“an ascetic feat for which the soul is not yet ready does not strengthen a person. It unsettles him and leaves despondency behind instead of grace
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“many ascetics, in a state of God-forsakenness, fall into despair and are therefore unable to go further. But one who remembers that the Lord loves him nonetheless stands firm as a stronghold against the shifting winds.
“a person who has come to know the joy of Divine glory receives the spiritual strength to remain unshaken amid sorrows and trials, and to walk with confidence along the path leading to salvation in Christ Jesus
“two things sadden me: the first is that I see a lost soul, and the second is that my own ungrateful soul does not have the same zeal to please God and has not been adorned with the virtues and deeds that are pleasing to God and His Angels.
“a person cannot remain stationary in spiritual life: one either advances and develops or moves backward
“An essential component of pilgrimage is the willingness to make an effort, confirming once again what has already become an established principle: true joys are attained only through effort
“The Dormition is not the end; it is a passage into the fullness of life in Christ,