On wisdom

The science of sciences is to conquer the passions that act in us. Great wisdom, for example, is not to be angry with anyone and not to think evil of anyone, even if someone has done us harm. Wisdom is to despise greed and love non-acquisitiveness, to despise delicacies and be content with simple food eaten in moderation. Wisdom is not to flatter anyone, but always to speak the truth without fear; wisdom is not to be seduced by the beauty of the face, but to respect the beauty of the image of God in every person. Wisdom is to love one's enemies and not to take revenge on them either in deed, word, or thought. Wisdom is not to accumulate riches for oneself, but to give alms to the poor, in order to acquire treasure in Heaven. Alas! We have almost studied all the sciences, but we have not learned to avoid sin at all, and thus we often turn out to be complete ignoramuses in moral science. And it turns out that the truly wise were the saints, the disciples of the true Teacher-Christ, and we, the so-called scientists, are ignorant, and often, the more learned, the more ignorant, because we have not known the most important thing, but are enslaved by various passions.

Inner Compass

We have a faithful barometer that shows the rise or fall of our spiritual life, and that is the heart. It can also be called a compass that shows us where to sail. It shows whether we are going to the spiritual east – Christ, or to the west – to the dark power of the devil, this lord of death. Therefore, look carefully at your inner compass, and it will show you the right path.

Distinguish in yourself the Life-Giving Spirit and the Spirit that kills. When you have good thoughts in your soul, you feel good and light, you feel calm and joy: this means that the Holy Spirit is in you. When you have evil thoughts or evil movements of the heart, you feel heavy and restless. This means that you have an evil spirit in you. The evil spirit is the spirit of doubt, unbelief, passions, distress, sorrow, confusion; and the good spirit is the spirit of undoubted faith, the spirit of virtue, the spirit of spiritual freedom and breadth, the spirit of peace and joy. By these signs, recognize who is acting in you.

On Prudence