Spiritual Guide, book

Spiritual Guide, leather-bound.

The book contains brief excerpts from the sermons, epistles, and addresses of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, spanning the years 1978 to 2012. The book is arranged in thematic chapters, with the excerpts in each chapter listed alphabetically. A table of contents is included. Contents of the book:

1. A person should never make peace with sin (on sin)

2. A person seeks the eternal and the imperishable (on spiritual life)

3. It is easier to notice another's faults than one's own (on rebuke and judgment)

4. Man is the crown of God's creation (on man)

5. A person must never lose hope in God (on hope and despair)

6. Without humility, God will not accept a person's offering (on humility and pride)

7. The thirst to share in happiness is planted in every soul (on happiness and joy)

8. The power of evil is only apparent in the face of goodness (on darkness and light)

9. Salvation is difficult, but not impossible (on salvation)

10. The only way to salvation is our unity of spirit (on unity)

11. Death is, in truth, a new birth into another world (on death)

12. To flee from freedom is to flee from God (on freedom)

13. The wise and understanding heart (on the heart and mind of man)

14. Without tireless labor we can do nothing pleasing to God (on prayer and fasting)

15. A great power, a great treasure — this is the Georgian language (on language)

16. No one can stop the passage of time (on the fleeting world) Heaven on earth (on the Church)

17. In Holy Communion, Christ Himself enters into us (on Communion)

18. If we desire the cleansing of the soul, we must be able to forgive (on forgiveness)

19. If you overcome envy, the Lord will reward you with joy (on envy)

20. The main thing is not to lose the grace of love (on love)

21. Almsgiving and charity open the gates of paradise (on almsgiving)

22. Peace with God, peace with neighbor, peace with oneself (on meekness and patience)

23. Heavy is the cross of a spiritual father (on the pastor)

24. Do not be frightened by the multitude of sons and daughters (on the sin of killing the unborn)

25. The union of two powers — the divine and the human (on synergy)

26. The family is the oasis where harmony between people is achieved (on marriage)

27. Faith comes first, and knowledge is built upon it (on faith and knowledge)

28. The process of renewal must begin in childhood (on upbringing)

29. What is life (on life)

30. What shall we choose: Egypt or the Promised Land? (on choice)

31. Where there is repentance, there already are God and the forgiveness of sins (on repentance)

32. Work connected with nature is beneficial (on the surrounding world (nature))

33. Do not give yourselves over to despair (on despair and suicide)

34. Love stands opposed to egoism (on egoism)

35. The temptation of this world... how varied and dangerous it is! (on temptation)

36. Respect for other ethnic and religious groups is a distinguishing trait of our way of life (on tolerance)

37. Woman is endowed with the gift of faithfulness to her calling (on motherhood and womanhood)

38. Everything in the world comes to pass by the providence of God (on providence)

39. The path opposed to the commandment of God (on hatred)

40. Every dawning morning is a mercy of God (on gratitude and longsuffering)

41. Labor is not a punishment but a blessing of God (on labor)

42. The chief guardian of our heart and soul is our conscience (on conscience)

43. The spirit of our ancestors has preserved the Georgian world for us (on the homeland)