John of Kronstadt quotes
Do the saints, whom we call upon, pray for us? They certainly pray for us. If I, a sinful man, a cold-hearted, sometimes wicked and malevolently disposed man, praying for others who have instructed or have not instructed me to pray for them and do not doubt, do not weary of saying their names during prayer, although sometimes not heartily, then will not God's saints - those lamps and torches, burning in God and before God, full of love to their earthly brethren - pray for me and for us when we call upon them with faith, hope, and love, according to our strength? They, our speedy helpers, pray also for our souls, as our Divinely enlightened mother, the Holy Church, assures us. Pray, therefore, undoubtingly to God's saints, asking their intercession before God on your behalf. They hear you in the Holy Ghost...
John of Kronstadt
Confess, partake, and fear nothing. Confession is the key to the kingdom of heaven. With all illnesses and sorrows, go to church. Here is our spiritual and physical hospital. Confess and partake more often, do not blame anyone, kiss your cross in the morning and in the evening. And everything will pass: illnesses, obsession, and thoughts of blasphemy and fornication.
John of Kronstadt
When you are about to pray to our Lady the Holy Virgin, be firmly assured, before praying, that you will not depart from her without having received mercy. To think thus and to have confidence in her is meet and right. She is, the All-Merciful Mother of the All-Merciful God, the Word, and her mercies, incalculably great and innumerable, have been declared from all ages by all Christian Churches; she is, indeed, an abyss of mercies and bounties, as is said of Her in the canon of Odigitry.
John of Kronstadt
In order that we should not doubt our right to call the most exalted Mother of the Most High God, the most holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady, our Mother, Her Eternal, Divine Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, has solved our doubt by directly allowing us, or those of us who are zealous after holiness, to call Her our Mother, " Behold thy Mother.” For, in the person of St. John the Divine, this is also said to us Christians. Yes, She is indeed our most tender, most provident, and all holy Mother, guiding us, Her children, to holiness.
John of Kronstadt
It is not possible to represent and to think of the cross without love. Where the cross is, there is love.
In church you see crosses everywhere and on everything, in order that everything should remind you that you are in the temple of the God of love, the temple of love crucified for us.
John of Kronstadt
When you see your body wasted away through sickness, do not murmur against God, but say: 'The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord' (Job 1:21). You are accustomed to look upon your body as upon your own inalienable property, but that is quite wrong, because your body is God's edifice.
John of Kronstadt
In making the sign of the cross, believe and constantly remember that your sins are nailed to the cross. When you fall into sin, immediately condemn yourself sincerely, and make the sign of the cross over yourself, saying: "Lord, You Who nailed our sins to the cross, nail also my present sin to Your cross, and 'have mercy upon me, O God, after Thy great goodness'" (Psalm 50:3); and you will be cleansed from your sin." Amen.
John of Kronstadt
The Devil endeavours by every means to keep men in error, in the enticement of the passions, in darkness of mind and heart; in pride, avarice, covetousness, envy, hatred, wicked impatience and irritation; in evil despondence, in the abominations of fornication, adultery, theft, false-witness, blasphemy, negligence, slothfulness, and sluggishness.
John of Kronstadt
Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and gave life to the fallen. O abyss of humility! Adam and Eve lost themselves through gluttony, the Lord fasted and died for them, in order to give them life. They were disobedient, Christ fulfilled obedience.
John of Kronstadt
Remember the words of the Scripture: "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." People offend you, irritate you, breathe contempt and malice against you; do not repay them in the same way, but be gentle, meek, and kind, respectful and loving towards those very persons who behave unworthily to you. If you are agitated yourself, and speak excitedly, rudely, contemptuously - that is, unlovingly - then you are defeated...
John of Kronstadt
Everything that breathes, breathes by air and cannot live without air; similarly all reasonable free creatures live by the Holy Spirit, as though by air, and cannot live without Him. "Every soul is quickened by the Holy Spirit." Recognise that the Holy Spirit stands in the same relation to your soul as air stands in relation to your body.
John of Kronstadt
John of Kronstadt
Occupation: Russian SaintBorn: October 19, 1829
Died: December 20, 1908
Quotes count: 122
Wikipedia: John of Kronstadt
Related authors
