Fasts and vigils, the study of Scripture, renouncing possessions and everything worldly are not in themselves perfection, as we have said; theyare its tools. For perfection is not to be found in them; it is acquired through them. It is… — John Cassian Copy Share Image
...just as the edifice of all the virtues strives upward toward perfect prayer so will all these virtues be neither sturdy nor enduring unless they are drawn firmly together by the crown of prayer. This endless, unstirring calm of prayer... can neither be achieved nor consummated without these virtues. And likewise virtues are the prerequisite foundation of prayer and cannot… — John Cassian Copy Share
...the souls of the dead [are] not deprived of their intellectual faculties but... they also are not lacking in feelings such as hope and sadness, joy and fear. They already have a foretaste of what is in store for them after the general judgment. Nor does it happen, as some unbelievers would hold, that upon leaving this world they are… — John Cassian Copy Share
...we should realize that there are three sources for our thoughts - God, the devil, and ourselves. — John Cassian Copy Share
In proportion as the ardor of divine love brings you nearer to God, so will a larger concourse of saintly brethren flock to you.… — John Cassian Copy Share Image
Everything we do, our every objective, must be undertaken for the sake of... purity of heart... we must practice the reading of the Scripture,… — John Cassian Copy Share Image
When we say 'hallowed be Your name' to God what we are really saying is 'Father, make us such as deserve knowledge and understanding… — John Cassian Copy Share Image
When the soul is solidly rooted in... peacefulness, when it is freed of the bonds of every carnal urge, when the unshaking thrust of the heart is toward the one supreme Good, then the words of the apostle will be fulfilled. 'Pray without ceasing,' he said (I Thes. 5:17). 'In every place lift up pure hands, with no anger and… — John Cassian Copy Share
We are often indifferent to our brethren who are distressed or upset, on the grounds that they are in this state through no fault of ours. The Doctor of souls, however, wishing to root out the soul's excuses from the heart, tells us to leave our gift and to be reconciled not only if we happen to be upset by… — John Cassian Copy Share
The apostles were very sure that everything of theirs which had to do with salvation was a gift to them from God. 'Increase our… — John Cassian Copy Share Image
...we must first scrutinize thoroughly anything appearing in our hearts or any saying suggested to us. Has it come purified from the divine and heavenly fire of the Holy Spirit? Or does it lean toward Jewish superstition? Is its surface piety something which has come down from bloated worldly philosophy? We must examine this most carefully, doing as the apostle… — John Cassian Copy Share
“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 Copy Share Image
If you want to correct your brother when he is doing wrong? you must keep yourself calm; otherwise you yourself may catch the sickness… — John Cassian Copy Share Image
