Ladder Of Divine Ascent Quotes

Fight to escape from your own cleverness. If you do, then you will find salvation and uprightness through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When the soul betrays itself and loses the blessed and longed-for fervor, let it carefully investigate the reason for losing it. And let it arm itself with all its longing and zeal against whatever caused this. For the former fervor can return only through the same door through which it was lost.

flame within them gets dim with the passage of time. So, if you have the fire, run, since you never know when it may be doused, leaving you stranded in darkness. —John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Step

Towards the end of the Seventh Step of The Ladder of Divine Ascent, St. John of Sinai says that we shall not be condemned for not having performed miracles, nor for not having been great theologians or contemplatives. We shall, however, need to give an account for not having mourned sufficiently over our sins, our state of corruption, and our imperfections. For we know very well (and the prayers of our Church confirm it) that no man can live a single day upon earth without sin. This being the case, we must do our utmost to keep ourselves from sin by cultivating the new tree of the spiritual paradise which has taken root inside our bosom, and by watering it with the streams of our tears. And the One Who would be enthroned within our hearts will show Himself to be stronger than the one that rules over this world (cf. 1 John 4:4). In other words, the presence of God must become active within us that the enemy, the possessor of this world and tormentor of our souls, be overcome.

Wishing to appear humble is the worst form of pride.

Our worldly desires are mortified when we remember that death is at the door. At the same time, we seek all the more urgently to do good. When people know they have only so long to live, they begin to get their affairs in order:

Where among them was the concern for worldly things, or judging others? Nowhere.

In particular, if Christians must reject the death penalty, it is not from an idolatrous sacralization of biological life, but in order to leave a person the opportunity of repentance. Remember this, and you will no longer judge: Judas was an apostle, and the thief crucified at Christ’s right hand was a murderer. What a transformation in an instant! John Climacus The Ladder of Divine Ascent,

The one who has achieved the fear of the Lord has given up lying, having inside himself an incorruptible judge, which is his conscience.

The start of freedom from anger is stillness of the mouth when the heart is troubled. The middle is a stillness of the mind when there is a small agitation of the soul. The end is an unchanging calm beneath the breath of polluted winds.

Let it not be a surprise to you that stumble each day. Never give up, but hold your ground with courage. Most assuredly your guardian angel will give honor to your long-suffering. While an injury is still new and warm it is not hard to heal, but aged, ignored and festering ones are difficult to cure, and their treatment requires much care through cutting, bandaging and cauterization. And if ignored for too long they become incurable. However, with God all things are possible.

There are wise men who have correctly defined renunciation, writing that it is violence to the body and a battle with the belly.

A fish quickly eludes a hook and a carnal soul flees solitude.

Fasting is a struggle against nature and the removal of all that stimulates the palate, the inhibition of lust, the excision of evil thoughts, liberation from dreams, purity in prayer, the radiance of the soul, the defense of the mind, liberation from blindness, the gateway of remorse, humble sorrow, joyful remorse, a break from speaking, an agent for stillness, a watch for obedience, alleviation of sleep, health of body, a means to dispassion, a clearing of sins, a door to Paradise and its joy.

The one who has ceased from anger has killed the remembrance of injuries, because childbearing only occurs while the father lives.

After much toiling, when you still cannot take out this thorn, you should make amends with your enemy, even if it is only by word. Then it may be that you will be embarrassed by your persistent hypocrisy towards him, and with your conscience biting at you like a fire, you will perhaps feel a genuine love for him. You will recognize that you have destroyed this vice, not only when you pray on behalf of your enemy, nor when you exchange presents with him, nor when you summon him to dine with you, but only at the point when you learn that he has suffered a spiritual or bodily mishap and you grieve and shed tears for him as if for yourself.

A sure sign of repentance is the forgetting of injuries. However, the one that abides with them and supposes that he is repenting is like a man who, when asleep, considers himself running.

Those who are quick to strictly judge the sins of their neighbor sink into this problem because they have not yet achieved a regular and careful remembrance of their own shortcomings. For if one could perceive his own sins precisely, without the curtain of pride, he would concern himself with nothing else while he lived, seeing that even if he were to live a hundred years, he would not have time enough to grieve over his sins even if he were to see the entire river Jordan pouring forth as tears from his eyes. I have seen that type of grieving, and I did not discover in it even the slightest bit of condemnation.

The one who allows himself to lie does so with the excuse that it is out of concern for others and sees the ruin of his soul as charity. The author of lies makes it seem as though he is imitating Rahab, saying that through his own ruin he is saving others.

The Jew delights on Sabbath days, and at feasts, and a gluttonous monk rejoices on Saturdays and Sundays. He counts down the days until Easter, and he readies his food many days beforehand. The servant of his stomach carefully plans out what foods he will rejoice in at the feast, but the servant of God meditates on the graces he will be honored with.

Let those of us who are feeble and lustful have the courage to present our illnesses and feeble nature to Christ with undoubting faith, and speak to Him. And we will confidently receive His help, even though this is beyond what we deserve. But only if we unrelentingly move to the full depth of a humble nature.

A firm foundation consists of three levels, three columns. These are innocence, fasting, and self-control. Let all infants in Christ start with these virtues, using them as their infant like examples. For you find in a baby nothing which is cunning or deceitful. They do not have an uncontrollable appetite or stomach. There is no body lit with fire. But as they increase, perhaps as they consume more food, their animal passions increase as well.

Remembrance of wrongs is far removed from natural, healthy love, but sexual immorality with ease draws close to it, just as at times lice can be observed on a bird.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent

Do not be surprised if you fall every day and do not surrender. Stand your ground bravely. And you may be sure that your guardian angel will respect your endurance. A fresh, warm wound is easier to heal than those that are old, neglected, and festering, and that need extensive treatment, surgery, bandaging, and cauterization.

With earnestness drink rebuke and reviling from all that offer it, as if it were the water of life, for it cleanses the passions. Then a profound purity will rise as the sun in your soul, and the holy light will never become dim in your heart.

A monastery is heaven on earth. Let us therefore set our hearts on being like heavenly bodies ministering to the Lord. At times those who dwell in this heaven have hearts of stone. But at other times, through remorse they achieve solace, in such a manner that they keep away from arrogance or pride and they take away the weight of their toils with tears.

I should not neglect to speak of the remarkable accomplishment of the community baker. He had reached the point of being ever-mindful of God and weeping during his labor. I inquired from him how he obtained such gifts. When I urged him on the matter, he said, "I never thought I was serving men, but God himself. And having decided I was unworthy of stillness,

Intelligent silence is the mother of prayer, a recall from captivity, preservation of fire, an overseer of thoughts, a watch against enemies, a prison of mourning, a friend of tears, effective remembrance of death, a depicter of punishment, a delver into judgment, a minister of sorrow, an enemy of freedom of speech, a companion of stillness, an opponent of dogmatism, increase of knowledge, a creator of divine vision, hidden progress, secret ascent.

The one who requests less than he deserves from God will surely obtain more than he deserves. This is clearly shown by the tax-collector who requested forgiveness but obtained justification. And the thief merely requested to be remembered in His Kingdom, but he inherited Paradise.

The start of liberty from anger is stillness of the mouth when the heart is troubled. The middle is a stillness of the mind when there is a small agitation of the soul. The end is an unchanging calm beneath the breath of polluted winds.

Liberty from anger is an inexhaustible appetite for disgrace, just as for the egotistic there is a never-ending appetite for praise. Liberty from anger is a triumph over nature and an indifference to slander, obtained by toil and perspiration

Humility is an unchanging character of the soul which continues untouched either by a bad or good report, in disgrace or in honor.

love, which is the complete dwelling of God in those who by means of dispassion are pure in heart, for they will see God. To Him be the glory forever.

Tell us fool, what is the name of the man that fathered you and the mother who for the cause of wickedness brought you into the world, and the names of your vile sons and daughters. And not this alone, but tell us the plots and plans of those who battle against you and destroy you." Anger will answer us, "I have many sources, and many fathers. My mothers are vanity, greed, and often lust. My father's name is pride. My daughters are: remembering ill-treatment, wrath, hatred, and declaration of rights. But my enemies, who keep me bound, are the virtues of liberty from anger and humility. She who plots against me is known as meekness. But in regard to the one who begat meekness, ask her in the proper time.