St. Philaret of Moscow: The Longer Catechism, 3. Hope
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Christian hope is the “resting of the heart on God, with the full trust that He ever cares for our salvation, and will give us the happiness He has promised.”
Irenaeus
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St. Philaret of Moscow: The Longer Catechism, 2. Faith
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“The Creed is an exposition, in few but precise words, of that doctrine which all Christians are bound to believe.”
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St. Philaret of Moscow: The Longer Catechism, 1. Introduction
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“An Orthodox Catechism is an instruction in the orthodox Christian faith, to be taught to every Christian, to enable him to please God, and save his own soul.”
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St. Philaret of Moscow: The Shorter Catechism
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The Shorter Catechism* Introduction What learning is most needful for all men? Christian learning. Why? Because it leads us to God, to everlasting salvation, or, in other words, to everlasting happiness. How can we draw near to God? By thought, wish, and deed. Who draws near to God by thought? He who rightly believes in…
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St. Isaac the Syrian: The First Part, Chapter 23
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The First PartChapter 23 ON THE SPEECH OF TRUE KNOWLEDGE Every apperceptible thing, be it action or word, is the revelation of what is hidden within, if its cause be not entirely accidental, but return constantly. The latter element only is considered in connection with reward; the former is taken into consideration to a small…
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St. Isaac the Syrian: The First Part, Chapter 22
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The First PartChapter 22 ON VARIOUS [EXPERIENCES] DURING PRAYER AND ON THE LIMITS OF THE POWER OF THE MIND. AND IN HOW FAR IT HAS POWER TO MOVE ITS ARBITRARY IMPULSES BY THE VARIOUS HABITS OF PRAYER. AND WHAT IS THE LIMIT PRESCRIBED TO NATURE DURING PRAYER, THE LIMIT WHICH PRAYER IS NOT ALLOWED TO…
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St. Isaac the Syrian: The First Part, Chapter 21
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The First PartChapter 21 ON THAT WHICH HAPPENS DURING PRAYER [UNTO THOSE WHO LIVE] IN SOLITUDE Who is he that knows that delightful bending of the knees, when the tongue is silent and the heart silently utters some glorification, and its delightful emotion does not abate, 163 the body resting on the knees in silence?…
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St. Isaac the Syrian: The First Part, Chapter 20
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The First PartChapter 20 ON VARIOUS INTELLIGIBLE FORCES OF THE MIND IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACTION OF REVELATIONS AND SPIRITUAL VISIONS Divine sight is a non-apperceptible mental revelation. Divine revelation is an emotion of the mind by spiritual understanding, concerning the divine being. It is not even a faculty of the nature of the angels…
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St. Isaac the Syrian: The First Part, Chapter 19
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The First PartChapter 19 ON THE REVELATIONS AND POWERS WHICH HAPPEN TO THE SAINTS IN IMAGES The degree of revelation is not the same as that a man deepen his emotions by the study of wisdom and by intellectual labour so as to arrive at some understanding and contemplation 155 of anything by mental investigation.…
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St. Isaac the Syrian: The First Part, Chapter 18
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The First PartChapter 18 THINGS WHICH I HAVE HEARD FROM OLD MEN AND STORIES OF HOLY PEOPLE, THEIR PIOUS WORDS AND WONDERFUL BEHAVIOUR. MAY GOD PRESERVE US BY THEIR PRAYERS AMEN One day I went to the cell of a holy brother and lay down 140 in a corner as I was ill, expecting that…