“If you make provision for the desires of the flesh and bear a grudge against your neighbor on account of something transitory, you worship the creature instead of the Creator.” IfsChristianDesireBearsCreaturesWorshipAccountsCreatorNeighborFleshOrthodoxProvisionGrudgeTransitory Author:Maximus the Confessor
“When a man's intellect is constantly with God, his desire grows beyond all measure into an intense longing for God and his incensiveness is completely transformed into divine love. For by continual participation in the divine radiance his intellect becomes totally filled with light; and when it has reintegrated its passible aspect, it redirects this aspect towards God, filling it with an incomprehensible and intense longing for Him and with unceasing love, thus drawing it entirely away from worldly things to the divine.” MenLightChristianDesireGrowsDivineAspectFilledLongingIntellectDrawingIntenseOrthodoxTransformedParticipationWorldlyFillingDivine LoveRadianceWorldly ThingsLonging For God Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Without the power of intelligence there is no capacity for spiritual knowledge; and without spiritual knowledge we cannot have the faith from which springs that hope whereby we grasp things of the future as though they were present. Without the power of desire there is no longing, and so no love, which is the issue of longing; for the property of desire is to love something. And without the incensive power, intensifying the desire for union with what is loved, there can be no peace, for peace is truly the complete and undisturbed possession of what is desired.” ChristianSpiritualDesireIssuesSpringCapacityLongingPropertyUnionsPossessionOrthodoxNo LoveWhat Is LoveSpiritual Knowledge Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Our forefather Adam... used his freedom to turn toward what was worse and to direct his desire away from what had been permitted to what was forbidden. It was in his power 'to be united to the Lord and become one spirit with God...' (I Cor. 6:15). But Adam was deceived and chose to cut himself off voluntarily from God's happy end for him, preferring by his own free choice to be drawn down to the earth (cf. Gen. 2:17) than to become God by grace.” EndsEarthChristianUsedSpiritDesireTurnsChoicesUnitedLordGraceCuttingDirectOrthodoxAdamForbiddenDeceivedForefathersCfsFree Choice Author:Maximus the Confessor
“He who is a beginner on the way must not be brought to practise the commandments by kindness alone, but must more often be induced to continue the struggle by being rigorously reminded of God's judgment. In this way he will not only be moved by love to desire what is divine, but will be moved by fear to avoid what is evil. For 'I will sing to Thee, O Lord, of mercy and judgment' (Ps. 101:1 LXX). He will sing to God charmed by love, and steeled by fear he will have strength for the song.” WayChristianDesireSongEvilLordKindnessStruggleDivineJudgmentMercyMovedTheeOrthodoxCommandmentsOrthodox ChristianOften IsBeginnersPractiseCharmedHaving Strength Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Provide yourself with such work for your hands as can be done, if possible, both during the day and at night, so that you are not a burden to anyone, and indeed can give to others, as St. Paul the Apostle advises (cf. I Thess. 2:9; Eph. 4:28). In this manner you will overcome the demon of listlessness and drive away all the desires suggested by the enemy; for the demon of listlessness takes advantage of idleness. 'Every idle man is full of desires' (Prov. 13:4 LXX).” IfsMenGivingDoneHandsChristianDesireNightEnemyAdvantageOvercomingBurdenDemonOrthodoxIdleIdlenessAdviseApostlesOrthodox ChristianCfsApostle Paul Author:Evagrius Ponticus