Nothing so moves a sinner to repentance as eternity, and nothing is so useful to every Christian as remembrance and contemplation of eternity. Eternity restrains a man from sin, calms his passions, turns him from the world and all its vanity, makes his heart contrite, gives birth to tears of repentance, incites him to prayer, and works true sighing of the heart.
–Saint Tikhon (1724-1783)
It is foolish to think that we will enter heaven without entering into ourselves.
–Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Tie the leg of a sparrow to the ground, and no matter how hard it tries to fly, it will be fastened to the earth. In the same way, if your intellect tries to fly up to the mystical knowledge of heavenly realities but has not yet been freed of obsessive passions, it will remain tied fast to the earth.
–Saint Maximos the Confessor (580-662)
With patient love, with self-abasement and humiliation, with the reiterated breathings of an ardent but peaceful affection, and with silence full of the most profound respect, you must await the return of the Beloved. Thus only you will demonstrate that it is Himself alone, and His good pleasure, that you seek; and not the selfish delights of your sensations.
–Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717)
God dwells within you, and there you should dwell with Him.
–Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
If anyone of you be for a time cast down with weariness of spirit or afflicted with aridity of heart so that the torrent of devoted love seem to be dried up…. realize the Lord’s way. For a time, He will draw away from you that you may seek Him with greater ardor and, having sought, may find Him with greater joy and, having found, may hold Him with greater love and having held, may never let Him go.
–Blessed Jordan of Saxony (c. 1190-1237)
