Prayer is longing for God,,,
Prayer gives joy to the spirit, peace to the heart. I speak of prayer, not words. It is the longing for God, too deep for words.
–Saint John Chrysostom (347-407)
Among priests…
I speak not with rashness, but what I feel and mean: among priests, I reckon that not many are saved, but many more perish, not so much on account of their own sins as for the sins of others, which they have not put a remedy to.
–Saint John Chrysostom (347-407)
Encompassed by trials…
For herein consists the material of my gain, herein consists my wealth, herein consists the means of getting rid of my sins: that my journey is continually encompassed by trials of this kind, that they are inflicted upon me by persons from whom they were quite unexpected.
–Saint John Chrysostom (347-407)
When you read…
When you read, do not be content with turning the pages, but review the same passage twice, three times, or more in order to understand well all its significance. Reading too quickly is like storm rains that fall violently and flow away without giving the earth time to become moistened and are therefore useless or not very useful to it. Spiritual reading must rather imitate gentle rain, which falls slowly, penetrates to the depths of the earth and fertilizes the soil.
–Saint Ephrem of Syria (c. 306 – 373)
True prayer demands…
By our prayer we share the life of God. True prayer demands that we be more passive than active; it requires more silence than words, more adoration than study, more concentration than rushing about, more faith than reason. The highest state of prayer is to be children in the arms of Love: silent, loving, rejoicing.
–Carlo Carretto (1910-1988)
Endure courageously…
Blessed are those who, when grace is withdrawn, find no consolation in themselves but only continuing tribulation and thick darkness, and yet they do not despair. Rather, strengthened by faith, they endure courageously, convinced that they do indeed see him who is invisible.
–Saint John of Karpathos (Seventh Century)
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