It is not an external enemy. . .
It is not an external enemy we dread. Our foe is shut up within ourselves. An internal warfare is daily waged by us.” ― John Cassian, Making Life a Prayer: Selected Writings
Author Archive for: mirnam
Entries by Mirna Makko
when we gaze in. . .
When we gaze in unbounded admiration on that ineffable mercy of His, which with unwearied patience endures countless sins which are every moment being committed under His very eyes, or the call with which from no antecedent merits of ours, but by the free grace of His pity He receives us;” ― John Cassian, Conferences […]
For we not only discover. . .
“For we not only discover God by admiring His incomprehensible essence, a thing which still lies hid in the hope of the promise, but we see Him through the greatness of His creation, and the consideration of His justice, and the aid of His daily providence:” ― John Cassian, Conferences of John Cassian
Wherefore we hold that. . .
Wherefore we hold that we ought to introduce only those things which we have described above, and which are adapted to the humble character of our profession and the nature of the climate, that the chief thing about our dress maybe not the novelty of the garb, which might give some offence to men of […]
It should be known, however, that the unclean. . .
“It should be known, however, that the unclean spirits obey human beings in two ways. Either they are rendered submissive to the holiness of the faithful through divine grace and power or, having been soothed by sacrifices and by certain songs of the impious, they fawn over them as over friends.” — St. John Cassian
If you want to correct your brother. . .
“If you want to correct your brother when he is doing wrong, you must keep yourself calm; otherwise you yourself may catch the sickness you are seeking to cure and you may find that the words of the Gospel now apply to you, ‘Why do you look at the speck of dust in your brother’s […]
However, of this much we must be sure. Never. . .
“However, of this much we must be sure. Never by our sole diligence or zeal nor by our most tireless efforts can we reach perfection. Human zeal is not enough to win the sublime rewards of blessedness. The Lord must be there to help us and to guide our hearts toward what is good. Every […]
The Doctor of our souls has. . .
“The Doctor of our souls has placed the remedy in the hidden regions of the soul.” + St. John Cassian, The Philokalia: The Complete Text (Vol. 1), “On the Eight Vices: On the Demon of Unchasity and the Desire of the Flesh”
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 […]
We must take care not to. . .
“We must take care not to refer all the merits of the saints to the Lord in such a way as to ascribe nothing but what is evil and perverse to human nature, in doing which we are confuted by the evidence of the most wise Solomon, or rather of the Lord himself, whose words […]