Dear Symeon,
Since this thread is on repentance and humility, and one cannot repent unless he has been humbled or possesses humility, I will simply change the title of this thread to reflect this.
Please post any patristic quotes on repentance and/or humility.
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.
Saint John Climacus, Pray to God for us!
“Repentance raises the fallen, mourning knocks at the gate of Heaven, and holy humility opens it.”
St. John Climacus - "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" (Step 25)
Here is another good quote on repentance and prayer:
"He who would be saved should ever have his heart disposed to repentance and broken, according to the Psalmist: A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise (Ps. 50:17). In such brokenness of spirit a man can easily pass securely through the artful snares of the proud devil, whose whole care consists in agitating the human spirit, and in agitation sowing his tares, in accordance with the words of the Gospel: Lord, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this (Matt. 13:27-28). When, however, a man strives within himself to have his heart humble and his thought not agitated, but peaceful, then all the snares of the enemy are without effect; for where there is peace in one's thoughts, there resides the Lord God Himself - His place is in peace (Ps. 75:3).”
St. Seraphim of Sarov - 'Little Russian Philokalia'
The man that busies himself with other people's sins or even judges his brother on a suspicion, has not yet laid the foundations of penitence nor begun to seek knowledge of his own sins (which are in fact heavier than many pounds of lead); nor does he know why it is that the man loving vanity and seeking after lies becomes heavy hearted. Therefore as a senseless man going about in the dark, he lets his own sins go and pictures those of others, whether they do exist or he only suspects them.
Saint Maximus the confessor.
O lord, grant me to see my sins and repent.
Do not be shocked by those who teach new doctrines but seem to be worthy of credence. Stand solidly like an anvil under blows. A good athlete suffers blows but wins. St Ignatius.
St Mark the Ascetic wrote:“Do not become a disciple of one who praises himself, in case you learn pride instead of humility.”
St Mark the Ascetic wrote:“Unless a man gives himself entirely to the Cross, in a spirit of humility and self-abasement; unless he casts himself down to be trampled underfoot by all and despised, accepting injustice, contempt and mockery; unless he undergoes all these things with joy for the sake of the Lord, not claiming any kind of human reward whatsoever – glory or honor or earthly pleasures – he cannot become a true Christian.”
St Mark the Ascetic wrote:“You should continually and unceasingly call to mind all the blessings which God in His love has bestowed on you in the past, and still bestows for the salvation of your soul. You must not let forgetfulness of evil or laziness make you grow unmindful of these many and great blessings, and so pass the rest of your life uselessly and ungratefully.
For this kind of continual recollection, pricking the heart like a spur, moves it constantly to confession and humility, to thanksgiving with a contrite soul, and to all forms of sincere effort, repaying God through its virtue and holiness. In this way the heart meditates constantly and conscientiously on the words from the Psalms: ‘What shall I give to the Lord in return for all His benefits towards me?’ (Psalm 116:12).”
The quotation by St Maximus above posted by arcmode [where IS he ?] fits perfectly.
I copied it and sending it to help someone.
Welcome, SeekerMark. This must be your Saint, Mark the Ascetic ? Do you have more information about him ?
Beware the fruit of pride
"Those who write and speak and who wish to build up the Church, while lacking the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are ... worldly people void of the Spirit, as St. Jude observes (cf. Jude 19). Such people come under the curse which says, 'Woe to those who are wise in their own sight, and esteem themselves as possessors of knowledge' (Is. 5:21); for they speak from themselves and it is not the Spirit of God that speaks in them (cf. Matt. 10:20). For those who speak what are simply their own thoughts before they have attained purity are deluded by the spirit of self conceit."
St. Gregory of Sinai
Lord have mercy on us.
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.
