The person who cannot endure for Christ’s sake a physical death as Christ did, should at least be willing to endure death spiritually. Then he will be a martyr with respect to his conscience, in that he does not submit to the demons that assail him, or to their purposes, [...]

A man wanted to do evil, but first prayed as usual; and finding himself prevented by God, he was then extremely thankful. St. Mark the Ascetic

A pure heart is one which offers the mind to God free of all image and form, and ready to be imprinted only with His own archetypes, by which God Himself is made manifest. St. Maximos the Confessor

We should marvel how demons and various diseases are dispelled by the sign of the precious and lifegiving Cross, which all can make without cost or effort. Who can number the panegyrics composed in its honour? The holy fathers have handed down to us the inner significance of this sign, [...]

If you want spiritual health, listen to your conscience, do all it tells you, and you will benefit. God and our conscience know our secrets. Let them correct us. St. Mark the Ascetic

A haughty person is not aware of his faults, or a humble person of his good Qualities. An evil ignorance blinds the first, an ignorance pleasing to God blinds the second. Ilias the Presbyter

In everything that we do God searches out our purpose to see whether we do it for Him or for some other motive. St. Maximos the Confessor

Blind is the man crying out and saying: 'Son of David, have mercy on me' (Luke 18:38). He prays with the body alone, and not yet with spiritual knowledge. When the man once blind received his sight and saw the Lord, he acknowledged Him no longer as Son of David [...]

Prayer is the ascent of the intellect to God. Evagrios the Solitary

Do not become a disciple of one who praises himself, in case you learn pride instead of humility. St. Mark the Ascetic

You will not be able to cut down the passions attacking you unless you first leave unfilled the soil from which they are fed. Ilias the Presbyter

No single virtue by itself opens the door of our nature; but all the virtues must be linked together in the correct sequence. St. Mark the Ascetic

When we make specific requests in our prayers, this is not so as to inform God, for He already knows our hearts; we make them so that we may be brought to contrition. We also do it because we desire to remain longer in His presence, attentively addressing yet [...]

If you seek prayer attentively you will find it; for nothing is more essential to prayer than attentiveness. So do all you can to acquire it. Evagrios the Solitary

Bread is food for the body and holiness is food for the soul; spiritual prayer is food for the intellect. Evagrios the Solitary

The genuineness of a friend is shown at a time of trial, if he shares the distress you suffer. St. Thalassios the Libyan

‘A faithful friend is beyond price’ (Ecclus. 6:15), since he regards his friend’s misfortunes as his own and suffers with him, sharing his trials until death. Friends are many, but in times of prosperity (cf. Prov. 19:4). In times of adversity you will have difficulty in finding even one. St. [...]

Let all involuntary suffering teach you to remember God, and you will not lack occasion for repentance. St. Mark the Ascetic

All men are made in God's image; but to be in His likeness is granted only to those who through great love have brought their own freedom into subjection to God. For only when we do not belong to ourselves do we become like Him who through love has reconciled [...]

If a man has some spiritual gift and feels compassion for those who do not have it, he preserves the gift because of his compassion. But a boastful man will lose it through succumbing to the temptations of boastfulness. St. Mark the Ascetic