St. John Climacus (579-649 AD) - Various Texts

From Step 1 (on Renunciation of Life)
- Some people living carelessly in the world put a question to me: "How can we who are married and living in the world amid public cares aspire to the monastic life?" I answered: "Do whatever good you may. Speak evil of no one. Rob no one. Tell no lie. Despise no one and carry no hate. Do not separate yourself from Divine Liturgy. Show compassion to the needy. Do not be a cause of scandal to anyone. Stay away from the bed of another, and be satisfied with what your own wives (or husbands) can provide you. If you do all this, you will not be far from the Kingdom of Heaven."

From Step 4 (on Obedience)
- "The Devil cannot act contrary to his own will. Those living a negligent life, whether alone or in community, should convince you of this proof. And if there is a temptation on us to move from a place, let that be proof that our life there is pleasing to God. War against us is proof that we are making war."
- "I have seen innocent lovely children come to school for wisdom, education, and profit, and learn only cunning and vice through the contact they make with other students. The wise man will understand what I'm saying."

From Step 15 (on Chastity)
- "The effort of bodily prayer can help those not yet granted real prayer of the heart. I am referring to the stretching out of the hands and beating of the breasts, the sincere raising of the eyes heavenward, deep sighs and constant prostrations. But this is not always feasible when other people are present, and this is when the demons particularly like to launch an attack and, because we have not yet the strength of mind to stand up against them and because the hidden power of prayer is not yet within us, we succumb. So go somewhere apart, if you can. Hide for a while in some secret place. If you can, lift up the eyes of your soul, but if not, the eyes of your body. Stand still with your arms in the shape of a cross so that with this sign you may shame and conquer your Amalek. (Exodus 17:11) Cry out to God, Who has the strength to save you. Do not bother with elegant and clever words. Just speak humbly, beginning with, "have mercy on me, for I am weak." (Ps 6:3) And then you will come to experience the power of the Most High and with help from heaven you will drive off your invisible foes. The man (or woman) who gets into the habit of waging war this way will soon put his (or her) enemies to flight solely by means of spiritual resources, for this is the reward God likes to bestow onb those who put up a good struggle, and rightly so."

All texts quoted from "John Climacus, the Ladder of Divine Ascent" Classics of Western Spirituality © 1982