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The friend of silence comes close to God. In secret he converses with him and receives his light.

John Climacus

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John Climacus
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Saint John Climacus
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More quotes by John Climacus

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When people begin to praise us, let us hurry to remember the multitude of ours transgressions, and we will see that we are truly unworthy of that which they say and do in our honor.
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A discerning man, when he eats grapes, takes only the ripe ones and leaves the sour. Thus also the discerning mind carefully marks the virtues which he sees in any person. A mindless man seeks out the vices and failings ... Even if you see someone sin with your own eyes, do not judge for often even your eyes are deceived.
John Climacus
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I would not consider my spirituality worthwhile that wants to walk in sweetness and ease and run from the imitation of Christ.
John Climacus
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It happens, I do not know how, that most of the proud never really discover their true selves. They think they have conquered their passions and they find out how poor they really are only after they die.
John Climacus
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Become aware of God, in whose presence you are while you pray . . . Then take a formula of prayer and recite it with perfect attention both to the words you are saying and to the Person to whom you are saying them.
John Climacus
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Faith furnishes prayer with wings, without which it cannot soar to Heaven.
John Climacus
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The friend of silence comes close to God.
John Climacus
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Pride is the utter poverty of soul disguised as riches, imaginary light where in fact there is darkness.
John Climacus
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Forgetting offences is a sign of sincere repentance. If you keep the memory of them, you may believe you have repented but you are like someone running in his sleep. Let no one consider it a minor defect, this darkness that often clouds the eyes even of spiritual people.
John Climacus
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When a man has found the Lord, he no longer has to use words when he is praying, for the Spirit Himself will intercede for him with groans that cannot be uttered.
John Climacus
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Ascend, my brothers, ascend eagerly. Let your hearts' resolve be to climb. Listen to the voice of the one who says: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of our God' (Isa. 2:3), Who makes our feet to be like the feet of the deer, 'Who sets us on the high places, that we may be triumphant on His road' (Hab. 3:19).
John Climacus
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Humility is the only virtue that no devil can imitate. If pride made demons out of angels, there is no doubt that humility could make angels out of demons.
John Climacus
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Confession is like a bridle that keeps the soul which reflects on it from committing sin, but anything left unconfessed we continue to do without fear as if in the dark.
John Climacus
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When you are depressed, bear in mind the Lord's command to Peter to forgive a sinner seventy times seven (cf. Mt. 18:22). And you may be sure that He Who gave this command to another will Himself do very much more.
John Climacus
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Often the Lord heals vainglory by dishonor.
John Climacus
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It can happen that when we are at prayer some brothers come to see us. Then we have to choose either to interrupt our prayer or to sadden our brother by refusing to answer him. But love is greater than prayer. Prayer is one virtue among others, whereas love contains them all.
John Climacus
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Obedience is the burial of the will and the resurrection of humility.
John Climacus
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A proud monk needs no demon. He has turned into one, an enemy to himself.
John Climacus
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Simplicity is an enduring habit within a soul that has grown impervious to evil thoughts.
John Climacus
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Someone who is elated with wine speaks the truth on all subjects, even without meaning to. In the same way, anyone who is inebriated with the spirit of penitence will never be able to tell lies.
John Climacus