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I know a man who, when he saw a woman of striking beauty, praised the Creator for her. The sight of her lit within him the love of God.

John Climacus

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More quotes by 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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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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Often the Lord heals vainglory by dishonor.
John Climacus
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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
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The man who pets a lion may tame it, but the man who coddles the body makes it ravenous.
John Climacus
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A servant of the Lord stands bodily before men, but mentally he is knocking at the gates of heaven with prayer.
John Climacus
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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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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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Repentance lifts a man up. Mourning knocks at heaven's gate. Holy humility opens it.
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
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The lover of silence draws close to God. He talks to Him in secret and God enlightens him.
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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Faith furnishes prayer with wings, without which it cannot soar to Heaven.
John Climacus
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The first stage of this tranquility consists in silencing the lips when the heart is excited. The second, in silencing the mind when the soul is still excited. The goal is a perfect peacefulness even in the middle of the raging storm.
John Climacus
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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
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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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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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Simplicity is an enduring habit within a soul that has grown impervious to evil thoughts.
John Climacus
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Obedience is the burial of the will and the resurrection of humility.
John Climacus
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Fight to escape from your own cleverness. If you do, then you will find salvation and uprightness through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John Climacus