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.
|
|
1 |
"God is in an absolute sense one." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century on Theology'
|
|
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'
|
|
3 |
"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'
|
|
4 |
"Every man possesses that which is according to the image of God, 'for the gifts of God are irrevocable' (cf. Romans 11:29)." St. John of Damaskos, 'On the Virtues and the Vices'
|
|
5 |
"The principle of that wisdom which is revealed to all [is] that we should know and praise God through His creation and that by means of the visible world we should understand whence we came, what we are, for what purpose we were made and where we are going." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Second Century on Theology'
|
|
6 |
"Truth admits of no plurality, and reveals itself as single and unique." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Third Century of Various Texts'
|
|
7 |
"The sublime providence of the Creator preserves everything that is." St. Thalassios the Libyan, 'First Century'
|
|
8 |
"Think good thoughts about what is good by nature, and think well of every man." St. Thalassios the Libyan, 'Third Century'
|
|
9 |
"God made us so that we might become 'partakers of the divine nature' (2 Peter 1:4) and sharers in His eternity, and so that we might come to be like Him (cf. 1 John 3:2)." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century of Various Texts'
|
|
10 |
"It is God's purpose to endow created things through grace with a knowledge both of their own essential being and of that of other things; for He will reveal to them the inner principles of their creation, pre-existent in a unified manner within Himself." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Fourth Century of Various Texts'
|
|
11 |
"God, who gave being to all that is, at the same time unites all things together in His providence." St. Thalassios the Libyan, 'First Century'
|
|
12 |
"God, who is by nature good…loves all men equally as His handiwork." St. Maximos the Confesor, 'First Century on Love'
|
|
13 |
"All things seek the beautiful and good at every opportunity, and there is no being which does not participate in them. They extend to all that is." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Fifth Century of Various Texts'
|
|
14 |
"Blessed is he who can love all…equally." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century on Love'
|
|
15 |
"God is…a unity embracing a diversity of principles, each of which is an aspect of the Logos. Thus he who speaks about the truth…speaks always about the one." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Second Century on Theology'
|
|
16 |
"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'
|
|
17 |
"It is God's will that moves all things, brings all things into existence, sustains them." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Fifth Century of Various Texts'
|
|
18 |
"The way of truth is love." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century of Various Texts'
|
|
19 |
"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'
|
|
20 |
"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'
|
|
21 |
"We should care for ourselves and each other in the way that Christ Himself…has already shown us in His own person." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century of Various Texts'
|
|
22 |
"The Good that is beyond being…is one." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century of Various Texts'
|
|
23 |
"Love…will remain for all eternity, always increasing beyond all measure." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'First Century on Love'
|
|
24 |
"Our task is to reject any thought that secretly vilifies a fellow being." St. Thalassios the Libyan, 'Fourth Century'
|
|
25 |
"When you have come to know yourself, you will understand many great and wonderful things." St. Maximos the Confessor, 'Third Century on Love'
|
|
|
Randomize this reference |
New random category
Add a comment
Reference and bibliography |
All quotes, by category
We are gathering together the primary insights of spirituality and bringing them together into one place.
This archive contains 11,754 quotes, taken from 635 references,
organized in terms of 39 primary categories. Quotes are randomized and appear in a different way at every click.
Explore the navigation options to review these insights.
We include
- All major spiritual and religious traditions, from all cultures, and all historical epochs
- Major psychologists, philosophers, writers, scholars and leading religious personalities
- Sources in classical religion as well as voices from new consciousness, esotericism and mysticism
- Choices are guided by the spirit of oneness, love, kindness, inclusion and community
|
|
|