Author of quotes: Father John (Krestyankin)

Read one chapter of the Gospel and two chapters of the Apostle daily, as well as a short morning and evening rule.

Don’t go to church very often; on memorable dates it’s good to serve the Liturgy, and the rest of the time, pray yourself. Yes, and not by standing in front of icons all day, but by the memory of God in the usual doing of everyday concerns. Briefly, easily and even cheerfully, turning to the Lord: Lord,

- Here is the first Philokalia for you. You and I will begin our path to monasticism with this book, we will learn gratitude to God for everything and patience. This is enough for you for now.

You know, father, our life should be like a Napoleon cake - dough, cream, dough, cream, and powder on top. If our cake consists of only one dough, it will not be tasty. If it consists of only one cream, it will be too sweet. And if the dough is interspersed with layers of cream - dough-cream, dough-cream, dough-cream, and powder on top - then such a pie will be sweet. The dough is our labors, our worldly cares. If our whole life consists only of them, then such a life will not be sweet. If we have only one cream, that is, only one prayer from morning to night, which is practically impossible in our life, then this will also be wrong, and it will not work. But with us everything should be harmonious and measured - our works should be intertwined with prayers. And not necessarily with long ones - you can with very short ones: Lord,