I know a man who, when he saw a woman of striking beauty, praised the Creator for her. The sight of her lit within him the love of God. John Climacus More Quotes by John Climacus More Quotes From John Climacus As long as anger lives, it continues to be the fruitful parent of many unhappy children. John Climacus anger long children Whoever has become a servant of the Lord fears only his Master. But whoever is without the fear of God is often afraid of his own shadow. Fearfulness is the daughter of unbelief. A proud soul is the slave of fear; hoping in itself, in comes to such a state that it is startled by a small noise, and is afraid of the dark. John Climacus daughter christian inspirational Often the Lord heals vainglory by dishonor. John Climacus religious christian inspirational When a man has found the Lord, he no longer has to use words when he is praying, for the Spirit Himself will intercede for him with groans that cannot be uttered. John Climacus use prayer men Humility is the only thing that no devil can imitate. John Climacus devil pride humility A servant of the Lord stands bodily before men, but mentally he is knocking at the gates of heaven with prayer. John Climacus prayer men heaven A characteristic of those who are still progressing in blessed mourning is temperance and silence of the lips; and of those who have made progress - freedom from anger and patient endurance of injuries; and of the perfect - humility, thirst for dishonors, voluntary craving for involuntary afflictions, non- condemnation of sinners, compassion even beyond one's strength. The first are acceptable, the second laudable; but blessed are those who hunger for hardship and thirst for dishonor, for they shall be filled with the food whereof there can be no satiety. John Climacus compassion humility blessed The friend of silence comes close to God. John Climacus silence spiritual You wish, or rather, have decided, to remove a splinter from someone? Very well, but do not go after it with a stick instead of a lancet for you will only drive it deeper. Rough speech and harsh gestures are the stick, while even-tempered instruction and patient reprimand are the lancet. 'Reprove, rebuke, exhort,' says the Apostle (II Tim. 4:2), not 'batter'. John Climacus splinters christian wish Do not regard the feelings of a person who speaks to you about his neighbor disparagingly, but rather say to him: "Stop, brother! I fall into graver sins every day, so how can I criticize him? In this way you will achieve two things; you will heal yourself and your neighbor with one plaster. This is one of the shortest ways to the forgiveness of sins; I mean, not to judge. `Judge not, and ye shall not be judged." John Climacus brother spiritual fall The man who pets a lion may tame it, but the man who coddles the body makes it ravenous. John Climacus greed pet men We know the utility of prayer from the efforts of the wicked spirits to distract us during the divine office; and we experience the fruit of prayer in the defeat of our enemies. John Climacus effort office prayer As fire does not give birth to snow, so those who seek honor here will not enjoy it in heaven... As those who climb a rotten ladder are in danger, so all honor, glory, and power are opposed to humility. John Climacus humility fire snow Fight to escape from your own cleverness. If you do, then you will find salvation and uprightness through Jesus Christ our Lord. John Climacus fighting faith jesus The first stage of this tranquility consists in silencing the lips when the heart is excited. The second, in silencing the mind when the soul is still excited. The goal is a perfect peacefulness even in the middle of the raging storm. John Climacus goal perfect heart Do not make judgments, and you will travel no quicker road to the forgiveness of your sins. 'Judge not, so that you may not be judged' (Lk. 6:37). John Climacus judging christian may Simplicity is an enduring habit within a soul that has grown impervious to evil thoughts. John Climacus simplicity simple evil The friend of silence comes close to God. In secret he converses with him and receives his light. John Climacus silence light secret Ascend, my brothers, ascend eagerly. Let your hearts' resolve be to climb. Listen to the voice of the one who says: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of our God' (Isa. 2:3), Who makes our feet to be like the feet of the deer, 'Who sets us on the high places, that we may be triumphant on His road' (Hab. 3:19). John Climacus brother christian heart Pride is the utter poverty of soul disguised as riches, imaginary light where in fact there is darkness. John Climacus light pride soul
