Marcus Eremita Quotes

We must receive the one who curses us as a messenger from God, rebuking our hidden evil thoughts, so that we, seeing our thoughts with exactness, might correct ourselves. For we do not know how many hidden evils we have; Only a perfect man can understand all of his own shortcomings.

If someone falls into any sin and is not sincerely grieved about it, it is easy for him to fall into the same thing again.

Do not try to decide a difficult matter by means of disputing, but that which is enjoined by the spiritual law, namely patience, prayer, and thoughtful hope.

Every sin that is left without repentance is a sin unto death, for which if even a saint shall pray, he shall not be heard.

He who seeks forgiveness of his sins loves humility, but if he condemns another he seals his own wickedness.

A man who is enticed by sinful thoughts is blinded by them, and he sees the action of sin in himself, but he can not see the cause of this action.

The sign of sincere love is to forgive wrongs done to us. It was with such love that the Lord loved the world.

Do not think about or do anything without a spiritual purpose, whereby it is done for God. For If you travel without purpose, you shall labor in vain.

Whoever prays for those who hurt him lays the demons low; but he who opposes his affronter is bound to the demons.

Because God's justice is inexorable, it is hard to obtain forgiveness for sins committed with complete deliberation.

Do not desire to hear about the misfortunes of those who oppose you. For those who listen to such speech later reap the fruits of their evil intention.

Consistently pray in all things, so that you might not do anything without the help of God ... Whoever does or busies himself with anything without prayer does not succeed in the end. Concerning this, the Lord said: "Without Me you can't do anything". (John 15:5)

Conquer temptations by the patience and prayer. If you oppose them without these, you will fall all the more severely.

In the spiritual life we can do nothing worthy without repentance, but the Lord has much mercy on us because of our intentions. He who compels himself and holds on to repentance until the end, even if he sins is saved because he compelled himself, for the Lord promised this in the Gospel.

God values deeds according to their intentions. For it is said, "The Lord grant unto you according to your heart" (Ps. 19:5) ... Therefore, whoever wants to do something but can't is considered as having done it by God, who sees the intentions of our hearts. This applies to both good and evil deeds alike.

It is harmful to remember previous sins in detail. For if they bring you sorrow, they will estrange you from hope, but if they are remembered without sorrow, they will introduce the previous defilement. If you want to bring to God an uncondemned confession, then don't remember your sins in detail, but manfully endure the suffering that is coming because of them.

It is better to pray with good will for our neighbor, rather than to denounce him for every sin.

As water and fire oppose one another when combined, so are self-justification and humility opposed to one another.

If you want the Lord to hide your sins, then don't talk to people about what kind of virtues you have. For as we relate to our virtues, so God relates to our sins.

We cannot with all our heart forgive someone who does us wrong unless we possess real knowledge. For this knowledge shows us that we deserve all we experience.

Whoever does not fight the one who despises him, neither in word not in thought, has received true knowledge and demonstrates a firm trust in God.

If someone puts his trust in God in a matter, let him not argue with his brother about it.

Do not attempt to benefit by rebukes one who boasts of his virtues, for he loves to display himself can not be a lover of truth.

Guard your mind from self-praise and flee a high opinion of yourself, so that God does not allow you to fall into the opposite passion to the virtue for which you boast, for man does not accomplish virtue alone, but with the help of God who sees all.

Failure to do the good that is within your power is hard to forgive. But mercy and prayer reclaim the negligent.

Whatever we do or say without prayer always ends up either sinful or harmful and convicts us through the deeds in some mysterious way.

One who has sinned cannot escape retribution in any other way than by repentance corresponding to his sin.

The devil makes small sins seem smaller in our eyes, for otherwise he can't lead us to greater evil.

One evil receives strength from another. In the same way, good deeds also sprout one from another, and the one in whom they are found grows larger.

Whoever has a spiritual gift and compassionate toward one who does not have it guards his gift through his compassion. But whoever is proud of his gift loses it through self-opinion.

God tested Abraham. That is, he sent him afflictions for his benefit, not so that he could find out what sort of man he was, for God knows everything, but so that He give him the means to perfect his faith.

Every affliction tests our will, showing whether it is inclined to good or evil. That is why an unforeseen affliction is called a test, because it enables a man to test his hidden desires.

When the mind forgets the purpose of Christian life, then even the clear fulfillment of virtue becomes profitless.

When you have been insulted, cursed, or persecuted by someone, do not think of what has happened to you, but of what will come from it, and you will see that your insulter has become the cause of many benefits to you, not only in this age, but in that which is to come.

A man who hates the passion cuts off their causes. But a man who remains among their causes experiences even against his will the conflict from the passions. It is not possible to be mentally inclined toward a passion if one does not love its cause. For who, disdaining shame, is given to vainglory? Or who, loving lowliness, is bothered by dishonor? Who, having a broken and humble heart, accepts fleshly sweetness? Or who, believing in Christ, is concerned about temporal things, or argues about them?

No one is as good and merciful as the Lord. But even He does not forgive the unrepentant.

He who willingly accepts chastening by affliction is not dominated by evil thoughts against his will; whereas he who does not accept affliction is taken prisoner by evil thoughts, even though he resists them.

Whoever with fear of God corrects and directs a sinner gains virtue for himself, that of opposition to sin. But whoever insults a sinner with rancor and without good will falls, according to a spiritual law, into the same passion with the sinner.