Theophan The Recluse Quotes

#1. Every Christian has the power to heal infirmities-not of others, but his own, and not of the body, but of the soul-that is, sins and sinful habits-and to cast out devils, rejecting evil thoughts sown by them, and extinguishing the excitement of passions enflamed by them.

Theophan The Recluse

#2. To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart, and there to stand before the face of the Lord, ever-present, all seeing, within you.

Theophan The Recluse

#3. The object of our serch is the fire of grace which enters into the heart.

Theophan The Recluse

#4. "Love covers a multitude of sins," (I Pet. 4:8). That is, for love towards one's neighbor, God forgives the sins of the one who loves.

Theophan The Recluse

#5. The invincible weapon against all our enemies is humility.

Theophan The Recluse

#6. The goal of human freedom is not in freedom itself, nor it is in man, but in God. By giving man freedom, God has yielded to man a piece of His Divine authority, but with the intention that man himself would voluntarily bring it as a sacrifice to God, a most perfect offering.

Theophan The Recluse

#7. Remember that each of us has his own cross. The Golgotha of this cross is our heart: it is being lifted or implanted through a zealous determination to live according to the Spirit of God. Just as salvation of the world is by the Cross of God, so our salvation is by our crucifixion on our own cross.

Theophan The Recluse

#8. But your job is to work upon yourself: for this you are chosen; the rest is in the hands of God. He who humbles himself shall be exalted.

Theophan The Recluse

#9. The chief end of our life is to live in communion with God. To this end the Son of God became incarnate, in order to return us to this divine communion, which was lost by the fall into sin. Through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we enter into communion with the Father and thus attain our purpose.

Theophan The Recluse

#10. A soul untried by sorrows is good for nothing.

Theophan The Recluse

#11. If you examine your life well, you will find many instances when God showed His unmistakable mercy to you. Trouble was brewing, but it passed you by for some reason. God delivered you. Acknowledge these and thank God, Who loves you.

Theophan The Recluse

#12. As it is not possible to walk without feet or fly without wings, so it is impossible to attain the Kingdom of Heaven without the fulfillment of the commandments.

Theophan The Recluse

#13. The Lord chose the apostles, that they should be with Him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.

Theophan The Recluse