Top 112 Church Fathers Quotes about Love, Life and Faith
Top 112 Church Fathers Quotes about Love, Life and Faith
Church Fathers Quotes
The wisdom passed down through generations has often found its most eloquent expression in the words of church fathers. These early Christian thinkers and theologians paved the way for theological discourse, shaping the foundations of faith, and offering profound insights into the matters of love, life, and faith. In this compilation, we delve into the Top 112 Church Fathers Quotes about Love, Life, and Faith, gaining valuable perspectives that continue to resonate through the corridors of time.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
1. God does not bind those who do not want Him. But it attracts those who want (St. John Chrysostom).
2. True fasting is the imprisonment of vices, i.e. controlling the tongue, restraining anger, and conquering lusts (Saint Basil the Great).
3. Assign to your Lord the weakness of your nature. When you know how much you lack in your strength, you will obtain without realizing his gift of chastity (John Al-Salami).
4. Love is above all a refutation of every thought of enmity (Father John Al-Salami).
5. Stay away from looking and hearing what is useless, so you will get rid of doing what is not useful (Saint Basil the Great).
6. We should not despair of the salvation of sinners, because many saints work for them and remember them before God in heaven (Pope Shenouda III).
7. Check yourself every day about anything you have sinned, and if you are crucified for your sins, God will forgive you (Saint Isaiah Al-Asket).
8. Do not be hard-hearted against your brother, for we have all been overcome by evil thoughts (Anba Musa the Black).
9. You fast with bread and salt, and you eat the flesh of people with condemnation and slander. Do not say I am fasting a clean fast and you are dirty with all sins.
10. There is no greater jihad than to always pray to God because whenever a person wants to pray all the time, the devils try to prevent him because they know that nothing breaks their power but prayer.
Don’t Be a Diana to Your Brother
11. My son, flee from the glory of the people. Eve sought the glory of divinity, and she was stripped of human glory. Likewise, everyone who seeks the glory of people will be deprived of the glory of God.
12. If you lose everything and your trust in God remains, you have not lost anything.
13. A sign of true repentance is that, in the midst of sadness and regret, it carries inner peace in the soul.
14. Just as water and fire are incompatible, condemning others does not agree with those who want to repent.
15. Do not be the judge of your brother in order to qualify you for forgiveness, because if you condemn him, you may lose the forgiveness of your sins.
16. I am humble in everything. And if you know all the wisdom, then make your words the last of all, because by this you will complete everything.
17. You who have showered me with your love do not look at my life that has ended, but at the one that I have begun (St. Augustine).
18. The doctor heals the sick with his ointments, but the Lord Jesus, with the word of him, heals the diseases of the souls with the forgiveness of sins – (Anba Shenouda the Archimandrite).
19. Remember death, and the temptations of the world will vanish before you (Pope Shenouda III).
20. God does not judge us for our sins only, but for the sins of those who have fallen because of us (one of the holy fathers).
21. Every time you are afraid, reprimand yourself for your lack of faith (Pope Shenouda).
22. Take a point of your weakness and make it the subject of your prayers and striving during fasting (Pope Shenouda).
23. He who does not honor the virgin mother is offending her son, who prompted her by the Holy Spirit to say, Behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed (Father Bishoy Kamel).
24. Choose fatigue, as it saves you from all evils with fasting, prayer, and vigil (Anba Anthony).
25. The free person is the one who is not enslaved by bodily pleasures, but rather controls the body with good discernment and chastity (Anba Anthony).
26. The service is the teacher before the lesson is a life transmitted from one person to another or to others (Pope Shenouda III).
Top 112 Church Fathers Quotes about Love, Life and Faith
27. Whoever overcomes his body has overcome his nature, and whoever overcomes his nature has become above it, and whoever becomes above human nature has shared the angelic nature (St. John Al-Darji).
28. If you are very gray and make a mistake, then enter the church and regret it because this place is a hospital.
He is not a court, and he does not seek recompense for sins, but grants forgiveness of sins (St. John Chrysostom).
29. We cannot run in the way of God unless we are carried on the wings of the Spirit (St. John Chrysostom).
30. Carry the cross when you are fighting Satan, not only by drawing it on you, but also by carrying the one who is hanging on the cross (St. John Chrysostom).
31. Do not neglect your salvation, because sin drives out love, because virtue brings love, and love brings many blessings to life (St. John Chrysostom).
32. The Virgin Mary has compensated for Eve’s reputation. She has established a balance for the reputation of women in the world by restoring to women the dignity that she had lost (Pope Shenouda III).
33. Our forefathers, the apostles, were like pieces of coal, ignited by the fire of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and its sparks flew to the ends of the earth, and the world caught fire (Pope Shenouda III).
34. Prayer is not just a request. A person may pray and not ask for anything. Rather, he contemplates the beauty of God and His life-giving attributes. Thus, the prayer of praise and glorification is higher than the request (Pope Shenouda III).
35. Jesus will always open his arms because he wants my soul, for which he died, to embrace it (Father Bishoy Kamel).
36. Fasting without prayer and humility is like a broken-winged eagle (St. Macarius the Great).
37. Satan said to the Lord, “Leave the strong to me, for I am responsible for them. As for the weak, I cannot overcome them, because they feel their weakness, so they fight me with your strength” (St. John Chrysostom).
38. The wise contemplates the virtues of others to acquire them for himself, and the ignorant contemplates the vices of others and condemns him for them (St. John Al-Darji).
39. Blessed is the heart that feeds on the bread of life, which is Jesus, because he who feeds on love feeds in Christ (Mar Isaac the Syrian).
40. Go and reconcile with those who offended you before he comes and apologizes to you and steals your crown (Pope Kyrillos VI).
Top 112 Church Fathers Quotes about Love, Life and Faith
A Strong Soul Does Not Worry Nor Be Troubled
41. The soul that lives in love is more spacious than heaven (Saint Augustine).
42. God emptied himself and took the image of the servant in order to give a lesson to the servant who wanted to elevate himself and become a god (Pope Shenouda III)
43. Unfortunately, it is easy to ask for things from God and not to ask God Himself, as if the gift is better than the giver (Saint Augustine).
44. Beware of despairing yourself, for I have been commanded to rely on God and not on yourself (Saint Augustine).
45. You were with me, but for my misery, I was not with you, O God (Saint Augustine).
46. The strong soul does not worry, is not disturbed, is not afraid, does not collapse, and does not hesitate. As for the weak, he imagines fears and gets upset because of them (Pope Shenouda III).
47. Every thought that fights you put before it a commandment, then it will weaken and you will be victorious over it (Mar Ugris).
48. The tears that we shed because of sins are more precious than all the jewels of the world (St. John Chrysostom).
49. Controlling the senses removes sins and preserving the heart cuts off the pains that give birth to sins (Mar Isaac the Syrian).
50. Humility is when a person degrades himself in everything (Mar Isaac).
51. Repentance for the soul is like the labor of a woman, but her share is to see Christ as the woman sees her newborn child.
52. The Christian person is a person who always renews his mind through repentance, not his life, because life is renewed once with the second birth. The process of renewal of the mind is daily repentance.
53. The moment a person falls into criticism of others, at the same moment, repentance escapes him.
54. Repentance is a positive action that does not stop at merely not doing evil, but rather ends in the longing to do good.
55. Repentance in Christianity is a joyful and happy resurrection, the end of which is the bosom of the Father and his kisses, where joy, peace, purity, and satiety.
56. The Prodigal Son: He used to see the first garment as baptism and life with Christ as bondage. Now he sees the depth of freedom. He saw the fattened calf eaters accompanied by restrictions. Now, he sees in it the body of the Lord ‘the eaters of those who rise from the dead. He saw in his father’s commandments a prison and chains. Now, he sees in her the bonds of love and the embrace and kisses of the Father. The Lord himself appears to the repentant soul to establish it.
57. Confession without repentance is worthless.
58. The sinful woman is the most beautiful concept of salvation.
59. The penitents are the best preachers in the church, and because of them, the sinners return to God.
60. God loves sinners and repentants more than His children who persevere in worship without repentance.
61. Blessed are the repentant harlots, for they shall go before me, the priest, into the kingdom. Blessed are the publicans who love money, And the world and its repentant lusts, because they precede me, the priest, to the kingdom.
62. Repentance is a continuous and complete action. It is an extension of baptism, and the Christian continues to experience it throughout his life.
63. Repentance is a continuous act, a continuous crucifixion of oneself, of the lusts of the body and of the world, and a growth in attachment to Christ. And grow in the love of Christ, and life with Christ, and for Christ.
64. Do not say that others err, because defense and lack of recognition is pride.
65. If the iron rusts, it does not mean that its nature has changed, but if the rust is erased with sandpaper, the first nature will appear again.
66. Lord, give me to go up the mountain. Take me, this is my right, I am your son.
67. My God, grant me to confess with power so that my sin may come before me, and grant me to remember it at all times, so that I may not return to it and enjoy the blessings of repentance.
68. O my soul, confess that the waters and pleasures of the world will not satisfy you. Confess your sin, the Lord Jesus thirsts for your salvation.
69. There is, then, false repentance in which there is a deception of the soul, and true repentance from the work of the Holy Spirit.
70. Repentance does not stop at regretting the sin, but it takes another positive step, which is how the repentant begins a new life with God?!
Top 112 Church Fathers Quotes about Love, Life and Faith
Speak when the ears are ready to hear you
71. Continuous confession works to purify the soul and push it to a new life, especially when it qualifies for the fellowship of the Lord’s body and blood.
72. How powerful you are, O repentance, and how wonderful you are. For, you are the most wonderful icon of the Resurrection. A beautiful and attractive voice echoes from the depth of your friend’s grave saying: Christ has risen from the dead with death trampled over death, and those in the grave have been blessed with eternal life.
73. Speak when the ear is ready to hear you, and preferably if it longs to hear you. Exceptions from this: the word of reprimand, or the word of John to Herod, it is important that you put before you to say: a word that finds an ear to hear.
74. Silence is sometimes useful, but it is not a fixed rule. As for the wise rule, it is for a person to speak when he is good at speaking, and to be silent when he is good to be silent, and when he is silent, let his heart speak with God, asking him to speak instead of him.
75. Every person can shout, insult and insult others, and be harsh in his judgments of people. This is an easy matter that anyone can do and does not indicate strength. As for the difficult matter, it is for a person to control his tongue, control his feelings and nerves, and be polite and accurate in his words. No matter what the excitement is, here the cursing who controls himself is stronger than the cursing who loses his temper.
76. Talking about ideals is easy, anyone can, and admiration for ideals is something we hear from everyone. As for life in ideals, it is not possible for everyone, not even those who call for it and urge others to do it. Ideals require a pure heart, a will, and determination, and a person exerts effort for their sake and endures in order to implement them.
77. You ask people to respect you, but let them respect you on their own because they find in you the qualities that compel them to respect you. And do not blame others if they do not respect you, but rather blame yourself, if you have acted in a way that disrespects people for you, and know that respect is one thing, and fear is another.
78. A block of wood cannot resist the current, but it shoves it with it wherever it goes. Whereas a small fish can resist the current and go wherever it wants because it has life and a will.
79. While theologians research difficult matters, many simple people have slipped into the kingdom of God.
80. Judas’ betrayal seems very hideous, because the Lord Christ had done him good before, and not only chose him as a messenger, but put the box with him, and the Lord did not reveal his thefts, but his situation was that of those close to him and increased the ugliness that he sought to sell his master at a low price.
81. A fasting heart can fast the tongue with it, and he who fasts his heart can fast his body as well.
82. We sin countless sins and without weeping, I am afraid we have lost weeping for our sins because we are occupied with the sins of others and not with our own, or we have lost weeping for our sins because we are occupied with committing other sins.
83. Love always wants to give and lust always wants to receive.
84. I wish, O Lord, that I would forget everything and only you would fill my life.
85. God is like a loving father. He never abandons His children, and His permission for temptation does not mean at all that He has abandoned them, or that He has rejected them, and it also does not mean His anger or dissatisfaction, but rather, He allows temptation for their benefit, and is with them in experience, helps them, strengthens them and preserves them. And supports them with his fortified oath.
86. A humble person feels that he does not deserve anything, so he thanks God for everything, no matter how little, and rejoices in it. Feeling deep in his depths that he does not deserve himself, the arrogant person, on the contrary, thinks in himself that he deserves many things more than what he has, so he complains about what is in him.
87. There is a prayer without words, without words, the beating of the heart is a prayer, a tear in the eye is a prayer, and the feeling of God’s presence in prayer.
88. If you are weak one day, know that you have forgotten the power of God.
89. Believe me, the only passport with which you will enter the kingdom of God is this divine testimony: You are my son.
Follow more of the Top 112 Church Fathers’ Quotes
90. There is no permanent distress that lasts a lifetime, so in every experience that passes, you say: its fate ends. A time will come upon her, and she will pass in peace, but during this time you should keep your calm and your nerves, so as not to weaken or collapse, and not lose faith in God’s help and protection.
91. The spiritual person does not use harsh but gentle words because one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is kindness.
92. A person who believes that he is strong is not used by God because God chooses the weak of the world to shame the strong. Beware, therefore, to trust in your alleged strength, because sin has left many wounded, and all who are slain are strong. Say, with David the righteous, protect me, O Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, for my bones, are troubled, and my soul is greatly troubled (Pope Kyrillos VI).
93. Be very reassuring and do not think about it too much, but leave the matter to those who are in control of the matter.
94. The salvation of the righteous is with the Lord, and He helps them in times of adversity.
95. Jesus Christ extends the healing hand, heals your diseases, and strengthens you.
96. There is nothing under heaven that troubles me or annoys me, for I am sheltered in that fortified fortress, within a safe haven, in the bosom of mercy, possessing a fountain of consolation.
97. I would have liked to live as a stranger and die as a stranger, but the will of God be.
98. Grant us your peace, teach us to be at peace with one another, encourage our souls so that they do not become small, support us with the strength of your arm so that we do not become weak, and grant us goodness and joy at all times. ‘And let your fasting also be accompanied by prayer and reading in the Holy Bible, spiritual books, and the lives of the saints.’
99. Dear brother, the first important thing is to guard against anger, because in a state of anger you speak harsh words, and this is considered war by the enemy of the good, through whom (anger) wants to lose peace in man and keep him away from grace.
100. The heart of the lover is a throne on which the Holy Spirit dwells and the Holy Trinity dwells.
101. Do not annoy your brother with a difficult word, but reconcile one another with the sweetness of love (Saint Augustine).
102. Then you will wipe every tear from their eyes, and they will mourn more than before, but this time they will mourn for their joy, because you, O Lord, saved them and comforted them.
103. The wicked and restless may think that they can escape before you, but you see them and penetrate their darkness.
104. You do not forget your creation so that he repays justly all who fled from your kindness, then clashed with your integrity and fell under your wrath.
105. Therefore, let them repent, my God, and seek your face, for you do not forget your creation, even if creation forgets its Creator.
106. What wound did they inflict on you, then, and what disgrace did they inflict upon your king, who is as high as the heavens above the earth is just and perfect?
And where did they flee when they fled from you? Do they think there is a place where you can’t find them? So they fled so that they might not see you, and you see them, so they stop their sight and stumble on their way.
They are in truth ignorant, they do not know that you are everywhere, and no place can limit or confine you. They do not know that you alone are very close, even to those who are far from you.
107. Do not be afraid of the temptations of the devil, for the devil cannot set his traps on the way. Because the way is Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, but Satan sets his snares on both sides of the road.
108. As soon as the temple that Solomon built, he erected two altars, one of them from outside, where the burnt offerings of burnt offerings were offered on it, and the other from within, where the sanctuary is, which is the altar of incense.
So is man, who is the temple of God, to be the two inner altars. It is the heart over which the incense of prayer is presented, and the other is external, where the body is presented to it as a sacrifice through fasting and all kinds of abstinence and asceticism.
109. By the works of your goodness, we shall be enlightened, and by our enlightenment, by good works, we will see and behold the bridegroom in his glory and enjoy him on his throne.
110. Your glory is from God and not from people, and your reward for your goodness is not from people but from God.
111. It is not permissible to do righteousness out of love for temporal salvation, but out of love for what we hope for eternal salvation.
112. Be careful to gather a lot to give thanks to God and to give glory, for whenever you gather together in one place, the forces of Satan collapse, and all his flaming arrows that are pressing to do sin become null and void, in front of the harmony of your faith.
Conclusion
In the grand tapestry of human existence, the Church Fathers remind us that love, life, and faith are threads inseparably intertwined. From Saint Augustine to Saint Justin Martyr, these early Christian thinkers offer a rich tapestry of wisdom, revealing that love is not just an emotion, life is not just a journey, and faith is not just a belief. Instead, they form a symphony of interwoven concepts that resonate through time, beckoning us to live with purpose, embrace love, and journey in faith.
As we contemplate the Top 112 Church Fathers Quotes about Love, Life, and Faith, we find ourselves invited into a deeper understanding of our spiritual path. Their insights serve as guiding stars in our pursuit of a life filled with love, a journey marked by growth, and a faith that anchors our souls. Through their words, we glimpse the eternal truths that continue to shape our hearts and minds, reminding us that the interplay of love, life, and faith is at the core of our human experience.
Let these quotes from the Church Fathers inspire us to love more deeply, to live more fully, and to believe more steadfastly. In the convergence of these timeless ideals, we discover the essence of what it means to be human and to be in communion with the divine.
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