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, 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)
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)
Blessed are those who, when grace is withdrawn, find no consolation in themselves but only continuing tribulation and thick darkness, and yet they do not despair.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)
For this reason let us abandon empty and silly concerns and come to the glorious and holy rule of our tradition. Let us see what is good and pleasing and acceptable in the sight of our Maker. Let us fix our gaze on the blood of Christ and realize how precious it is to his Father, seeing that it was poured out for our salvation and brought the grace of conversion to the whole world. Let us look back over all the generations and learn that from generation to generation the Lord has given an opportunity of repentance to all who would return to him. Noah preached penance, and those who heeded were saved. Then Jonah announced destruction to the Ninevites, and they repented of their sins, besought God in prayer and, estranged though they were from God, obtained salvation.
–Saint Clement of Rome (First Century)
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
–Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955)
