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God requires not the doing of the commandments for their own sake, but the correction of the soul, for whose sake He established the commandments.

Isaac of Nineveh

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Isaac of Nineveh
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Saint Isaac the Syrian
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The man with a heart cannot think about or see creatures without his eyes filling up with tears because of the immense compassion which seizes his heart.
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It is impossible to draw near to God without sorrows, without which human righteousness cannot remain unchanged... If you desire virtue, than give yourself to every affliction, for afflictions produce humility. If someone abides in virtue without afflictions, the door of pride is opened to him.
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Be dead in life, and you will not live in death. Let your soul die strenuously, and not live in weakness. Not only those who suffer death for the sake of faith in Christ are martyrs but also those who die because of their observance of His commandments.
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Do not waste this life in vain pursuits.
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Afflictions for God's sake are dearer to Him than any prayer or sacrifice.
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Whoever hates his sins will stop sinning and whoever confesses them will receive remission. A man can not abandon the habit of sin if he does not first gain enmity toward sin, nor can he receive remission of sin without confession of sin. For the confession of sin is the cause of true humility.
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The Lord bears all the weaknesses of men, but He does not bear a man who is always murmuring, and does not leave Him without chastisement.
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Why do you increase your bonds? Take hold of your life before your light grows dark and you seek help and do not find it. This life has been given to you for repentance do not waste it in vain pursuits.
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The man who follows Christ in solitary mourning is greater than he who praises Christ amid the congregation of men.
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There is love like a small lamp, which goes out when the oil is consumed or like a stream which dries up when it doesn't rain. But there is a love that is like a mighty spring gushing up out of the earth it keeps flowing forever, and is inexhaustible.
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Be persecuted, rather than be a persecutor. Be crucified, rather than be a crucifier. Be treated unjustly, rather than treat anyone unjustly. Be oppressed, rather than be an oppressor. Be gentle rather than zealous. Lay hold of goodness, rather than justice.
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Conquer evil people by gentle kindness, and make zealous people wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion.
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If you practice an excellent virtue without perceiving the taste of its aid, do not marvel for until a man becomes humble, he will not receive a reward for his labor. Recompense is given, not for labor, but for humility.
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If you cannot close the mouth of one who reviles his brother, at least avoid conversation with him.
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Humility collects the soul into a single point by the power of silence. A truly humble man has no desire to be known or admired by others, but wishes to plunge from himself into himself, to become nothing, as if he had never been born. When he is completely hidden to himself in himself, he is completely with God
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Draw nigh to the righteous, and through them you will draw nigh to God. Communicate with those who possess humility, and you will learn morals from them. A man who follows one who loves God becomes rich in the mysteries of God but he who follows an unrighteous and proud man gets far away from God, and will be hated by his friends.
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Speech is the organ of this present world. Silence is the mystery of the world to come.
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If zeal had been appropriate for putting humanity right, why did God the Word clothe himself in the body, using gentleness and humility in order to bring the world back to his Father?
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Whoever prematurely begins a work that is above his strength receives nothing, but only brings harm upon himself.
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Someone who bears a grudge while he prays is like a person who sows in the sea and expects to reap a harvest.
Isaac of Nineveh