John Climacus Quotes

42 quotes in 782 categories

• When the soul betrays itself and loses the blessed and longed-for fervor, let it carefully investigate the reason for losing it. And let it arm…
• The offspring of virtue is perseverance. The fruit and offspring of perseverance is habit and child of habit is character.
• Pride is the utter poverty of soul disguised as riches, imaginary light where in fact there is darkness.
• Simplicity is an enduring habit within a soul that has grown impervious to evil thoughts.
• Even though one is well advanced in virtue, should he stop mortifying himself, he soon would lose his modesty and virtue - just as fertile…
• Fire and water do not mix, neither can you mix judgment of others with the desire to repent. If a man commits a sin before…
• God belongs to all free beings. He is the life of all, the salvation of all ~faithful and unfaithful, just and unjust, pious and impious,…
• Do not be surprised if you fall every day and do not surrender. Stand your ground bravely and you may be sure that your guardian…
• Holy love has a way of consuming some. This is what is meant by the one who said, 'You have ravished our hearts' (Sg. Of…
• 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…
• Everything is possible for the believer. I have watched impure souls mad for physical love but turning what they know of such love into a…
• 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…
• When you are depressed, bear in mind the Lord's command to Peter to forgive a sinner seventy times seven (cf. Mt. 18:22). And you may…
• 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…
• The slave of the belly ponders the menu with which to celebrate the feast. The servant of God, however, thinks of the graces that may…
• Obedience is the burial of the will and the resurrection of humility.
• As long as anger lives, it continues to be the fruitful parent of many unhappy children.
• Confession is like a bridle that keeps the soul which reflects on it from committing sin, but anything left unconfessed we continue to do without…
• Those who submit to the Lord with simple heart will run the good race. If they keep their minds on a leash, they will not…
• Humility is the only virtue that no devil can imitate. If pride made demons out of angels, there is no doubt that humility could make…

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