“All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other. We condemn others only because we shun knowing ourselves.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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“A man can know nothing about the judgments of God. He alone is the One Who takes account of all and is able to judge the hearts of each one of us, as He alone is our Master. Truly it happens that a man may do a certain thing which seems to be wrong out of simplicity, and there may be something about it which makes more amends to God than your whole life; how are you going to sit in judgment and constrict your own Soul? And should it happen that he has fallen away, how do you know how much and how well he fought; how much blood he sweated before he did it? Perhaps so little fault can be found in him that God can look on his action as if it were just, for God looks on his labor and all the struggle he had before he did it, and has pity on him. And do you know this, and what God has spared him for? Are you going to condemn him for this and ruin your own Soul? And how do you know what tears he has shed about it before God? You may well know about the sin but do you not know about the repentance?”
Saint Dorotheos of Gaza
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“A hermit said, ‘Do not judge an adulterer if you are chaste or you will break the Law of God just as much as he does. For He Who said ‘Do not commit adultery’ also said ‘Do not judge.'”
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
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“Avoid by every means occasions, causes and words that produce enmity, and avail yourself of every opportunity and occasion to show holy and sincere love.”
Saint John of Kronstadt
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“Do not think about the sins of your brother, but about what in him is better than in yourself.”
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
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“The door of repentance is open to all, and you do know who will enter it first – you, who are judging, or the one who is being judged by you.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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“Often when someone throws a rock at a dog, rather than rushing at the person who threw the stone, the dog will run and bite the stone. We do the same thing. The tempter uses someone else to tempt us, either in word or deed, and rather than deal with the tempter, who threw the stone, we bite the rock, our fellow man that the hater of the good used against us.”
Elder Amphilochios Makris
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“If you rebuke someone and do it with anger, you have allowed a passion to control you. You have not saved anyone and have destroyed yourself.”
Saint Macarius the Great
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“Do not lose your temper with those who sin. Do not have a passion for noticing every sin in your neighbour and judging it, as we usually do. Everyone will give an answer for himself before God… But correct your own sins, your own heart.”
Saint John of Kronstadt
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“Which of us, having a wound on his hand or foot, or any other member, would despise it and cut it off, even if it turned septic? Would he not rather bathe it and take away the poison and put a plaster on it, sign it with the Cross or a Relic, and beg and Pray the Saints to Pray for its cure… In this way we ought to bear one another’s burdens.”
Saint Dorotheos of Gaza
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“A good or bad word that we say about a person, even if said in the greatest secrecy, is felt by the whole universe and by the Creator of feelings.”
Saint Nikolai Velimirovich
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“I have never seen anyone corrected through anger, but always through love.”
Saint Joseph the Hesychast
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“If your heart has been softened either by repentance before God or by learning the boundless Love of God towards you, do not be proud with those whose hearts are still hard. Remember how long your heart was hard and incorrigible.”
Saint Nikolai Velimirovich
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“Remember this and you will no longer judge: Judas was an Apostle, and the thief crucified at Christ’s right hand was a murderer.”
Saint John Climacus
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“Love sinners, but hate their works; and do not despise them for their faults, lest you be tempted by the same…”
Saint Isaac the Syrian
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“Compassion for others and sympathy for their failings will bring the heart closer to the heart of God than any form of judging.”
Saint Hesychius the Presbyter
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“Bear it in silence when an enemy offends you, and open your heart to the Lord.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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“The first step toward freedom from anger is to keep the lips silent when the heart is stirred. Next step, is to keep the thoughts silent when the Soul is stirred. Last step, is to be totally calm when unclean winds are blowing.”
Saint John Climacus
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“It may be that a man seems to be silent, but if his heart judges others, then he is always speaking.”
Saint Poimen the Great
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“Since man was created rational and gentle he is corrected far better with love and gentleness.”
Saint Joseph the Hesychast
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He said to a certain pilgrim about a dispute: “He did this to you, you did this to him, he did this to you, and again you did this to him. These things never end. You should not have continued to return the evil.”
Saint George Karslides
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“Do not take vengeance upon anyone yourself, not by a single thought or intention.”
Saint John of Kronstadt
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