Whether you are a Catholic or an Orthodox Christian, you can benefit from the wisdom of saints who have shown the importance of zeal and devotion. These holy men and women are an inspiration for us to become like them. Here are some of their most inspirational quotes about being zealous.
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St. John Damascene
Zealous Christians live with the intention to glorify God with all their heart, soul, and mind. They do not allow themselves to listen to blasphemy, and they hate to see others who despise God and His holy things. Zealous Christians live for God and for His glory alone, and they are prepared to lay down their lives for this end.
Christians should stand firm to their traditions, whether written or oral. In the end, those who stand up aright will rejoice with God, while those who draw near to the Latins will suffer bitterly and will not receive eternal life. The Holy Apostles taught us to follow the traditions we are taught and practiced.
When we pray, we need to be zealous. Elias, who was a great Prophet of God, prayed to God with fervor. But the people who had been with him for so long had turned away from the true God and he grieved over their unfaithfulness.
The Christian church has a rich tradition of saints. The saints are honored for their work, and their memory is kept through preaching and images.
St. Basil the Great
Saint Basil the Great is an orthodox saint who is known for his zeal for the church and his devotion to defending the faith. He was also an outstanding example of the ascetical movement of his time. He gave up his brilliant career as a rhetorician and traveled extensively to study the various cultures of Eastern Christendom. He eventually retired to a monastery near Neocaesarea and invited his followers to join him.
During the reign of Emperor Valens, he was attacked by the Arians who sought to impose Arianism. The arians began to spread their teachings and the Church had to deal with this. To make matters worse, the emperor ordered the bishops to go into exile. When this happened, Saint Basil was summoned to serve the Church. He was ordained a deacon by Bishop Meletius of Antioch and a holy priest by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea. He became jealous of the bishop, but the monks rose up to protect him and continued to work for the Church.
Saint Basil was born in Caesarea, Syria, and Palestine, where he studied law and became a monk. He was also a noted orator and writer, and he was a close companion to Saint Gregory the Theologian. He is credited with saving the Eastern Church from Arianism and ensuring that the Nicene orthodoxy won the Council of Constantinople. He also fought against clerical abuse and was an accomplished statesman. He is buried in the Great Lavra on Mount Athos.
St. John Chrysostom
Zeal for God is a burning desire to do the will of God, and the zealot of God acts accordingly. This zealousness is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and it can be compared to boiling water or a burning heart filled with deep faith.
The Church proclaims the seedless birth of Christ from the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. However, some deny this doctrine. It is important to recognize that it is the Church of Christ, not the Orthodox Church. This confession is found in the Creed – The Office for the Lord’s Day, a document written by G.H. Hatherly in 1880.
“Zeal for God is the highest form of love. It seeks no gain for itself, but rather, seeks to build up others.” “Love” does not feel shame for doing anything, including singing, prayer, building churches, and adorning churches. It is not ashamed of anything, and is not concerned with the mortification of flesh but with the salvation of others.
“Vainglory blinds the mind, and cannot bring glory to oneself.” Jesus warned us not to be vainglorious, but to be zealous. We cannot obtain glory from the world without the grace of God.
