Two Lungs: Sacramental and Prayerful Reflections

St. Benedict (4th Century Latin Father): We believe that the divine presence is everywhere and that "the eyes of the Lord are looking on the good and the evil in every place." But we should believe this especially without any doubt when we are assisting at the Work of God. To that end let us be mindful always of the Prophet's words, "Serve the Lord in fear" and again, "Sing praises wisely" and "In the sight of the Angels I will sing praise to Thee." Let us therefore consider how we ought to conduct ourselves in the sight of the Godhead and of His Angels, and let us take part in the psalmody in such a way that our mind may be in harmony with our voice.

St. Gregory of Sinai (6th Century Greek Father): Nothing so converts anger into joy and gentleness as courage and mercy. Like a siege engine, courage shatters enemies attacking the soul from without, mercy those attacking it from within. (On Commandments and Doctrines - Philokalia Vol VI)

St. Symeon, the New Theologian (9th Century – Abbot of St. John Studious Monastery, Constantinople): You must confess all the secrets of your heart, all that you have done from your infancy until this very hour, to your spiritual father or to the abbot as if to God himself, the diviner of hearts and minds. Do this in the knowledge that John baptized with the baptism of repentance and that all came to him confessing their sins (Matt 3:16). As a result of this, your soul will experience great joyand your conscience will find relief, in accordance with the words of the Prophet “First declare your sins, so that you may be set free.” (Isaiah 43:26)

St. Thomas a Kempis (15th Century German Augustinian Monk): Give yourself to me and that is enough; apart from You there is nothing that can give me comfort. Without You I cannot exist, and without Your visits I am unable to live. I must therefore, come to You often and receive You as the medicine of salvation, otherwise, deprived of this heavenly food, I shall faint on the way. (From the Imitation of Christ on the Benefits Coming from Frequent Communion)

Note to the reader: The following post was written by Pope Shenouda III, the "Oriental Orthodox" Pope of Alexandria. Although not in Communion with either the Catholic or Orthodox Churches, I thought his comments on this subject were insightful and worth listening to. There is no heresy in the comments of his post.

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria: Diabolic wars fight all; no one escapes them. When we speak of these wars, we mean the war waged by the devil and all his forces and supporters. Spiritual wars are allowed by God for our benefit, and for the crowns gained through them as one of the saints said “None shall be crowned except the one who conquers, and none shall conquer except the one who fights.” God intends by these wars to test the freedom of our will, and to give us the opportunity to deserve the riches of the heavens if we conquer. As for the devil, it is his nature to resist God’s Kingdom and fight those who seek it. He fights God in his children and accuses them as in the case of Job (1:2). He envies those who lead a life of righteousness so that they may not gain the divine blessing which he himself was deprived of.