19. The demon of unchastity is powerful and violently attacks those who struggle against passion, particularly if they are lax about matters of diet and often meet women. With the lubricity of sensual pleasure he imperceptibly steals into the intellect and thereafter persecutes the hesychast by means of the memory, setting his body on fire and presenting various forms to his intellect. In this way he evokes his assent to sin. If you do not want these forms to linger in you, turn again to fasting, labor, vigils and blessed stillness with intense prayer.
—St. Maximos the Confessor, Four Hundred Texts on Love
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45. Trials are sent to some so as to take away past sins, to others so as to eradicate sins now being committed, and to yet others so as to forestall sins which may be committed in the future. These are distinct from the trials that arise in order to test men in the way that Job was tested.
—St. Maximos the Confessor, Four Hundred Texts on Love -
Don’t let temporal moments steal eternity from you.
—St Anthony the Great -
A spiritual person’s foremost priority is his salvation; it occupies the whole of his concern and thoughts. His salvation is the most valuable part of his life. Every deed or goal that conflicts with his eternal life is absolutely and unquestionably rejected. Such a person considers his present life as preparation for eternal life.
His concern for his eternal salvation gives his present life a pure, spiritual direction and keeps him steadfast in God, his love for Him, and observing His commandments.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Characteristics of the Spiritual Path
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The intellect will go on looking for sensual pleasure until you subjugate the flesh and devote yourself to contemplation.
—St. Thalassios the Libyan -
The intellect that has shut out the senses, and has achieved a balance in the body’s temperament, has to fight only against its memories.
—St. Thalassios the Libyan -
In the course of social interactions, believers need to be vigilant over their thoughts and ready to mentally step back and weigh their choices at times of uncertainty or temptation.
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We refrain from committing sin, because we love God, others, and ourselves.
—H.E. Metropolitan Youssef, How to Develop Your Personality
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Someone who says that he has repented then goes back to sinning, then repents and goes back again… has not yet repented. This is not repentance but attempts at repentance. A person who is truly sorry for his sin is a person whose life has changed, who has left his sin with no going back, like Saint Augustine and St. Moses the Black.
One of the Saints said: “I don’t recall that the devils have ever made me fall into the same sin twice”.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Experiences in Life
SO GOOD QUOTES 