John Cassian

...just as the edifice of all the virtues strives upward toward perfect prayer so will all these virtues be neither sturdy nor…

— John Cassian

...the souls of the dead [are] not deprived of their intellectual faculties but... they also are not lacking in feelings such as…

— John Cassian

...we should realize that there are three sources for our thoughts - God, the devil, and ourselves.

— John Cassian

In proportion as the ardor of divine love brings you nearer to God, so will a larger concourse of saintly brethren flock…

— John Cassian

Everything we do, our every objective, must be undertaken for the sake of... purity of heart... we must practice the reading of…

— John Cassian

When we say 'hallowed be Your name' to God what we are really saying is 'Father, make us such as deserve knowledge…

— John Cassian

When the soul is solidly rooted in... peacefulness, when it is freed of the bonds of every carnal urge, when the unshaking…

— John Cassian

We are often indifferent to our brethren who are distressed or upset, on the grounds that they are in this state through…

— John Cassian

The apostles were very sure that everything of theirs which had to do with salvation was a gift to them from God.…

— John Cassian

...we must first scrutinize thoroughly anything appearing in our hearts or any saying suggested to us. Has it come purified from the…

— John Cassian

“It is not an external enemy we dread. Our foe is shut up within ourselves. An internal warfare is daily waged by…

— John Cassian

If you want to correct your brother when he is doing wrong? you must keep yourself calm; otherwise you yourself may catch…

— John Cassian

The thief who received the kingdom of heaven, though not as the reward of virtue, is a true witness to the fact…

— John Cassian

...whoever is guided solely by his own judgment and decision will never climb up to the summit of perfection and will not…

— John Cassian

All of our holy fathers knew this and all with one accord teach that perfection in holiness can be achieved only through…

— John Cassian

It is not our free will but 'it is the Lord who sets the captive free' (Ps. 145:7). It is not our…

— John Cassian

Wherefore a monk's whole attention should thus be fixed on one point, and the rise and circle of all his thoughts be…

— John Cassian

... there is clearly expressed for us? what it is we must attribute either to free will or to the decision and…

— John Cassian

[God] arranged that the boy Samuel should be chosen but instead of teaching him directly He had him, turn once or twice…

— John Cassian

We must, with God's help, eradicate the deadly poison of the demon of anger from the depths of our souls. So long…

— John Cassian

It is by means of these that we attain perfect love, through the grace and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ, to…

— John Cassian

If you wish to attain to true knowledge of the Scriptures, hasten to acquire first an unshakeable humility of heart. That alone…

— John Cassian

...works of piety and charity... are necessary in this present life for as long as inequality prevails. Their workings here would not…

— John Cassian

Fasts and vigils, the study of Scripture, renouncing possessions and everything worldly are not in themselves perfection, as we have said; theyare…

— John Cassian

God can be sensed when we gaze with trembling hearts at that power of his which controls, guides, and rules everything, when…

— John Cassian