Cleansed and reordered…
Good moral actions are not enough. Everything in us, from the very depths, must be cleansed and reordered.
–Thomas Merton (1915-1968)
Christ draws near…
Is it not true that Christ draws near with love to those who turn away from him? That he struggles with them, begs them not to scorn his love, and if they show only aversion and remain deaf to his appeals, becomes himself their advocate?
–Pseudo-Dionysius (Fifth-Sixth Century)
A person’s soul…
A person’s soul should be clean, like a mirror reflecting light. If there is rust on the mirror his face cannot be seen in it. In the same way, no one who has sin within him can see God. But if you will you can be healed. Hand yourself over to the doctor, and he will open the eyes of your mind and heart. Who is to be the doctor? It is God, who heals and gives life through his Word and wisdom.
–Saint Theophilus of Antioch (Second Century)
Time for repentance…
Since we know these things and are well aware of that terrible day and of that fire, and have in mind those terrible torments, let us turn aside at last from the path on which we have strayed. For the hour will come when the theater of this world will be dissolved, after which there will be no more contending for the prize, no more exertions to be made after the end of this life, no more crowns to be merited after the collapse of this theater. This is the time for repentance, that the time of judgment.
–Saint John Chrysostom (347-407)
Hard to repent…
It is hard to repent, because we find it hard to trust God to be merciful; because we shield ourselves from recognizing our own sinfulness; and because the murky realm of our sins is something we don’t even understand very well.
–Frederica Mathewes-Green (1952-
Patience and repentance…
But don’t be sad, my child. Don’t worry so much. Even though you have fallen again, get up again. You have been called to a heavenly road. It is not surprising for someone running to stumble. It just takes patience and repentance at every moment.
–Joseph the Hesychast (1897-1959)
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