Come, then, O son of the divine Mystery, hear the record, marvellous to tell, of the Mysteries of the Church. I have a Mystery ( or secret ), I have a mystery, I have a mystery’ I and mine, the prophet cries: with understand, then, hear the mystery that is expounded to you. -St. Narsai […]
Unless the grace of God comes to the help of our frailty, to protect and defend it, no man can withstand the insidious onslaughts of the enemy nor can he damp down or hold in check the fevers which burn in our flesh with nature’s fire. — John Cassian
If the kingdom of God is within us and that is a kingdom of justice, of peace, and of joy then whoever remains with these virtues is certainly in the kingdom of God. By contrast, all who deal in unrighteousness, in discord, and in death-bearing gloom have taken their stand in the kingdom of the […]
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. — John Cassian
When death has been brought upon a saint, we ought not to think that an evil has happened to him but a thing indifferent; which is an evil to a wicked man, while to the good it is rest and freedom from evils. ‘For death is rest to a man whose way is hidden’ (Job […]
Actually, all gifts have been given for reasons of temporal use and need and they will surely pass away at the end of the present dispensation. Love, however, will never be cut off. It works in us and for us, and not simply in this life. For when the burden of physical need has been […]
Everything we do, our every objective, must be undertaken for the sake of… purity of heart… we must practice the reading of the Scripture, together with all the other virtuous activities… to hold our hearts free of the harm of every dangerous passion and in order to rise step by step to the high point […]
In proportion as the ardor of divine love brings you nearer to God, so will a larger concourse of saintly brethren flock to you. For, as the Lord says, ‘A city set on a hill cannot be hid’ (Mt. 5:14).” — John Cassian
Whoever is guided solely by his own judgment and decision will never climb up to the summit of perfection and will not fail to be the victim of the devil’s ruinous power to delude.” — John Cassian
“The bond between friends cannot be broken by chance; no interval of time or space can destroy it. Not even death itself can part true friends.” ― John Cassian