As the holy fathers say, when the intellect forgets the purpose of a religious observance, the outward practice of virtue loses its value. For whatever is done indiscriminately and without purpose is not only of no benefit – even though good in itself – but actually does harm. Conversely, what appears to be evil is really good if it is done for a godly purpose and accords with God’s will. The action of a man who goes into a brothel to rescue a prostitute from destruction is a case in point.
Hence it is clear that someone who occasionally shows compassion is not compassionate, and someone who occasionally practices self-control is not self-controlled.
—St John of Damaskos
Category: TEMPERANCE
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Always keep the same measure of self-control; otherwise through irregularity you will go from one extreme to another.
—St. Thalassios the Libyan -
“Sometimes what serves as a medicine for one is poison for another; and sometimes something given to one and the same person at a suitable time serves as a medicine, but at the wrong time it is a poison.”
—St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent -
When God has granted you a degree of spiritual knowledge, do not neglect love and self-control; for it is these which, once they have purified the soul’s passible aspect, always keep open for you the way to such knowledge.
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Wisdom of Solomon 8:7 [Orthodox Study Bible]
Therefore I decided to take her [wisdom] to live with me, knowing she would give me good counsel and encouragement in cares and sorrows. Because of her I will have glory among the multitudes and honor in the presence of the elders, though I am young. I will be found keen in judgment and be admired in the sight of rulers. When I am silent, they will wait for me, and when I speak, they will give heed to me; and when I speak longer, they will put their hand over their mouth. I will have immortality because of her and will leave an eternal remembrance for those who exist after me. I shall govern peoples, and nations will be subject to me. Dread tyrants shall be afraid of me when they hear of me; Among the people I will show myself to be good and courageous in war. When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her, for association with her has no bitterness, neither does living with her have any sorrow, but only gladness and joy. When I considered these things within myself and thought about them in my heart, that in kinship with wisdom there is immortality, and in friendship with her there is good pleasure, and in the labors of her hands there is unfailing wealth, and in the shared training of her company there is discernment, and in the fellowship of her words there is good repute—Thus I searched about that I might take her for myself. As a child I was good by nature and received a good soul. And much more, since I was good, I entered an undefiled body. Yet I knew otherwise that I would not be self-controlled unless God gave me wisdom, and that it was a mark of discernment to know whose gift she was.
SO GOOD QUOTES 