Do whatever falls to your hands, in your circle and in your situation – and believe that this is and will be your true work; nothing more from you is expected.
It is a great error to think that you must undertake important and great labours, whether for heaven, or, as the progressives think, in order to make one’s contribution to humanity.
That is not necessary at all. It is necessary only to do everything in accordance with the Lord’s commandments.
Just exactly what is to be done? Nothing in particular, just that which presents itself to each one according to the circumstances of his life, and which is demanded by the individual events with which each of us meets.
—St. Theophan the Recluse, The Spiritual Life
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“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments. Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.”
—St. J.H.Newman -
Consider how an ear of corn is produced. Most of us would point to the labor of the farmer in tilling the soil, sowing the seed, and harvesting the grain. But it is not as simple as that. The farmer needs the blacksmith to make the spade, ploughshare, sickle and axe. He needs the carpenter to make a frame from the plough and to make a yoke for the horse. He needs the leather worker to make the harness. He needs the builder to make a stable for the horse, and a barn to store the hay and grain. He needs a baker to turn the grain into bread, otherwise his labors are worthless. And he needs the forest worker to provide wood for the carpenter to saw, and wood for the baker to heat the oven. So just to produce corn many different people are needed. Since we depend on one another for our very survival, why do we ever try to exploit and cheat one another? Nothing could be more stupid and irrational than to try and get the better of someone else; people who cheat and exploit others are cheating and exploiting themselves.
On Living Simply
St. John Chrysostom -
The fact alone that we perceive that He loves us is sufficient in place of the work we ought to do if we are not capable of it.
—St. Isaac the Syrian -
But if they depart from such strict obedience they will fail completely in the spiritual life and in every form of virtue.
—St Theodoros the Great, Ascetic A Century of Spiritual Texts -
“Christians should regard their occupations as sidelines and prayer as their work.”
—St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite -
“Why do we all know so much? And why do we feel the unbearable urge to tell each other that we know so much? It’s as if we are burdened by the question of what to do with thought, by our brains, by the very weight of the organ…”
Infinite Resignation
Eugene Thacker -
“How are things going?” “Oh, I can’t complain…” The greatest complaint of all.—
Infinite Resignation
Eugene Thacker
