In our current age, there are some monks who have deviated in theological issues. Also, some monks are simple; they fall into faults without knowing I remember the first responsibility entrusted to me as a monk was caring for the library in the Syrian Monastery. At first, I coded the books, organized them, and read them as much as I could. In doing this, I would find inside the front cover of a book a curse and an anathema against anyone who removes it from the monastery or contradicts the book; however, the book is full of heresies and innovations. Probably, a person gave it as a gift to a monk, who thanked him for it and prayed for him, without knowing what is written inside this heretical book. Perhaps an unorthodox manuscript, or an incorrect icon, given as a gift, might be placed in the church, meanwhile, it is all wrong.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Monastic Treasures for All of Us
Category: DISCERNMENT
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The person, however, must carefully choose the books they read and will be discipled unto, and must read with discernment and care, and must not adopt everything they read. For there are books, even by renowned authors, that contain unsound information. And not all books are without error.
Therefore, the reader should place in front of themself the saying of St. Paul the Apostle, “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil;” and the saying of St. John also, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God.”
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Come, Follow Me
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“Attend to yourself in the presence of your brethren, and never try to appear more correct than they are in any circumstance whatever. For if you do, you will have wrought a double ill: you will sting them by your false and hypocritical zeal and you will give yourself a motive for presumption.”
—John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent -
“Not only do my choices and their consequences effect those around me immediately, but my choices also effect those far away and those not yet born.”
—Fr. Michael Gillis -
The way to succeed in any good work. When you are praying at home, at evening, or at morning prayer, or in the church during Divine service, be solicitous in your heart to accomplish this particular good work, and heartily desire to fulfill it to the glory of God. The Lord and His Most-pure Mother will unfailingly teach you, will instill in your heart some bright idea how to accomplish it. If you wish to write a discourse or a sermon, and do not know what to write about, if there is no living water in your heart, you have only to be solicitous of this during your prayer. The Lord and His Most-pure Mother will unfailingly and clearly show you the subject for your sermon and its parts, and your mind and heart will be enlightened by a clear knowledge of all sides of the subject.
—St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ -
“It is not freedom when we say to people that everything is permitted. That is slavery.”
—Saint Paisios the Athonite -
The person who really knows what’s going on, a lot of times, you find him more reserved.
—Fr. Mina Dimitri -
Q4. How does one know what is the gift that God has given them? Is there something that is supposed to be revealed at a certain time? Is there anything one can do to speed up the process of finding our gift?
Yes, you can pray about it and God will help you, to reveal your gift to you. Also, you can listen to the feedback other people give you. For example, people will say to you, “You have leadership qualities”;
“You know, when I talk to you, I feel comfortable,” so perhaps your gift is counseling, or you may be good at administration. So listen to the feedback from other people.
—H.E. Metropolitan Youssef, How to Know the Will of God
