St.Issac the Syrian books...

Comments

• Christrules

  June 2008

  Yeah, that would be awesome....
  
  Hey Copticpharaoh lets ask Abouna Tom
• coptic pharoah

  June 2008

  since i read the book, i was wondering where i can find them..... come on people, somebody must know something about this....  or at least ,post stuff that was written by Him....
• PopeKyrillos

  June 2008

  I've also been looking for things written by him.
  
  Repentance is given to man as grace after grace, for repentance is a second regeneration by God. That of which we have received in earnest by baptism, we receive as a gift by means of repentance. Repentance is the door of mercy, opened to those who seek it. By way of this door we enter into the mercy of God, and apart from this entrance we shall not find mercy. 'For all have sinned,' according to divine Scripture, 'being justified freely by His grace.' Repentance is the second grace and is begotten in the heart by faith and fear. Fear is the paternal rod which guides our way until we reach the spiritual paradise of good things. When we have attained thereto, it leaves us and turns back.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  Do not hate the sinner. We are, indeed, all laden with guilt. If for the sake of God you are moved to oppose him, weep over him. Why do you hate him? Hate his sins and pray for him, that you may imitate Christ, who was not wroth with sinners but interceded for them.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  Fasting was the commandment that was given to our nature in the beginning to protect it with respect to tasting of food, and in this point the progenitor of our substance fell. There, however, where the first defeat was suffered, the ascetic strugglers make their beginning in the fear of God as they start to keep His laws. And the savior also, when He manifested Himself to the world in the Jordan, began at this point. For after His baptism, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness and He fasted for forty days and forty nights.
  Likewise, all who set out to follow in His footsteps make the beginning of their struggle upon this foundation. For this is a weapon forged by God, and who shall escape blame if He neglects it? And if the lawgiver Himself fasts, who among those who keep the law, has no need of fasting? When the devil, the foe and the tyrant, sees a man bearing this weapon, he is straight away frightened and he recollects and considers that defeat which he suffered in the wilderness at the hands of the Savior; at once his strength is shattered and the very sight of this weapon, given us by our Commander-in-chief, burns him.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  Perseverance in prayer cleanses the intellect, illumines it, and fills it with the light of truth. The virtues, led by compassion, give the intellect peace and light. The cleansing of the intellect is not a dialectical, discursive and theoretical activity, but an act of grace through experience and is ethical in every respect. The intellect is purified by fasting, vigils, silence, prayer, and other ascetic practices.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  Fasting is the champion of every virtue, the beginning of the struggle, the crown of the abstinent, the beauty of virginity and sanctity, the resplendence of chastity, the commencement of the path of Christianity, the mother of prayer, the wellspring of sobriety and prudence, the teacher of stillness, and the precursor of all good works. Just as the enjoyment of light is coupled with healthy eyes, so desire for prayer accompanies fasting that is practiced with discernment.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  No man has been entrusted with great things without having first been tried in small ones.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  Why do you increase your bonds? Take hold of your life before your light grows dark and you seek help and do not find it. This life has been given to you for repentance; do not waste it in vain pursuits.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  No man has understanding if he is not humble, and he who lacks humility is devoid of understanding. No man is humble if he is not peaceful, and he who is not peaceful is not humble. And no man is peaceful without rejoicing. In all the paths upon which men journey in this world they will find no peace, until they draw nigh to hope in God.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  To whatever extent a person draws close to God with his intentions, is to what extent God draws close to him with His gifts.
  
  A handful of sand, thrown into the sea, is what sinning is, when compared to God’s Providence and mercy. Just like an abundant source of water is not impeded by a handful of dust, so does the Creator’s mercy not defeated by the sins of His creations.
  
  The natural that precedes faith is the path toward faith and toward God. Being implanted by God into our nature, it alone convinces us for the need to believe in God, Who had brought everything into being.
  
  Those, in whom the light of faith truly shines, never reach such unashamedness as to ask God: "Give us this," or — "Remove from us this." Because their spiritual eyes — with which they were blessed by that genuine Father, Who with His great love, countlessly transcends any fatherly love — continually view the Father’s Providence, they are not concerned in the slightest about themselves. God can do more than anyone else, and can assist us by a far greater measure than we could ever ask for, or even imagine.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  
  To select a good deed depends on the initiator; to realize the intention — that is God’s deed. Consequently, let us adhere to the rule, so that every good intention that comes to us is followed by frequent prayers, appealing to God to not only grant us help, but also if it is pleasing or not to Him. Because not every good intention comes from God, but only those that are beneficial.
  
  Sometimes, a person wishes something good, but God doesn’t help him — maybe because the intention came from the devil and is not for our benefit; or maybe because it is beyond our strength as we have not attained the necessary spiritual level; or maybe because it doesn’t correspond to our calling; or maybe because the time is not right to initiate it; or maybe because we don’t have the necessary knowledge or strength to accomplish it; or maybe because circumstances will not contribute to its success. Besides this, the devil contrives in every way to paint it as something good so that having inclined us toward it, he could upset our spiritual tranquility or inflict harm on us. That’s why it is necessary for us to diligently examine all our good desires. Better still, do everything after seeking counsel.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  
  Not having distinctly experienced God’s patronage, the heart is in no condition to commune with Christ.
  
  A person cannot acquire a reliance on God if prior to this, he hasn’t fulfilled His will according to one’s own strength. Because hope in God and fortitude is born from witness of the conscience (in God): and only with genuine witness of our mind (in God) can we have trust in Him.
  
  God demands not only the fulfillment of the commandments but also — more importantly — reformation of the soul, which is the reason why the commandments were given. The body participates equally in good as well as bad deeds, and reason, by its behavior, becomes either righteous or sinful, judging by its disposition.
  
  Life in this temporary world is akin to writing letters on a tablet. Everyone, when he wants to, can add or delete words on it or rearrange the letters. But the future life is akin to a manuscript, written on a clean sheet, on which it is forbidden to add or delete and stamped with the king’s seal. That’s why while we are in this inconstant world, let us be attentive to ourselves. And while we have authority over the earthly manuscript, on which we write with our own hand, let us endeavor to make good additions from a righteous life and delete on it, all the failings of our past actions. This is because while we are in this world, God does not affix His stamp neither to the virtuous nor the evil -up to the hour of our leaving this life.
  
  When in remembering his sins a person punishes himself, God looks upon him with affection. God is pleased that for turning away from His path, the individual has conferred punishment upon himself — this serves as a sign of genuine repentance. And the harder the sinner compels himself, the greater the increase in God’s affection for him.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  
  The will of the Spirit is for everyone that loves Him to abide in labor. God’s Spirit does not dwell in those that are living peacefully. The sons of God are distinct from others, because they live in grief while the world boasts of extravagance and tranquility. God did not deign for those who love Him to rest while they are still in their bodies, but for now, to dwell in grief, burdened, in labor, in scarcity, in bareness, in want, in humiliation, in insults, in bodily inconveniences, in sad thoughts. Thus are the words fulfilled about them: "In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33). God knows that those who live peacefully, are incapable of loving Him and therefore, denies the righteous this temporary peace and enjoyment.
  
  Fire does not inflame on wet firewood, and God’s flames do not ignite in the heart that loves peace.
  
  If you are unable to perform a deed physically, then at least grieve about it mentally.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  If you have become strongly attached to something, regard that as an acquisition not only in this world, but know that it will go with you into the next world. And if it is something good, be joyous and thank God; however, if it is something wicked, then be distressed and lament. Endeavor to rid yourself of this attachment, while you are still alive.
  
  While the bad behavior is still in its infancy and hasn’t developed, destroy it before it spreads its branches and matures. While the defect seems minor to you, do not succumb to indifference, because consequently you will find in it an inhuman master before whom you will run like a slave and captive. But the one, who at the beginning opposes the passion, will soon rise above it.
  
  He, who in the hope of repentance intentionally sins again, is being deceitful before God: death will befall him unexpectedly and he will not have the time, during which he had hoped to realize his good intentions.
  
  Clear your room of all surplus items so as to forcefully teach yourself self-restraint. Sparseness in everything teaches a person self-restraint.
  
  He who voluntarily denies himself earthly blessings, to what extent he denies them, is the extent to which God’s mercy shall follow him and support the individual’s God-given love of his fellow man.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  
  Good deeds are intertwined with sorrows. He who walks away from sorrows, undoubtedly separates himself from good deeds. If you desire to perform good deeds, surrender yourself to every type of sorrow, because sorrow gives birth to humility. As long as we haven’t attained a true direction, we will be drawing closer to humility through temptations. A person, who enjoys his good deeds without sorrow, is a person to whom the gates of pride are open.
  
  A small sorrow for God’s sake is better than a great deed achieved without sorrow. What is done without effort, i.e. Earthly people’s "correctness" (being benevolent for the outside world, while not acquiring anything beneficial within themselves). But you commit yourself privately and imitate Christ, so that you may become worthy to savor His glory. The mind will not be glorified with Christ if the body doesn’t suffer with Him.
  
  If a soul is feeble and lacks sufficient strength for enduring great temptations and therefore asks God not to be exposed to them, and God hears it — then know surely, that by whatever measure the soul lacks sufficient strength for great temptations, is the same measure it lacks sufficient strength to cope with big endowments. Because God does not grant big endowments without great temptations. God determines temptations commensurate to endowments.
  
  God is close to the heart of the one that cries out to Him in sorrow. Even if a person is sometimes exposed to some type of physical deprivations or other sorrows, God manifests all types of compassion to the soul, commensurate to its level of suffering.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  
  There are two facets to humility. The first is composed of you regarding your brother as more sensible than yourself and more superior to you, or according to the advice of the Holy Fathers, "regard yourself as being lower than everybody." The second is comprised in ascribing your self-imposed meritorious ordeal to God — this is the complete form of humility of the Saints. It is born naturally in the soul through fulfilling the commandments. Because it is like the branches of a tree that sag downwards when they have abundant fruit on them. However, branches that have no fruit strive upwards and grow straight up. There are trees in existence that will not bear fruit unless their branches are bent downwards: if somebody attaches a stone to them so that they grow toward the ground, they yield fruit. Similarly with the soul, when it becomes humble, it brings forth fruit, and the more fruit it produces, the humbler it becomes. The closer the Saints get to God, the more they realize their sinfulness.
  
  Know that if a person is oppressed by some thought and he does not confess it (to his spiritual father), he will give the thought more power to oppose and torment him. If the person confesses the oppressive thought, if he opposes and struggles with it, instilling into himself the desire for the opposite to the thought, then the passion will weaken and will eventually cease to plague him. Thus with time, in committing himself and receiving assistance from God, that person will conquer the passion itself.
  
  Being prone to passions, we mustn’t believe our own heart because a crooked precept will warp the upright.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  
  Do not demand love from your neighbor, because you will suffer if you don’t receive it; but better still, you indicate your love toward your neighbor and you will settle down. In this way, you will lead your neighbor toward love.
  
  Don’t exchange your love toward your neighbor for some type of object, because in having love toward your neighbor, you acquire within yourself Him, Who is most precious in the whole world. Forsake the petty so as to acquire the great; spurn the excessive and everything meaningless so as to acquire the valuable.
  
  Shelter the sinner if it brings you no harm. Through this you will encourage him toward repentance and reform — and attract the Lord’s mercy to yourself. With a kind word and all possible means, fortify the infirm and the sorrowful and that Right Arm that controls everything, will also support you. With prayers and sorrow of your heart, share your lot with the aggrieved and the source of God’s mercy will open to your entreaties.
  
  When giving, give magnanimously with a look of kindness on your face, and give more than what is asked of you.
  
  Do not distinguish the worthy from the unworthy. Let everyone be equal to you for good deeds, so that you may be able to also attract the unworthy toward goodness, because through outside acts, the soul quickly learns to be reverent before God.
  
  Do not annoy or hate anyone – neither for faith, nor for his evil deeds… If you want to convert someone to truth, then grieve over him, with tears and love say a word or two to him, but do not burst out in anger, and may he not see any sign of hatred on your part, because love is not able to hate, or become irritated, or reproach anyone with passion…
  
  A merciful heart — is a heart afire for all creation: for people, bird, animals, (even) for demons and all of God’s creations. At the recollection of them or at looking at them, the eyes of the person shed tears. From a great compassion, his heart is moved and he is unable to hear or witness any type of harm or even minor sorrow that the creatures endure. That is why he is continually praying for the irrational animal, for the enemies of the truth and those that have brought him harm, so that they would be saved and granted mercy. And he prays for the dumb animal with such great sorrow, which his heart evokes, that it is without bounds and akin in all respect to God’s.
  
  He who shows kindness toward the poor has God as his guardian, and he who becomes poor for the sake of God will acquire abundant treasures. God is pleased when He sees people showing concern for others for His sake. When someone asks you for something, don’t think: "Just in case I might need it, I shall leave it for myself, and God — through other people — will give that person what he requires." These types of thoughts are peculiar to people that are iniquitous and do not know God. A just and generous person would not compromise the honor of helping and relinquish it to another person, and he would never pass up an opportunity to help. Every beggar and every needy person receives the necessary essentials, because God doesn’t neglect anyone. But you, having sent away the destitute with nothing, spurned the honor offered to you by God and thereby, distanced yourself from His grace.
  
  Through God’s providence, he who respects every person for God’s sake, privately acquires help from every human being.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  
  In order to teach others, always regard yourself insufficiently intelligent — and throughout your whole life, you will appear wise.
  
  Do not relate to anyone anything that you have not experienced, so that you will not be ashamed of yourself and your lie is not exposed by your careless life.
  St. Isaac the Syrian
  
  PK
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• coptic pharoah

  June 2008

  WOW... where did you get all of this PK?  this is wonderful.. thank you