if He had placed corporeal beauty also under our control we should have been subjected to excessive anxiety, and should have wasted all our time upon things which are of no profit, and should have grievously neglected our soul.
For if, even as it is, when we have not this power in ourselves, we make intense efforts, and give ourselves up to shadow painting, and because we cannot in reality produce bodily beauty, we cunningly devise imitations by means of paints, and dyes, and dressing of hair, and arrangement of garments, and penciling of eyebrows, and many other contrivances, what leisure should we have set apart for the soul and serious matters, if we had it in our power to transfigure the body into a really symmetrical shape? For probably, if this were our business, we should not have any other, but should spend all our time upon it, adorning the bondmaid with countless decorations, but letting her who is the mistress of this bondmaid lie perpetually in a state of deformity and neglect.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
ON REPENTANCE & DEFEATING DESPAIR
Letters to Theodore
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Let us not then make ourselves unworthy of entrance into the bride-chamber, for as long as we are in this world, even if we commit countless sins it is possible to wash them all away by manifesting repentance for our offenses; but when once we have departed to the other world, even if we display the most earnest repentance it will be of no benefit, not even if we gnash our teeth, beat our breasts, and utter innumerable calls for relief, no one with the tip of his finger will apply a drop to our burning bodies, but we shall only hear those words which the rich man heard in the parable: “Between us and you a great gulf has been fixed.” Let us then, I beseech you, recover our senses here and let us recognize our Master as He ought to be recognized.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
ON REPENTANCE & DEFEATING DESPAIR
Letters to Theodore -
And it will be no small affliction to the souls of those who are being punished at that time, to reflect that when they had it in their power in the few days of this life to make all good, they neglected their opportunity and surrendered themselves to everlasting evil. And lest we should suffer this, let us rouse ourselves while it is the accepted time, while it is the day of salvation,’ while the power of repentance is great.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
ON REPENTANCE & DEFEATING DESPAIR
Letters to Theodore -
Such a person does good without waiting for a commandment. His good nature makes him in no need of a call to do good.
He does good because it is in his nature, being in God’s image. He does good as a habitual thing, as a breath coming out, without feeling that he is doing something strange or beyond his ability.
So, seeing it is something normal, he does not boast of doing it.
On the contrary, he who does not love good finds God’s commandment heavy, and he becomes an enemy to God! He feels that God deprives him of the pleasure of sinning, and that His commandment restricts him, leading him in a way he does not want. Thus God’s way becomes difficult to him and he walks in it forcibly, if ever he does!
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
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There are things which it is better for man not to know or to experience. About such things the Scriptures said, “he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Eccel 1: 18).
Satan said to Eve, “in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened.”, and it would have been better for them had they not have their eyes opened to that kind of knowledge.
It is much better for man to know only good. He would live in happiness and would love the others because he sees only the good in them.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
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But, what if it is impossible to live peaceably with everybody?
* Do not be the cause of the controversy.
Be the crucified not the crucifier. You may face troubles from others, but do not be the beginner of evil. Moreover, do not be over-sensitive with regard to the faults of others.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
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* Do not require others to be ideal, but accept them as they are, not as they ought to be.
We accept nature as it is: the seasons whether rainy, stormy or hot, we do not ask nature to change itself. Let us do the same with the others. Not all of them are righteous and good. So many have weaknesses or certain dominating temperament. People are of different types, some of which are troublesome. So, be like a spectator, not influenced by their behavior, and treat them wisely according to their nature.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
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A chaste person is too sensitive to request, and if given he is too shy to receive. Unlike this is the unchaste person who may ask for something not his right to have, as if it were a right usurped from him! Even if given he may ask for more seeing it so little. Such are those who ask God for things they consider it their right to have!! Such was the lost son who asked his father for his portion of inheritance (Lk 15).
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit
SO GOOD QUOTES 