Quotes for All
… we should not worry about clothes or food? Such anxiety is a mark of? unbelievers, who reject the providence of the Lord and deny the Creator. An attitude of this kind is entirely wrong for Christians who believe that even? sparrows? are under the care of the holy angels (cf. Mt. 10:29). The demons, … Read more
If your spirit still looks around at the time of prayer, then it does not yet pray as a monk. You are no better than a man of affairs engaged in a kind of landscape gardening. Evagrius Ponticus
Prayer is the fruit of joy and thankfulness. Evagrius Ponticus
Remember how the Lord rebukes Martha when He says: ‘You are anxious and troubled about many things: one thing alone is needful’ (Lk. 10:41-42) ? to hear the divine word; after that, one should be content with anything that comes to hand. Evagrius Ponticus
Happy is the spirit that attains to the perfect formlessness at the time of prayer. Evagrius Ponticus
Provide yourself with such work for your hands as can be done, if possible, both during the day and at night, so that you are not a burden to anyone, and indeed can give to others, as St. Paul the Apostle advises (cf. I Thess. 2:9; Eph. 4:28). In this manner you will overcome the … Read more
A monk is a man who considers himself one with all men because he seems constantly to see himself in every man. Evagrius Ponticus
A man who worships in Spirit and Truth no longer honors the Creator because of His works, but praises Him because of Himself. Evagrius Ponticus
He who has mastery over his incensive power has mastery also over the demons. But anyone who is a slave to it is a stranger to the ways of the Saviour, for as the Saviour enjoined us: ‘Learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart: and you will find rest for your … Read more
The Holy Spirit, out of compassion for our weakness, comes to us even when we are impure. And if He finds our intellect truly praying to Him, He enters it and puts to flight the whole array of thoughts and ideas circling within it, and He arouses it to a longing for spiritual prayer. Evagrius … Read more