If you cannot be merciful...

…at least speak as though you are a sinner. If you are not a peacemaker, at least do not be a troublemaker. If you cannot be assiduous, at least in your thought be unlike a sluggard. If you are not victorious, do not exalt yourself over the vanquished. If you cannot close the mouth of a man who disparages his companion, at least refrain from joining him in this.

St. Isaac of Syria

In the Holy Trinity hut of St. Anne's Skete (on Mt. Athos)...

…there lived, many years ago, five natural brothers. Because of Satan’s envy, they started quarrelling among themselves in such a way that they became known as troublemakers. They did ask forgiveness of each other every night, however, and thus they were forgiven.

Many years were passed in this way. Then one day no noise was heard coming from their hut. That night the dikaios of the skete was informed in his sleep that all five brothers had reposed in the Lord. He went with some other fathers to the hut, and indeed they saw that it was true. All five of them had departed to the Lord in a position of prostration, while asking forgiveness of each other. The forgiving and merciful God had taken them away right after Vespers.

Thus God gave a sign of justification and salvation, a proof of correction and forbearance, and a sign that one should never judge his fellow men.

from An Athonite Gerontikon

You aren’t able to repent properly...

…and to be alone in the heights of the love of God. That is to say, just God and you; just Christ and you. The love of Christ is offered and always passes through other people.

Elder Porphyrios the Kapsokalyvite (1906-1991)

Alban was still a pagan...

…at the time when the cruelties of wicked emperors were raging against Christians, and he welcomed into his house a certain clergyman who was fleeing from the persecutors. This man he observed to be engaged in continual prayer and watching day and night. All of a sudden, Divine grace shone on Alban, and he began to imitate the example of faith and piety which was set before him, and being gradually instructed by his wholesome admonitions, he cast off the darkness of idolatry, and became a Christian in all sincerity of heart. The aforesaid clergyman having been some days entertained by him, it came to the ears of the wicked ruler, that this holy confessor of Christ, whose time of martyrdom had not yet come, was concealed at Alban’s house. Whereupon he sent some soldiers to make a strict search after him. When they came to the martyr’s house, St. Alban immediately presented himself to the soldiers, instead of his guest and master, in the habit or long coat which he wore, and was led bound before the judge.

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There was in Alexandria a virgin...

…of humble appearance but of overbearing disposition. She was exceedingly rich, but never gave an obol to a stranger, virgin, church, or poor man. Despite the many rebukes of the fathers, she did not turn herself away from material wealth. Now she had some relatives and she adopted one of them, her sister’s daughter, and night and day without any longing for heaven she kept promising her all her wealth…

Now they say that the blessed Macarius wished to “tap a vein” of this virgin to alleviate her greed. This Macarius, priest and superior of the poorhouse for cripples, devised the following ruse. In his younger days he had been a worker in stones, what they call a gem engraver. He went to her and said: “Some precious stones, emeralds, and hyacinths, have come into my possession. Whether they are simply a find or stolen property, I cannot say. Their value has not been ascertained, since they are priceless, but they can be had by anyone who has five hundred coins. If you take them, you will get your five hundred coins back from one stone; the rest you can use to pretty up your niece.”

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The old men used to say...

…When we do not experience warfare, we ought much the more to humble ourselves. For God, seeing our weakness, protects us; when we glorify ourselves, He withdraws his protection and we are lost.

An ascetic, having found someone possessed by a devil...

…and unable to fast, and being (as it is written) moved by the love of God, and seeking not his own good but the good of the other, prayed that the devil might pass into himself and that the other might be liberated. God heard his prayer. The ascetic, overwhelmed by the devil, gave himself with redoubled insistence to fasting, prayer, and ascesis. At last, because of his charity, God drove the devil away from him after a few days.