Our Lord Jesus, King to be adored of all creatures, do away from us all harms by the power of Your Mysteries; and when You shine forth at end of the times for the redemption of all, may we go forth to meet You with confidence with Hosannas.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
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
“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
“Prayer is a request for what is good, offered by the devout of God. But we do not restrict this request simply to what is stated in words… We should not express our prayer merely in syllables, but the power of prayer should be expressed in the moral attitude of our soul and in the virtuous actions that extend throughout our life… This is how you pray continually — not by offering prayer in words, but by joining yourself to God through your whole way of life, so that your life becomes one continuous and uninterrupted prayer.”
—St. Basil the Great, Homily on the Martyr Julitta
“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
With the very weapon that death had used to kill Him, He gained the victory over death…death killed natural life, but supernatural Life killed death. A pro-death culture will never make sense.
— St. Ephraim the Syrian
