John of Shanghai and San Francisco quotes

Our Grief Over the death of our close ones would be inconsolable and boundless if the Lord had not given us eternal life. Our life would be meaningless if it ended with death. What benefit, then, would there be from virtue or good deeds? They would be right who say, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” But man was created for immortality.... (John of Shanghai and San Francisco)
Never, never, never let anyone tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must be Eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years... View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
One can be an atheist only until their death. After it, everyone will become believers. However, the choice of what will be after death must be made now and as soon as possible. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
Though a man may be found in a weak state, that does not at all mean that he has been abandoned by God. On the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ was in trouble, as the world sees things. But when the sinful world considered Him to be completely destroyed, in fact He was victorious over death and hades. The Lord did not promise us positions as victors as a reward for righteousness, but told us, "In the world you will have tribulation - but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world". View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
The demonic hosts tremble when they see the Cross, for by the Cross the kingdom of hell was destroyed. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
Christ, invisible to the bodily eye, manifests Himself on earth clearly through His Church ... The Church is the Body of Christ both because its parts are united to Christ through His divine mysteries and because through her Christ works in the world. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
It is not only the soul that is sanctified and communicates with God, but also the human body through the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ becomes united with the entire Holy Trinity. By the grace of God and with the participation of his own will and effort, man becomes a new creature, a partaker in the eternal Kingdom of God. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
What is important is not victory or the position of a victor, but rather the labor of striving towards God and devotion to Him. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
Just as a basic concern is to be careful of anything that might be harmful to our physical health, so our spiritual concern should watch out for anything that might harm our spiritual life and the work of faith and salvation. Therefore, carefully and attentively assess your inner impulses: are they from God or from the spirit of evil? View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
Those forces that are preparing the appearance of Antichrist will have a leading significance in public life. Antichrist will be a man and not the devil incarnate. ... That man wants to be in place of Christ, to occupy His place and possess that which Christ ought to possess. He wants to possess the same attraction and authority over the whole world. And he will receive that authority before his own destruction and that of the whole world. He will have a helper, a Magus, who, by the power of false miracles, will fulfill his will and kill those that do not recognize the authority of Antichrist. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
God's grace always assists those who struggle, but this does not mean that a struggler is always in the position of a victor. Sometimes in the arena the wild animals did not touch the righteous ones, but by no means were they all preserved untouched. (John of Shanghai and San Francisco)
Until a man's earthly life finishes its course, up to the very departure of the soul from the body, the struggle between sin and righteousness continues within him. However, high a spiritual and moral state one might achieve, a gradual or even headlong and deep fall into the abyss of sin is always possible. Therefore, communion of the holy Body and Blood of Christ, which strengthens our contact with Him and refreshes us with the living streams of the grace of the Holy Spirit flowing through the Body of the Church, is necessary for everyone. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
Turn your thoughts away from what will soon pass away, and keep them focused on what is eternal. You will be followed not by armed soldiers but by death to which we are brought closer by every day. Be very careful to guard your soul from all ruinous temptations. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco
Now the Church consists of both her earthly and heavenly parts, for the Son of God came to earth and became man that He might lead man into heaven and make him once again a citizen of Paradise, returning to him his original state of sinlessness and wholeness and uniting him unto Himself. This is accomplished by the action of Divine grace grated through the Church, but man's effort is also required. God saves His fallen creature by His own love for him, but man's love for his Creator is also necessary; without it he cannot by saved. Striving towards God and cleaving unto the Lord by its humble love, the human soul obtains power to cleanse itself from sin and to strengthen itself for the struggle to complete victory over sin. View quote
John of Shanghai and San Francisco

John of Shanghai and San Francisco

Born: June 4, 1896
Died: July 2, 1966
Quotes count: 14
Wikipedia: John of Shanghai and San Francisco