Words from the Saints -- September 18, 2025

"There is faith 'that comes by hearing' (Romans 10:17) and there is faith that 'is the substance of things hoped for' (Hebrews 11:1)." --St. Mark the Ascetic

"The Cross is the hope of Christians, the staff of the lame, the comfort of the poor, the destruction of all pride, the victory over devils, the guide of youth, the pilot of mariners, the refuge of those who are in danger, the counsellor of the just, the rest of the afflicted, the physician of the sick, the glory of Martyrs." --St. Ephraim the Syrian

"The Lord wants us to love one another. Here is freedom: in love for God and neighbor. In this freedom, there is equality. In earthly orders, there may not be equality, but this is not important for the soul. Not everyone can be a king, not everyone a patriarch or a boss. But in any position it is possible to love God and to please Him, and only this is important. And whoever loves God more on earth will be in greater glory in His Kingdom." --St. Silouan of Mt. Athos

"The Cross is the door to mysteries. Through this door the intellect makes entrance into the knowledge of heavenly mysteries. The knowledge of the cross is concealed in the sufferings of the cross. And the more our participation in its sufferings, the greater the perception we gain through the cross." --St. Isaac the Syrian

"Through the Cross we have been freed from the tyranny of the devil … through the Cross we have been delivered from death and destruction. … From such darkness the human race has crossed over to infinite light; from death it has been called to everlasting life." --St. John Chrysostom