius, On the Incarnation

True fasting

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True fasting is to put away all evil, to control the tongue, to forbear from anger, to abstain from lust, slander, falsehood and perjury. If we renounce these things, then is our fasting true and acceptable to God.

Andrew the Blind, from a Lenten Vespers service

Just as you conceal your sins from men,

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conceal from them also your efforts [in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving]!

Evagrius

Each day

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let each person take an accounting of the things he has done during the day and during the night and, if he has sinned, let him stop. If he has not sinned, let him not boast.

Let this system of observation assure us of not sinning: let each of us note and write down his deeds and the movements of his soul as though we were going to report them to each other.

...If we write down our thoughts as though we were going to report them to one another, we will keep ourselves very far away from filthy thoughts, ashamed as we are to have others know about them.

Anthony the Great in his Life

Hope for you and me

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"I shall tell you something strange, but do not be surprised by it. Should you fail to attain dispassion because of the predispositions dominating you, but at the time of your death be in the depths of humility, you will be exalted above the clouds no less than the man who is dispassionate."

St. Theognostus, here

You cannot destroy the passions on your own

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You cannot destroy the passions on your own, but ask God, and He will destroy them, if this is profitable for you.

St. Anatoly of Optina, found here

Bless My Enemies O Lord

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Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have. Friends have bound me to earth, enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.
Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world. Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world. They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself. They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments. They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself. They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance. Bless my enemies, O Lord, Even I bless them and do not curse them. Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish. Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a dwarf. Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background. Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand. Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep. Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of your garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me: so that my fleeing to You may have no return; so that all hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs; so that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul; so that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins, arrogance and anger; so that I might amass all my treasure in heaven; ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life. Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world except himself. One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends. It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies. Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and enemies.

A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands. For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life. Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

St. Nikolai Velimirovich who suffered at Dachau. Prayer can be found in pdf form here.

We should marvel how

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demons and various diseases are dispelled by the sign of the precious and life-giving Cross, which all can make without cost or effort... The two fingers and single hand with which it is made represent the Lord Jesus Christ crucified, and He is thereby acknowledged to exist in two natures and one hypostasis or person. The use of right hand betokens His infinite power and the fact that He sits at the right hand of the Father. That the sign begins with a downward movement from above signifies His descent to us from heaven. Again, the movement of the hand from the right side to the left drives away our enemies and declares that by His invincible power the Lord overcame the devil, who is on the left side, dark and lacking strength.

St. Peter of Damaskos in the Philokalia

Set me free, O God

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Set me free, O God, from that multitude of speech which I suffer inwardly in my soul, wretched as it is in Thy sight, and flying for refuge to Thy mercy; for I am not silent in thoughts, even when silent in words...

O Lord the one God, God the Trinity, whatever I have said in these books that is Thine, may those who are Thine acknowledge; if [I have said] anything of my own, may it be pardoned both by Thee and by those who are Thine.

Augustine, conclusion of On the Trinity

Always think of your soul as knowing nothing

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that you may be preserved from the reprehensible things which the supposition that you are capable of directing others stirs in you.

...Always consider yourself as needing instruction so that you may be found wise throughout your life.

St. Issac the Syrian On Ascetical Life

We ought to love afflictions

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God does not want us, His children, to be pestered. He gives us temptations and hardships in order to become perfect. Temptations will cease to exist in our life, when we reach the level of perfection...

We Christians ought to love afflictions and not try to get rid of them; afflictions are necessary means leading to our perfection.

Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos, quoted here.

Isn't Christianity in the West better off

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being in freedom? [Some one asked Father Dimitry Dudko during the the Soviet era] --he replied: "No. There they have a spirituality with comfort, and you can't expect much from that; here in Russia we have martyrs and suffering, and from that can come resurrection and new life."

...We [in the West] are in a privileged position of peace and freedom, and this is dangerous for us. We can sit in the midst of our Orthodox treasures, the treasures that give salvation that no one else has -- and be satisfied with our situation and so be totally fruitless. If we have difficulty in being Orthodox -- then let us rejoice, for that means we must struggle, and there is hope that we won't wither and die spiritually.

Seraphim (Rose) in Orthodoxy in America

The fathers

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says the Gerontikon, kept the commandments; their successors wrote them down; but we have placed their books on the shelves. And even if we want to read them, we do not have the application to understand what is said and to put it into practice; we read them either as something incidental, or because we think that be reading them we are doing something great, thus growing full of pride. We do not realize that we incur greater condemnation if we do not put into practice what we read... And we should remember what the Lord says about the servant who knew his master's will but failed to carry it out.

St. Peter of Damaskos in the Philokalia

Pray and then speak.

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That’s what to do with your children. If you are constantly lecturing them, you’ll become tiresome and when they grow up they’ll feel a kind of oppression. Prefer prayer and speak to them through prayer. Speak to God and God will speak to their hearts. That is, you shouldn’t give guidance to your children with a voice that they hear with their ears. You may do this too, but above all you should speak to God about your children. Say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, give Your light to my children. I entrust them to You. You gave them to me, but I am weak and unable to guide them, so, please, illuminate them.’ And God will speak to them and they will say to themselves, ‘Oh dear, I shouldn’t have upset Mummy by doing that!’ And with the grace of God this will come from their heart.” He also said, “It is not sufficient for the parents to be devout. They mustn’t oppress the children to make them good by force. We may repel our children from Christ when we pursue the things of our religion with egotism.

Elder Porphyrios in Wounded by Love quoted here.

If the question which you raise

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is concerning God, your inquiry is no simple or ordinary matter, for the Divinity is incomprehensible; and it will be sufficient for you to study the traditions of the holy apostles about Him and the teaching of the divine Fathers who followed in their steps and not trouble yourselves any further... [L]et us abstain from vain and dangerous questionings and let us each consider that which concerns ourselves... for it is written: 'Seek not out the things that are to high for thee, neither search the things that are too deep for thee.'

St. Daniel the Stylite in his Life

After John had been elected

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[Patriarch of Alexandria, he said to all in the Patriarch's council-chamber]... 'Go therefore through the whole city, please, and make a list of all my masters down to the last'. But his hearers could not imagine who these could be, and besought him to tell them, as they were astonished that any could possibly be masters of the Patriarch; and he opened his angelic mouth again and said: 'Those whom you call poor and beggars, these I proclaim my masters and helpers. For they, and they only, are really able to help us and bestow upon us the kingdom of heaven.'

St. John the Almsgiver, in his Life

If you want to be freed

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from all the vices simultaneously, renounce self-love, the mother of evils.

Thalassios the Libyan, in the Philokalia, vol. ii, p. 311

Paphnutius

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recounted of a friend of the poor who died, and could not cross the river of fire which had separated him from Paradise, that the poor to whom he had given alms then lay down and formed a bridge, by means of which he attained to the Kingdom of God.

Venerable Paphnutius of Borovsk, in the Synaxarion

A man of compassionate heart

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has a heart aflame for the whole of creation, for humankind, for the birds, for the animals, for the devils, for every creature. When he thinks of them or sees them, he sheds tears. So strong and violent is his compassion that his heart is in anguish and he cannot bear to hear or see the slightest ill or the least sadness in the heart of creation. Accordingly, he prays with tears at every moment for the dumb animals, for the enemies of the truth and for all who do him harm, that they may be protected and forgiven. In the immense compassion which arises overwhelmingly in his heart in the image of God he prays even for reptiles.

Isaac the Syrian Ascetic Homilies Discourse 71

We must

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begin with thanksgiving for everything. The beginning of joy is to be content with your situation.

- St. Ambrose of Optina

This grass is an icon;

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this stone is an icon; and I can kiss it, venerate it, because it is filled with God's grace. The world is not for us to take things from, but a place where we cast off our passions and desires.

Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos, quoted in Through Creation to the Creator

Flee from

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discussions of dogma as from an unruly lion; and never embark upon them yourself, either with those raised in the Church, or with strangers.

Isaac the Syrian, in Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian

Neither greive,

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nor be sad, beloved soul, that you have suffered unjustly, for it behooves you to accept all for your benefit.

St. Maximus the Greek, in his autobiography

A brother from Abba Poemen’s neighbourhood

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met an anchorite.... The brother told him about Abba Poemen. When he heard of his virtue, the anchorite wanted to see him.... [and] said to him, ‘Please will you be so kind as to take me to Abba Poemen.’ So he brought him to the old man... So Abba Poemen received him with joy. They greeted one another and sat down.

The visitor began to speak of the Scriptures, of spiritual and of heavenly things. But Abba Poemen turned his face away and answered nothing. Seeing that he did not speak to him, the other went away deeply grieved and said to the brother who had brought him, ‘I have made this long journey in vain. For I have come to see the old man, and he does not wish to speak to me.’

Then the brother went inside to Abba Poemen and said to him, ‘Abba, this great man who has so great a reputation in his own country has come here because of you. Why did you not speak to him?’ The old man said, ‘He is great and speaks of heavenly things and I am lowly and speak of earthly things. If he had spoken of the passions of the soul, I should have replied, but he speaks to me of spiritual things and I know nothing about that.’ Then the brother came out and said to the visitor, ‘The old man does not readily speak of the Scriptures, but if anyone consults him about the passions of the soul, he replies.’

Filled with compunction, the visitor returned to the old man and said to him, ‘What should I do, Abba, for the passions of the soul master me?’ The old man turned towards him and replied joyfully, ‘This time, you come as you should. Now open your mouth concerning this and I will fill it with good things.’ Greatly edified, the other said to him, ‘Truly, this is the right way!’ He returned to his own country giving thanks to God that he had been counted worthy to meet so great a saint.

Sayings of the Desert Fathers, p 167

If we detect any trace of hatred

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in our hearts against any man whatsoever for committing any fault, we are utterly estranged from love for God, since love for God absolutely precludes us from hating any man.

Maximos the Confessor in the Philokalia volume ii, p. 54

Christians above all men

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are forbidden to correct the stumblings of sinners by force. When secular judges convict wrong-doers under the law, they show that their authority is complete, and compel men, whether they will or no, to submit to their methods. ...God gives the crown to those who are kept from evil, not by force, but by choice.

St. John Chrysostom, Six Books on the Priesthood, p. 56

The Way of Life is this:

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Thou shalt love first the Lord thy Creator, and secondly thy neighbor as thyself; and thou shalt do nothing to any man that thou wouldst not wish to be done to thyself.

What you may learn from these words is to bless them that curse you, to pray for your enemies, and to fast for your persecutors. For where is the merit in loving only those who return your love? Even the heathens do as much as that. But if you love those who hate you, you will have nobody to be your enemy.

from Early Christian Writings; The Didache, p. 191

A brother asked

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one of the elders: What is humility? The elder answered him: To do good to those who do evil to you. The brother asked: Supposing a man cannot go that far, what should he do? The elder replied: Let him get away from them and keep his mouth shut.

From The Wisdom of the Desert pp. 53-54

The inclination to irritability

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is given to us to use against [our own] sin, and we were never meant to use it against our fellow men. When we do, we act contrary to nature. We use irritability in this wrong, deflected way because we are proud. You must, of course, strive to curb your irritability; but guard yourself against being elated if you succeed.

from Russian Letters of Spiritual Direction 1834-1860 Macarius, Starets of Optino, p. 79

The only way to God

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is through doing good, through helping other people and denying the enourmous, human "I" we are always trying to push forward.

from Father Arseny 1893-1973 p. 186

Abba Macarius was asked

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"How should one pray?" The old man said, "There is no need at all to make long discourses; it is enough to stretch out one's hands and say, "Lord, as you will, and as you know, have mercy." And if the conflict grows fiercer say, "Lord, help!" He knows very well what we need and he shews us his mercy."

Saying of the Desert Fathers, p. 131

There is among the passions

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an anger of the intellect, and this anger is in accordance with nature. Without anger a man cannot attain purity: he has to feel angry with all that is sown in him by the [spiritual] enemy... He who wishes to acquire the anger that is in accordance with nature must uproot all self-will, until he establishes within himself the state natural to the intellect.

St. Isaiah the Solitary, Philokalia vol. I, p. 22

When Abba Anthony

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thought about the depth of the judgements of God, he asked, 'Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those who are poor and those who are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the just in need?' He heard a voice answering him, 'Anthony, keep your attention on yourself; these things are according to the judgment of God, and it is not in your advantage to know anything about them.'

Sayings of the Desert Fathers p. 2

What is Tiny Little Stones?

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This blog is named after the "five smooth stones" used by David to slay Goliath. As a small stone was used to slay a giant warrior, so David's Psalms have been used to slay spiritual enemies. Likewise, the sayings collected here, it is hoped, will be useful by those who ponder them to battle the passions, thoughts, and compulsions that afflict all humankind.

Tiny Little Stones is a collection of short sayings from the Church's holy people. They are collected for their practical value. Those who have gone before us and have been victorious in the spiritual battle have much to teach those with ears to hear, yet are still subject to their desires and selfishness. By the example, words, and continuing intercession of the saints, perhaps some of us will start, a little, to repent.