THE PHILOKALIA, VOLUME 2
various authors, compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain
A collection of texts written between the fourth and the fifteenth centuries by spiritual masters of the Orthodox Christian tradition.
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1 |
"God is in an absolute sense one." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century on Theology'
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2 |
"It is God who gives prayer to him who prays and who teaches man spiritual knowledge." St. Theodoros, the Great Ascetic, 'A Century of Spiritual Texts'
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3 |
"There is one Divinity:…without parts, indivisible." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Second Century on Theology'
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"There is one Divinity, a Unity simple, beyond being, without parts and undivided." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century of Various Texts'
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"Love is the most comprehensive and the highest of all the divine blessings spoken of in the Holy Scriptures." St. Theodoros the Great Ascetic, 'A Century of Spiritual Texts'
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"Goodness is the full expression of divine activity within us…In goodness the beauty that is according to God's likeness is made manifest." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Third Century of Various Texts'
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"Our spiritual lamp is lit by pure prayer and perfect love." St. Theodoros the Great Ascetic, 'A Century of Spiritual Texts'
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"Love alone harmoniously joins all created things with God and with each other." St. Thalassios the Libyan, 'On Love, Self-control and Life in accordance with the Intellect'
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9 |
"Indeed, the Saviour endured His sufferings so that 'He should gather together into one the scattered children of God' (John 11:52)." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Fourth Century on Love'
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10 |
"God embraces in unity the spiritual knowledge of all created things, providentially permeating all things with His power, and vivifying their inner essences in accordance with their nature." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century of Various Texts'
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11 |
"A good conscience confers on us the power of love." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Third Century of Various Texts'
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12 |
"Through active virtue desire is brought under control and anger is bridled." St. Theodoros the Great Ascetic, 'A Century of Spiritual Texts'
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13 |
"The Creator provides for all creation, down to the least of living things." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Third Century on Love'
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"God is origin as Creator, intermediary state as provident ruler, and consummation as final end. For, as Scripture says, 'All things are from Him and through Him, and have Him as their goal' (Romans 11:36)." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century on Theology'
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15 |
"There is never an end, as there is never a beginning, to the good which God does: just as the property of light is to illuminate, so the property of God is to do good." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century on Theology'
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16 |
"When the intellect is rich in the knowledge of the One, the senses will be completely under control." St. Thalassios the Libyan, 'Second Century'
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"The mystery of the incarnation of the Logos is the key to all the arcane symbolism and typology in the Scriptures, and in addition gives us knowledge of created things, both visible and intelligible. He who apprehends the mystery of the cross and the burial apprehends the inward essences of created things; while he who is initiated into the inexpressible power of the resurrection apprehends the purpose for which God first established everything." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century on Theology'
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18 |
"Like a good and loving physician, God heals with individual treatment each of those who are trying to make progress." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Second Century on Love'
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19 |
"Since we were originally created by God as 'very good' (Genesis 1:31), we owe it to God to be such." St. Theodoros, the Great Ascetic, 'A Century of Spiritual Texts'
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"When you have come to know yourself, you will understand many great and wonderful things." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Third Century on Love'
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21 |
"The sublime providence of the Creator preserves everything that is." St. Thalassios the Libyan, 'First Century'
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22 |
"The will of the Maker, in His goodness, wills beings always to exist and always to receive His blessings." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Third Century on Love'
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23 |
"The most perfect work of love, and the fulfillment of its activity, is to effect an exchange between those it joins together, which in some measure unites their distinctive characteristics and adapts their respective conditions to each other. Love makes man god, and reveals and manifests God as man, through the single and identical purpose and activity of the will of both." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century of Various Texts'
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"Man's intellect is a holy place and a temple of God." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Second Century on Love'
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"Perfect love does not split up the single human nature, common to all, according to the diverse characteristics of individuals; but, fixing attention always on this single nature, it loves all equally." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century on Love'
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