Quote

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

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

John Climacus
Monk
Philosopher
Saint
sy
Saint John Climacus
Way
Speak
Speaks
Never
Tell
Saint
Spirit
Wine
Someone
Lies
Truth
Meaning
Able
Subjects
Inebriated
Without
Anyone
Elated
Even
Lying
Penitence

More quotes by John Climacus

Image
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
Image
When you hear that your neighbor or friend has reproached you in your absence or presence, then show love and praise him.
John Climacus
Image
Repentance lifts a man up. Mourning knocks at heaven's gate. Holy humility opens it.
John Climacus
Image
As fire does not give birth to snow, so those who seek honor here will not enjoy it in heaven... As those who climb a rotten ladder are in danger, so all honor, glory, and power are opposed to humility.
John Climacus
Image
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
Image
An angel fell from Heaven without any other passion except pride, and so we may ask whether it is possible to ascend to Heaven by humility alone, without any other of the virtues.
John Climacus
Image
A servant of the Lord stands bodily before men, but mentally he is knocking at the gates of heaven with prayer.
John Climacus
Image
Obedience is the burial of the will and the resurrection of humility.
John Climacus
Image
Often the Lord heals vainglory by dishonor.
John Climacus
Image
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
Image
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
Image
Faith furnishes prayer with wings, without which it cannot soar to Heaven.
John Climacus
Image
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
Image
We know the utility of prayer from the efforts of the wicked spirits to distract us during the divine office and we experience the fruit of prayer in the defeat of our enemies.
John Climacus
Image
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
Image
Those who submit to the Lord with simple heart will run the good race. If they keep their minds on a leash, they will not draw the wickedness of the demons onto themselves.
John Climacus
Image
The friend of silence comes close to God. In secret he converses with him and receives his light.
John Climacus
Image
He does not show humility who accuses himself (for who will not accept rebukes from himself?), but he who, being rebuked by another, does not decrease his love toward him.
John Climacus
Image
A proud monk needs no demon. He has turned into one, an enemy to himself.
John Climacus
Image
Pride is the utter poverty of soul disguised as riches, imaginary light where in fact there is darkness.
John Climacus