Quotes by Nikolaj Velimirović

“You who sacrifice fortunes to see the luxuriance of the tropics or the polar lights of the arctic, must pay more dearly to see the One for whom the luxuriance of the tropics is poverty and the polar lights are a tallow candle.””

“Znaš li, dete moje, zašto pobedonosni narod trpi poraze od svoje nesloge i razdora i jede hleb zagorčan suzama i pakošću?Zato što pobedi krvnike oko sebe, a ne pobedi ih u sebi.Znaš li dete moje, zašto majka hrani i ne može da nahranu decu svoju?Zato što dojeći ih, ne peva im pesmu ljubavi, no pesmu mržnje prema susedu.””

“Bdim nad pricama ljudi i nad pricama stvari ne bih li dokucio neku tajnu poruku Ljubavi moje. Nicija me prica ne zanima price radi, ni pricala radi, no Tebe radi.Kao covek koji izgubi svoj glas, pa podje da osluskuje svaciji glas ne bi li svoj poznao. I svuda nalazi neku notu slicnu svome glasu, no nigde punocu svoga glasa.Kao covek koji razbije stakleno ogledalo, pa podje da ogleda svoje lice na licima ljudskim, i licima zivotinjskim, i licima svih stvari. I svuda nalazi neku crtu slicnu svome licu, no nigde celinu lica svoga.Tako i ja bdim nad bezbrojnim glasovima cele vasione ne bih li poznao glas svoje Ljubavi.I bdim nad bezbrojnim lciima u vasioni, od lica belog sljunka na jezeru do lica suncanih kola, ne bih li poznao lice svoje Ljubavi. I niko me ne obmanjuje, no svako kazuje o Tebi ono malo sto zna i moze.””

“Људи са јаком вером, са богомудрим расуђивањем, са чистим и визионарским погледом на свет, не потребују неке нарочите и изузетне примере који сведоче о Божјем промислу. Они се осећају окружени и прожети таквим сведочанствима са свих страна.””

“Either we are fools to the world because of Christ or we are fools to Christ because of the world.””

“The evil spirit ridicules the feeble sophistry of the world. But as soon as a man begins to fast and to pray to God, the evil spirit becomes filled with indescribable fear. In no way can the evil spirit tolerate the fragrance of prayer and fasting.””

“Thus, fortune telling can be called a belief in darkness. That is why the Apostle Paul said: But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness (I Timothy 4:7).””

“The Lord has forgiven sinners seventy times seven and more, but beyond that, if sinners remain sinners, will the Lord save them against their will? He will not, for that is not the principle of the salvation of men. The principle of salvation is that men voluntarily consent to being saved by God. If men, seventy times seven and more, do not desire to be saved by God, then God will not save them.””

“St. Seraphim of Sarov teaches: “It is necessary by all means to preserve peace of soul and not be disturbed by the insults of others. That is why it is necessary, at all costs, to restrain oneself from anger, and through vigilance over oneself to preserve the mind and heart from indecent movements. To preserve peace of soul, it is also necessary to avoid judging others. By not judging and by silence, peace of soul is preserved. When a man is in such a state of mind, he receives divine revelations. In order for a man to be preserved from judging others, he must be vigilant over himself, he must not receive ungodly thoughts from anyone, and he should be dead toward everything worldly. We must tirelessly guard the heart from indecent thoughts and influences. With closest custody, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of life (Proverbs 4:23). From constant vigilance over the heart, purity is born, in which the Lord is seen, in accordance with the words of eternal truth: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8).””

“Bodily purity is primarily attained by fasting, and, through bodily purity, spiritual purity is also attained. Abstinence from food, according to the words of that son of grace, St. Ephraim the Syrian, means: “Not to desire or ask for various foods, either sweet or costly; not to eat anything outside the designated time; not to succumb to the spirit of gluttony; not to excite hunger in oneself by looking at good food; and not to desire at one moment one kind of food and at another moment another kind of food.” Great is the fallacy that fasting and Lenten food harm the health of the body.””

“Otpad Zapada od Hrista znači povraćaj Zapada paganizmu, no ne paganizmu indijskom, sažaljivom i rezigniranom, nego paganizmu svome, zapadnome, krvoločnom i razvratnom, bez duha i bez savesti. Što se sve na delu i u praksi na naše oči pokazuje.””

“Planina je veća od mravinjaka. Božija sila veća je od čovečije sile. To svak priznaje na vedrome danu.Ali kad čovečiji tabani i konjske kopite dignu prašinu na drumu, mnogi zaslepe, pa u strahu priznaju čovečiju silu znad Božije sile. Planinu izgube iz vida pa se spotaknu o mravinjak.””

“Planina je veá od mravinjaka. Božija sila veća je od čovečije sile. To svak priznaje na vedrome danu. Ali kad čovečiji tabani i konjske kopite dignu prašinu na drumu, mnogi zaslepe, pa u strahu priznaju čovečiju silu znad Božije sile. Planinu izgube iz vida pa se spotaknu o mravinjak.””