“When we think of the height of God's infinity we should not despair of His compassion reaching us from such a height; and when we recall the infinite depth of our fall through sin we should not refuse to believe that the virtue which has been killed in us will rise again. For God can accomplish both these things: He can come down and illumine our intellect with spiritual knowledge, and He can raise up the virtue within us and exalt it with Himself through works of righteousness.” ThinkingShouldBelieveHas BeensChristianSpiritualFallSinCompassionVirtueDespairInfiniteDown AndRaisesDepthRefuseAccomplishIntellectHeightReachingOrthodoxRighteousnessInfinityRecallsRaise UpSpiritual Knowledge Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Even in the life of a Christian, faith rises and falls like the tides of an invisible sea. It's there, even when he can't see it or feel it, if he wants it to be there. You realize, I think, that it is more valuable, more mysterious, altogether more immense than anything you can learn or decide upon It will keep you free - not free to do anything you please, but free to be formed by something larger than your own intellect or the intellects around you.” IfsThinkingWantFeelsChristianFallRealizingSeaPleaseValuableIntellectInvisibleMysteriousTidesImmenseChristian FaithRise And FallDecide Upon Author:Flannery O'Connor
“If you put your conditioned intellect to rest for a long time, suddenly it will be like the bottom falling out of a bucket - then you will naturally be happy and at peace.” IfsLongFallMeditationLong TimeBottomIntellectBuckets Author:Yuanwu Keqin
“To cultivate the intellect is therefore a religious duty; and when this truth is fairly recognized by men, the religion which teaches that the intellect should be distrusted and that it should be subservient to faith, will inevitably fall.” MenShouldFallReligiousTeachAtheismDutyTruth IsIntellectPositive AtheismSubservient Book:The Martyrdom of Man Source: The Martyrdom of Man
“Do not be inaccessible. None is so perfect that he does not need at times the advice of others. He is an incorrigible ass who will never listen to any one. Even the most surpassing intellect should find a place for friendly counsel. Sovereignty itself must learn to lean. There are some that are incorrigible simply because they are inaccessible: They fall to ruin because none dares to extricate them. The highest should have the door open for friendship; it may prove the gate of help. A friend must be free to advise, and even to upbraid, without feeling embarrassed.” NeedsShouldMayDoeHelpingFeelingsFallPerfectDoorsAdviceProveHighestShould HaveDareIntellectAssRuinsFriendlyGatesEmbarrassedSovereigntyAdviseInaccessibleSurpassingIncorrigibleUpbraid Book:The Art of Worldly Wisdom Source: The Art of Worldly Wisdom