Contemplate Beauty of God

[joymercy]

We are compelled to contemplate the beauty of the Father without ceasing and thus beautify our own souls in similar fashion

Gregory of Nyssa

 

[BeyondET]

Isaiah 33:17

 

[joymercy]

Spiritual discourse always protects the soul from vainglory.

It bestows light to every part of the soul

So that it does not feel the need of human praise.

Therefore, it also preserves the mind from useless imagination,

transforming it into the love of God.

Conversing according to worldly wisdom, on the contrary,

always arouses the love of vainglory.

And given that it cannot grant the benefits of spiritual experience,

it offers to those who practice it the satisfaction of praise-

the product of other vain men.

Thus, in the proper state we will invariably know how to recognize the word

of God if we spend hours in undisturbed silence, not speaking

and in the fervent memory of God.

Diadochus of Photiki
100 Gnostic Chapters, 11

 

[joymercy]

LOVE​

He who loves himself cannot love God, but he who does not love himself on account of the immeasurable riches of Gods love, loves God indeed (Eph 2:6)

Therefore, never seek such glory for yourself, but for God alone. He who loves himself, seeks his own glory, while he who loves God, seeks the glory of the One who created him.

It is characteristic of a spiritually sensitive soul enamored of God to seek His glory alone in all the commandments he observes, for such a soul as this finds joy in self-abasement.

On account of God's majesty, it is fitting to give Him glory, for while mans abasement is fitting, for it is precisely through humility that we take God as our dwelling place.

Indeed, if we proceed in this way, we too, along with St. John the Baptist, will rejoice in the glory of the Lord and begin to cry out:

"He must increase, but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30)

~Diadochus of Photke

100 Gnostic Chapters, 12

 

[The Liturgist]

Beautiful Patristic quotes.