1. He whose mind teems with thoughts lacks self-control ; and even when they are beneficial , hope is more so .

2. There is a sin which is always 'unto death' (1 John 5:16) : the sin for which we do not repent. For this sin even a saint's prayers will not be heard.

42 . He who repents rightly does not imagine that it is his own effort which cancels his former sins ; but through this effort he makes his peace with God.

#Mark_the_Ascetic
#philokalia

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Heresy of Ishmaelites by Saint John of Damascus

Part 4

There are many other absurd stories worthy of laughter recorded in this writing, which he insolently boasts descended upon him from God. But when we ask, “and who testified that God has given him a scripture? And who among the prophets has announced that such a prophet would rise up?” they are at a loss. We then relate to them how Moses received the law from God who appeared on Mt. Sinai in the sight of all the people in a cloud and fire and darkness and a whirlwind. We also relate to them that all the prophets, beginning with Moses and in succession, foretold the coming of Christ. They also said that Christ is God, and that as the Son of God he will come by taking on flesh, and that he will be crucified, and die,and rise again, and that he will be the judge of the living and the dead. We ask them, then, “how is it that your prophet did not come in this same way, with others witnessing about him? And how is it that God did not give him the scripture, of which you speak, while in your presence, as God gave the law to Moses on the smoking mountain while all the people were looking on, so that you may have assurance?” They reply that God does as he pleases. We tell them that we know this also. But, we ask, “In what manner was the writing revealed to your prophet?” They replied that while he was asleep the writing came down upon him. Then, in jest, we say to them that since he received the writing while sleeping and was not aware of the divine activity taking place, the popular proverb is fulfilled in him: (“you are spinning me dreams”)¹

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¹The proverb is not in the text, but Lequien suggests that it comes from Plato.

#John_of_Damascus
#Heresy_of_islam

58
With the eyes of my heart have I seen the Lord sitting in great glory and I seemed to hear Him say to my soul: how can it be, O soul, that thou hast found thy heavenly bridal chamber, filled with the light of glory, abhorrent? How can it be that thou wast repelled by the good things that I have prepared for thee in the land of life? How can it be that thou hast become alienated from Me through indecent deeds and thoughts? How can it be that thou carest not to prepare thyself to stand worthily before Me in MY coming? How can it be that thou dost not keep thy lamp ready in expectation of the call: Behold, the bridegroom cometh--so that thou mightest go out to meet Me with joy? How can it be that thou takest no pains to prepare a proper wedding garment? How can it be that thou dost not prepare thyself to enter with joy into the holy, heavenly bridal chamber? How can it be that thou dost not join thyself to Me, Who have redeemed thee from death?
I have partaken of death in order to prepare thee as My bride. I have prepared the eternal kingdom for thee as an inheritance. All My good things have I, as the King, bestowed upon thee. For thy sake I even became a man, for I desired to redeem thy life from corruption. For thee have i prepared a bridal chamber in the heavens and arranged for the angels to lead thee into that bridal chamber, that though mightest enter therein with joy.
Yet hast thou turned away from me, from thy Groom, and from the ineffable good things that I have prepared for thee.
But who is more desirable than I, Who save all creation through My compassion? What father gives life as I do? Yet thou hast left Me, O soul, and loved another, a despicable stranger.
Who would not begin to tremble in terror upon hearing these words?
Who would not fall down ashamed, shed tears and cry out: for what purpose did I come forth from my mother's womb--to anger the Good, Holy and kindhearted God?
But, O Lord, grant that we may be sobered and detach ourselves from vain cares, that we may come to our senses and return to Thee, in Whom alone lies all true good for our sake.

#Ephraim_the_Syrian
#spiritual_psalter

1. Christ's words that the 'first will be last, and the last will be first' (Matt. 19 : 30) refer to those who participate in the virtues and those who participate in love. For love is the last of the virtues to be born in the heart, but it is the first in value, so that those born before it turn out to be 'the last'

3 8. If you are listless when you pray or afflicted by various forms of evil, call to mind your death and the torments of hell. But it is better to cleave to God through hope and prayer than to think about external things, even though such thoughts may be helpful.

39· No single virtue by itself opens the door of our nature ; but all the virtues must be linked together in the correct sequence.

#Mark_the_Ascetic
#philokalia

🕯
Heresy of Ishmaelites by Saint John of Damascus

Part 3
He says there is one God, creator of all things, who has neither been begotten nor has begotten. He also says that Christ was the Word of God and his Spirit, but only a creature and a servant, and that he was born without seed from Mary, the sister of Moses and Aaron¹. For, he says, the Word of God and the Spirit entered into Mary and she gave birth to Jesus, who was a prophet and servant of God. And he says that the Jews unlawfully wanted to crucify him, but after arresting him they only crucified his shadow; for, he says, the Christ was not crucified nor did he die², for God took him up to himself into heaven because he loved him. And this is what he says, that when Christ ascended into heaven, God questioned him, saying “O Jesus, did you say ‘I am the Son of God and God?’” And Jesus answered, saying,
“Be merciful to me, Lord. You know that I did not say (that), nor am I too proud to be your servant. Errant men have written that I have made this declaration, but they are lying about me and they are the ones in error.” And, according to them, God answered him, saying, “I know that you did not say these words.”

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¹ [if the Quran came from God then that means this god is either ignorant or suffering from dementia because there is a huge period of time between Moses and Jesus so it is impossible to mix Mary the theotokos with mary sister of Aaron]

² [No one hates Jesus and the Christian nation more than the Jewish people, and it is mentioned in the talmud that Jesus was crucified, plus other non Christian resources including pagan roman]

#John_of_Damascus
#Heresy_of_islam

An elder said: “Bare your sword.” The brother said: “My passions do not let me.” The elder replied: “‘Call upon me in the day of your trouble and I will deliver you and you shall glorify me’ [Ps 49:15]. Call upon him then, and he shall deliver you from every temptation.

#Sayings_of_the_desert_fathers

☦
Anger multiplies in us in four ways: when we strive to satisfy our desires, when we follow our own will, when we arrogate to ourselves the right to teach, and when we consider ourselves wise.

#Isaiah_the_Skete
#Orthodox_Saints

🕯
Heresy of Ishmaelites by Saint John of Damascus

Part 2

and from that time until now, a false prophet, called Mamed, sprung up among them; who, after conversing with an Arian monk¹ concerning the Old and New Testament, fabricated his own heresy. And after ingratiating himself and gaining favor from the people under a false pretense of piety, he spread rumors that a book had  been sent down to him from heaven by God. Thus, heretical pronouncements inscribed in his book and worthy of laughter, were instead handed down to them as something to be revered.

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¹This may be the Nestorian monk Bahira (George or Sergius) who met the boy Mohammed at Bosra in Syria and claimed to recognize 
in him the sign of a prophet.

[some say that this monk may be from the "Nazarenes" sect a heresy mentioned by St. Epiphanius and he state that the followers of this heresy believe in Jesus unlike the Christian and they still practice the jewish tradition and preserve the jewish law.
The muslim till today call the Christian "nazara" while indeed they are the follower of this heresy because they practice the jewish habits like circumcision....]

#John_of_Damascus
#Heresy_of_islam

🔔
34· When the intellect prays without distraction it afflicts the heart; and 'a broken and a contrite heart, O God , Thou wilt not despise' (Ps. 51 : 17).

1. Prayer is called a virtue, but in reality it is the mother of the virtues : for it gives birth to them through union with Christ.

2. Whatever we do without prayer and without hope in God turns out afterwards to be harmful and defective.

#Mark_the_Ascetic
#philokalia