SO GOOD QUOTES

Category: JUDGMENT

  • We should be careful not to provoke or embitter one another. Let us behave in a gentle, courteous manner, loving our neighbor and not criticizing or judging anyone. Criticism is the greatest and most terrible sin.

    —Gerondissa Makrina (Vassopoulou)

  • Beware of justifying yourself, finding excuses and putting the blame on others or on circumstances! On the day of judgment, God is not going to ask you about the circumstances or about others. He is going to ask you about yourself.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL BENEFIT VOL. II

  • It does not please God to see one justifying himself, finding excuses as Adam and Eve did. Instead of judging themselves in front of God they started blaming someone else.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL BENEFIT VOL. II

  • St. John Chrysostom says, “If you are unable to carry the sins of others and relate them to yourself, try at least not to judge another and let him carry your sins…

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL BENEFIT VOL. II

  • How dangerous is the feeling that we are the only ones worshiping God, or the only ones with principles!

    There are those who judge the whole generation and judge all people as being lost and corrupted! They forget that there are those who are chosen by God, whom they might not know, but God knows them.

    …

    The one who has love rejoices at having many like him or even better than him. As for the self-conceited, this matter troubles him, or at least does not cheer him! He thinks it is a challenge to him. He does not even care about God, but about himself.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, WORDS OF SPIRITUAL BENEFIT VOL. II

  • If we have condemned ourselves, we will not be condemned then, at the great and eternal judgement.

    —St. Ephraim the Syrian

  • One time, I found an elderly monk standing long to pray by the relics of the saints. He spoke much, but among his words he said, “Lord, do not take me in a moment of inattention.” This is a beautiful saying. When you seesaw between sides, you might be taken in a moment of inattention.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Monastic Treasures for All of Us

  • One might say that another’s action will destroy the monastery. Yet, if the action is truly wrong, it will surely be revealed; you should not necessarily be the one who reveals it. It will be revealed on its own. If you place yourself as a watchdog over the actions of others, then, as the saying goes, you will have turned from a worshipper into a judge. Did you come to work as judges, or worshippers? Each one of us should say, “I will keep to myself. What business is it of mine? What brought me into all of these affairs?”

    The wronged will be avenged by God, the peace of the monastery will be protected by God, those commissioned have their own responsibilities, and each of you should keep to yourself. If you keep to yourself, you will be respected by all, loved by all, and trusted by all, and if you do intervene on any given occasion, your word will have a positive impact.

    —Pope Shenouda III, Monastic Treasures for All of Us

  • If we remember our sins, God will forget them.

    If we forget our sins, God will remember them.

    —St. Antony the Great

    (via Before the Just Judge by H.H. Pope Shenouda III)

  • Yet he who does not reproach himself, or who is satisfied with his level, may remain stationary, not progressing forwards, not thinking of attaining a preferable state, nor seeking a higher level, satisfied with what he has attained.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Before the Just Judge