Let no man dare to speak a word with his mouth. . .
Let no man dare to speak a word with his mouth; for he that speaks oversteps, transgresses, the commandment.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit (An Exposition of the Mysteries)
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In His awful character and office, an object of awe even to. . .
In His awful character and office, an object of awe even to the seraphim, the son of dust stands in great fear as mediator. The awful King, mystically slain and buried, and the awful watchers, standing in fear in honour of their Lord! The ranks of the watchers surround the alter in that hour, as Chrysostom has borne witness who saw them.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit.
The thief who received the kingdom of heaven. . .
The thief who received the kingdom of heaven, though not as the reward of virtue, is a true witness to the fact that salvation is ours through the grace and mercy of God.
All of our holy fathers knew this and all with one accord teach that perfection in holiness can be achieved only through humility.
Humility, in its turn, can be achieved only through faith, fear of God, gentleness and the shedding of all possessions.
It is by means of these that we attain perfect love, through the grace and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory through all the ages. Amen.
+ St. John Cassian, The Philokalia: The Complete Text (Vol. 1), “On the Eight Vices: On Pride”
Do not reckon as. . .
Do not reckon as a truly wise man that one whose mind is subject to fear on account of temporal life.”
+ St. Isaac of Nineveh, “Six Treatises on the Behaviour of Excellence”, Mystical Treatises by Isaac of Nineveh
When the demons see. . .
When the demons see Christians, specially the monks, working joyfully and growing in the spirit, first they fight them with temptation, and by placing obstacles to hinder their growth, trying to inject evil thoughts in their minds; but there is no reason for fear from their temptations because their offenses fail instantly by prayer and fasting, specially if you have had armed yourself with faith and the sign of the cross.
St Anthony the Great
Always have the fear of God before. . .
“Always have the fear of God before your eyes. Remember Him who gives death and lives. Hate the world and all that is in it. Hate the peace that comes from the flesh. Renounce this life, so that you may be alive to God.”
— St. Anthony the Great
A good youth ought to have a. . .
A good youth ought to have a fear of God, to be subject to his parents, to give honor to his elders, to preserve his purity; he ought not to despise humility, but should love forbearance and modesty. All these are an ornament to youthful years.
-Saint Ambrose of Milan
By the death of martyrs religion has. . .
“By the death of martyrs religion has been defended, faith increased, the Church strengthened; the dead have conquered, the persecutors have been overcome. And so we celebrate the death of those of whose lives we are ignorant. So, too, David rejoiced in prophecy at the departure of his own soul, saying: ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.’ He esteemed death better than life. The death itself of the martyrs is the prize of their life. And again, by the death of those at variance hatred is put an end to.”
+ St. Ambrose of Milan, On Belief in the Resurrection
