Giving into lusts…
The habit of giving into our lusts is like a hidden stream under the foundations of a house. The house will eventually fall.
–Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)
Humility is most powerful…
The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.
–Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
Contemplation and prayer…
Just as love and self-control destroy evil thought so contemplation and prayer destroy all self-exaltation.
–Saint Thalassios the Libyan (6th-7th Centuries)
Well-being and woe…
All of us experience a wonderful mixture of both well-being and woe. It is necessary for us to fall. If we did not fall, we would have the wrong idea about ourselves. Eventually we will understand that we are never lost to God’s love. At no time are we ever less valuable in God’s sight. Through failure we will clearly understand that God’s love is endless nothing we can do will destroy it.
–Saint Julian of Norwich (1342- c. 1420)
The devil will try…
The devil will try to upset you by accusing you of being unworthy of the blessings that you have received. Simply remain cheerful and do your best to ignore the devil’s nagging. If need be even laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Satan, the epitome of sin itself, accuses you of unworthiness! When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!
–Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Freed from passions…
It is one thing to be delivered from bad thoughts, and another to be freed from the passions. Often people are delivered from thoughts, when they do not have before their eyes those things which produce passion. But the passions for them remain hidden in the soul, and when the things appear again the passions are revealed. Therefore it is necessary to guard the mind when these things appear, and to know toward which things you have a passion.
— Maximos the Confessor (580-662)
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