...you must never be afraid, if you are troubled by a flood
of thoughts, that the enemy is too strong against you, that his attacks
are never ending, that the war will last for your lifetime, and that you
cannot avoid incessant downfalls of all kinds. Know that our enemies, with
all their wiles, are in the hands of our divine Commander, our Lord Jesus
Christ, for Whose honor and glory you are waging war. Since He Himself
leads you into battle, He will certainly not suffer your enemies to use
violence against you and overcome you, if you do not yourself cross over
to their side with your will. He will Himself fight for you and will deliver
your enemies into your hands, when He wills and as He wills, as it is written:
'The Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you, and
to give up your enemies before you' (Deut. 23:14).
Lorenzo Scupoli (Unseen Warfare: Chapter 15)
A wise man who offers to God honor and worship is known by Him. So he
is in no way troubled if he remains unknown to all men. The task of good
judgment is to incite the part of the soul where anger lies to the waging
of inner warfare. The task of wisdom is to urge the mind to constant attentive
watchfulness. The task of righteousness is to direct the part, in which
lies lust, towards virtue and towards God. Finally, the task of courage
is to govern the five senses and not let our inner man, that is the spirit,
or our outer man, that is the body, be defiled through them.
"Reflections on the Eight Thoughts", Abba Evagrius,
"Early Fathers From the Philokalia," translated from the Russian text,
"Dobrotolubiye," by E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer, eighth edition,
(London: Faber and Faber, Ltd., 1981), pp. 113 - 114
The strength of those who wish to acquire the virtues is as follows:
if they fall, let them not lose their courage, but let them be sure to
make a new beginning at their endeavor. Insofar, then, as we put all our
energy into practicing the virtues, let us await the Lord, showing Him
a generous resolve and calling on His aid, and without fail He will strengthen
us with His mercy and bestow His Grace on us in abundance, in which case
we will accomplish every good easily and without exertion.
Abba Moses in The Evergetinos, Book I, Vol. III/
Used with the permission of Fr Seraphim Holland from his
website.
