“For him who is perfect in love and has reached the summit of dispassion there is no difference between his own or another's, or between Christians and unbelievers, or between slave and free, or between male and female. But because he has risen above the tyranny of the passions and has fixed his attention on the single nature of man, he looks on all in the same way and shows the same disposition to all. For in him there is neither Greek nor Jew, male nor female, bond not free, but Christ who 'is all, and in all' (Col. 3:11; cf. Gal. 3:28).” MenWayLooksShowsChristianPassionChristDifferencesPerfectAttentionFemaleSlaveMalesJewTyrannyGreekFixedOrthodoxDispositionSummitOrthodox ChristianRisenNature Of ManCfsUnbelieversGalsHe Has Risen Author:Maximus the Confessor
“'The long-suffering man abounds in understanding' (Prov. 14:29), because he endures everything to the end and, while awaiting that end, patiently bears his distress. The end, as St. Paul says, is everlasting life (cf. Rom. 6:22). 'And this is eternal life, that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent' (Jn. 17:3).” KnowsMenLongEndsMightChristianSufferingJesusUnderstandingChristBearsEternalJesus ChristEndureOrthodoxDistressEverlastingEternal LifeOrthodox ChristianCfsTrue GodLong SufferingEverlasting Life Author:Maximus the Confessor
“When like the patriarchs we learn to dig wells of virtue and spiritual knowledge within ourselves by means of ascetic practice and contemplation, we will find within us Christ the spring of life (cf. Gen. 26:15-18). Wisdom commands us to drink from this spring, saying, 'Drink water from your own pitchers and from the spring of your own wells' (Prov. 5:15). If we do this we shall find that the treasures of wisdom truly are within us.” IfsWellsMeanChristianSpiritualChristWaterPracticeVirtueDrinkSpringTreasureCommandContemplationOrthodoxPitcherCfsDrink WaterSpiritual Knowledge Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Just as the teaching of the Law and the prophets, being harbingers of the coming advent of the Logos in the flesh, guide our souls to Christ (cf. Gal. 3:24), so the glorified incarnate Logos of God is Himself a harbinger of His spiritual advent, leading our souls forward by His own teachings to receive His divine and manifest advent. He does this ceaselessly, by means of the virtues converting those found worthy from the flesh to the spirit. And He will do it at the end of the age, making manifest what has hitherto been hidden from men.” MenMeanDoeSoulEndsAgeChristianSpiritualLawSpiritFoundChristVirtueTeachingDivineWorthyGuidesFleshProphetOrthodoxManifestAdventConvertingCfsLogosGalsHarbinger Author:Maximus the Confessor
“If the divine Logos of God the Father became son of man and man so that He might make men gods and the sons of God, let us believe that we shall reach the realm where Christ Himself now is; for He is the head of the whole body (cf. Col. 1:18), and endued with our humanity has gone to the Father as forerunner on our behalf. God will stand 'in the midst of the congregation of gods' (Ps. 82:1 LXX) - that is, of those who are saved - distributing the rewards of that realm's blessedness to those found worthy to receive them, not separated from them by any space.” IfsMenBelieveWholeBodyMightChristianHumanityFoundFatherChristSpaceGoneDivineSonRewardsWorthySavedGods WillRealmsMidstOrthodoxBehalfCongregationCfsLogosBlessednessForerunners Author:Maximus the Confessor
“A man who has been assiduous in acquiring the fruits of love will not cease loving even if he suffers a thousand calamities. Let Stephen, the disciple of Christ, and others like him persuade you of the truth of this (cf. Acts 7:60). Our Lord Himself prayed for His murderers and asked the Father to forgive them because they did not know what they were doing (cf. Luke 23:34).” IfsKnowsMenHas BeensSufferingFatherChristLordThousandForgivenessForgivingFruitCeaseDiscipleMurdererCalamityOur LordLukeCfs Author:Maximus the Confessor