Two Quotes from St. John of Kronstadt

A Sharing On His Feast Day: Two Quotes from: My Life in Christ, St. John of Kronstadt    Inbox

Dan Everiss <oregdan@hotmail.com> Tue, Nov 1, 2016 at 10:52 AM Reply | Reply to all | Forward | Print | Delete | Show original       Our Holy and Righteous Father, St. John, Wonderworker  of Kronstadt, Pray to God for us! "It is impossible to bestow more upon you than God has bestowed upon you, for He has given you Himself, or His flesh and blood, united with His Godhead; He has made you His child [Romans 8:16], when you were the child of wrath [Ephesians 2:3] and accursed; He has given you everything necessary, and outward blessings in abundance, and if He has not given you more outward blessings it is because they would have been harmful for you, for your soul and body. If, even now, you are often much harmed by these outward blessings, by attaching yourself to them, and suffer misfortunes and injuries from the passions, by falling away from the love of God and our neighbour and the aspiration for higher things and descending to the lower ones, then what would it have been if you had still more of these blessings? You would have sunk into sensuality." (My Life in Christ, St. John of Kronstadt, page 149)       "Fervent, tearful prayer not only cleanses from sins, but also cures bodily infirmities and maladies; it renews the whole of a man’s being, and makes him, so to say, born again (I speak from experience). O what a priceless gift prayer is! Glory to Thee, the Only-Begotten Son of God, Who hast obtained for us through Thy mediation the endless pardon of our sins! Glory to the All-Holy Spirit, Who “maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” [Romans 8:26] - who gives us ardent prayer with groanings and tears, Who warms our cold souls and gives contrition and sorrow for sins, cleansing, sanctifying, pacifying, strengthening, and renewing us! Glory to Thee, Holy Trinity, Which has no beginning, Life-giving, and eternally glorified by all reasonable creatures!" (My Life in Christ, St. John of Kronstadt, pages 148, 149)