St. Isaac the Syrian says, “Sit in the presence of the Lord every moment of your life, as you think of him and remember him in your heart. Otherwise, when you only see him after a
37 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 7.7 (ANF 2:534).
38 St. John Climacus: Ladder of Divine Ascent , trans., Colm Luibheid and Norman Russell (Paulist Press, 1982) 28.1: p. 212.
39 St. John Climacus: Ladder of Divine Ascent , trans., Colm Luibheid and Norman Russell (Paulist Press, 1982) 28.5: p. 213.
40 St. John Climacus: Ladder of Divine Ascent , trans., Colm Luibheid and Norman Russell (Paulist Press, 1982) 28.61: p. 220.
41 St. Basil of Caesarea, Homily on the Martyr Julitta quoted in NPNF II/8: p. lxix, amended.
42 “Epistle to Diognetus,” in Staniforth, Maxwell, and Andrew Louth, eds. Early Christian Writings , (Penguin Classics, 2000) 5: p. 145.
period of time, you will lack freedom of converse with him, out of shame; for great freedom of converse is born out of constant association with him.”43
The Fathers cited
- St. Isaac the Syrian