Quotes from St. Seraphim of Sarov on the fire of God:
"God is a fire that warms and kindles the heart and inward parts. And so, if we feel in our hearts coldness, which is from the devil—for the devil is cold—then let us call upon the Lord, and He will come and warm our hearts with perfect love not only for Him, but for our neighbor as well. And from the presence of warmth the coldness of the hater of good will be driven away."
"For our God is a fire which consumes everything unclean, and no one who is defiled in flesh or spirit can enter into communion with Him."
"Everything to do with the church is like an inner fire enkindling us, and looking after it is the best work of all. The humblest job, be it only to clean the floor of the house of God, is a nobler work than all the others."
"The heart boils, being kindled by Divine fire, only when there is living water in it; but when this is poured out, it grows cold and a man freezes."
Human life is like a lighted candle: "The wax symbolizes faith; the wick, hope; and the flame is love which joins all together."
Let us be inflamed with God's love, and may the living water within us become a consuming flame and a light to the whole world, a light reflecting its source. The Lord said, "I am the Light of the World," and, because He gives Himself to us, he says, "You are the light of the world." May we embrace our vocation to be bearers of God's flame to the world. "Fire I came to throw upon the earth, and how I will that it were already kindled!"
St. Seraphim, Flame of Sarov, pray for us!
Nota Bene: The quotes for this post come from two sources, Valentine Zander's St. Seraphim of Sarov (translated by Sr. Gabriel Anne S.S.C., published by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press in Crestwood, NY, 1975) and the first volume of the Little Russian Philokalia published by St. Herman Press in Platina, CA (I believe this volume was translated by Fr. Seraphim Rose).
"God is a fire that warms and kindles the heart and inward parts. And so, if we feel in our hearts coldness, which is from the devil—for the devil is cold—then let us call upon the Lord, and He will come and warm our hearts with perfect love not only for Him, but for our neighbor as well. And from the presence of warmth the coldness of the hater of good will be driven away."
"For our God is a fire which consumes everything unclean, and no one who is defiled in flesh or spirit can enter into communion with Him."
"Everything to do with the church is like an inner fire enkindling us, and looking after it is the best work of all. The humblest job, be it only to clean the floor of the house of God, is a nobler work than all the others."
"The heart boils, being kindled by Divine fire, only when there is living water in it; but when this is poured out, it grows cold and a man freezes."
Human life is like a lighted candle: "The wax symbolizes faith; the wick, hope; and the flame is love which joins all together."
Let us be inflamed with God's love, and may the living water within us become a consuming flame and a light to the whole world, a light reflecting its source. The Lord said, "I am the Light of the World," and, because He gives Himself to us, he says, "You are the light of the world." May we embrace our vocation to be bearers of God's flame to the world. "Fire I came to throw upon the earth, and how I will that it were already kindled!"
St. Seraphim, Flame of Sarov, pray for us!
Nota Bene: The quotes for this post come from two sources, Valentine Zander's St. Seraphim of Sarov (translated by Sr. Gabriel Anne S.S.C., published by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press in Crestwood, NY, 1975) and the first volume of the Little Russian Philokalia published by St. Herman Press in Platina, CA (I believe this volume was translated by Fr. Seraphim Rose).
Text ©2014 Brandon P. Otto. Licensed via CC BY-NC. Feel free to redistribute non-commercially, as long as credit is given to the author.
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