“He who is inclined to lust is merciful and tender-hearted; those who are inclined to purity are not so” (Saint John Climacus). It took a saint, neither more nor less, to denounce so distinctly and so vigorously not the lies but the very essence of Christian morality, and indeed of all morality.

—E. M. Cioran, The Trouble with Being Born

Remember death, so all worldly temptations will disappear and you feel that,” all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” (Eccl 1:14).

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. III

The one who works for his eternity always acts carefully in everything, lest he loses his crown through a mistake or neglect.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. IV

As one regrets what he does hastily and without consultation, he may also regret giving in to his desires and passions, without putting God before him and without considering his dignity as an image of God.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. IV

REPEATED FALLING 

Due to man’s weakness, he might fall, as he is not infallible. But he has to repent and learn a lesson from his fall, so he wouldn’t fall again, as said by one of the saints, “I don’t recall the devils making me fall in the same sin twice.” 

This is real repentance, as one does not go back to the sin that he has repented. All the stories of the repentant saints refer to this meaning: that repentance was a line separating between two lives and they never turned back to their old sinful life. 

It is not true repentance when one, every time he repents, keeps on falling repeatedly, as if he has not repented! 

Repeated falling has its danger and its indication. 

It shows the lack of seriousness in one’s life with God. It may also indicate carelessness and lack of interest in the spiritual principles.

It is also an evidence that the heart has not been purified yet and it still has the love of sin, with weakness and attraction to it.

…

Every time one falls, his will gets weaker.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. IV

his love did not depend on her alone, it was more vast, a love for women, largely ungratified, an unattainable love focused for him in this one wilful, mysterious creature, but not only this one. He had divided his agony; it was cleaved at last.

Light Years
James Salter

But also because she knows that she and the photographer have already taken each other to the perfect and beautiful world. And that now it’s time to descend to the actual one. If they try to live in that other world for good, it will recede into the distance; it will be as if they’d never been there at all. She says goodbye, and they long for each other for the rest of their lives.

…

And this is why Francesca’s story couldn’t have ended any other way. She couldn’t live happily ever after with the photographer, because he represented not an actual man, not even the “perfect” man; he represented longing itself.

…

If you’re this obsessed, it’s because he represents something you long for.

Bittersweet
Susan Cain

And this is the way of sin. For before one commits a sin, it makes the one it has captured drunk. But when its purpose is fulfilled and it is committed, then its pleasure vanishes and is extinguished.

—Saint John Chrysostom, Letters to Saint Olympia

It’s enticing to want to connect to another person in that way, and to want to feel the physical high and experience the rush of dopamine (the pleasure chemical). But don’t be fooled; as we have seen in this chapter, that instant physical pleasure will leave burn marks in its tracks. In fact, it’s better not even to taste it in the first place. Because once you do, you might be tempted to come back to it again and again. It’s harder to crave something you’ve never tasted.

Waiting & Dating
Lilyan Andrews