The inevitable feat is already at the door. Let us take up the shield of faith; with love let us draw from the Divine source the hopes that save our souls. I mean the Uncreated, One-in-Essence Trinity, this Source of life. St. Ephraim the Syrian (27:137).

As a warrior fights in sweat, in dust, in heat, in labor and suffering, so the righteous here must endure much and endure everything generously, if he wants to receive bright crowns there (36:466).

Strive in wisdom quietly, with dignity and fear, and with concern that God sees you, put away unnecessary cares (36,900).

If during the podvig you fall more than once, do not despair. Get up again and struggle, and do not retreat until you are crowned with a resplendent crown of victory over the devil and hide the treasures of virtue in a safe place. When you have established yourself in the habit of virtue, you will no longer transgress the commandments through negligence (41:121).

Why do you say that with evil there is great pleasure, and with virtue great and hard work? But what grace would there be for you, or for what would you receive a reward, if it were not a difficult matter? (42, 233).

No podvig can be great if it does not benefit others (44:580).

Although we must relate everything to God, we ourselves must be active, take upon ourselves labors and podvigs (45:607).

If you want to make your feats great, do not consider them great, but acknowledge that you are saved by grace, in order to make God your debtor not only for your deeds, but also for such gratitude. St. John Chrysostom (46, 532).

St. Paul at first so zealously defended the Old Testament order, for he was sincerely convinced that this was the immutable will of God. This was the spirit of his life: to devote himself to God, and to devote all his strength to what was pleasing to Him. Therefore, in order to convert him, or to force him not to stand so far for the Old Testament, but, on the contrary, to take the side of the New Testament, it was sufficient to tangibly show that God no longer wants the Old Testament, but wants the New, that He transferred all His favor from the first to the second. This was the manifestation of the Lord on the way. Then it became clear that he was not directing his jealousy where it should be, and that in doing so he was not pleasing God, but was going against His will. This epiphany, with the help of the grace of God, immediately changed his aspirations, and he cried out: "Lord! What wilt thou command me to do?" (Acts 9:6). And from that moment on, he turned all his zeal to what was indicated to him. And all his life he did not forget this event, but, gratefully remembering it, he kindled his zeal, sparing no effort for the Lord, his Saviour. This is how everyone acts, and this is how all who sincerely turn to the Lord should act. Bishop Theophan the Recluse (107, 122-123).

EPIPHANY

The Baptism of the Lord is called Theophany, because in it the One True God, worshipped in the Trinity, so visibly revealed Himself;

God the Father by the voice of heaven, the incarnate God the Son by Baptism, God the Holy Spirit by descending upon the One being baptized. Here is also revealed the mystery of the relationship of the persons of the Most Holy Trinity. God the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and rests in the Son, and does not proceed from Him. It is also revealed here that the incarnate economy of salvation was accomplished by the incarnate God the Son with the Holy Spirit and God the Father inherent in Him. It is also revealed that the salvation of each can be accomplished only in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, by the grace of the Father. All the Christian sacraments shine here with their divine light and enlighten the minds and hearts of those who celebrate this great feast with faith. Come, let us lift up our spirits to the contemplation of these mysteries of our salvation, and let us sing: "In the Jordan I baptize Thee, O Lord, the Trinitarian worship is manifested," a salvation that triverily builds us up and saves us in a threefold way. Bishop Theophan the Recluse (107:1-13).

Sermon on the Epiphany of the Holy Hieromartyr Hippolytus of Rome

Everything that God and our Saviour has created, everything that the eye sees and the soul ponders about, that the mind examines and the hand touches, that human nature embraces thought and contains, all this is good, and very good. For what is more beautiful than the firmament, what is more colorful than the earth's surface, what is faster than the current of the sun, what is more pleasant than the moonlight? What is more surprising than the complex harmony of the heavenly bodies? What is more fruitful than the opportune winds? What is more transparent than daylight? Which animal is more excellent than man? "So, everything that God and our Saviour has created is very good.