Envy is the passion which causes evil, the father of death, the first entrance of sin, the root of wickedness, the birth of sorrow, the mother of misfortune, the basis of disobedience, the beginning of shame. Envy banished us from Paradise, having become a serpent to oppose Eve. Envy walled us off from the tree of life, divested us of holy garments, and in shame led us away clothed with […]
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Gregory of Nyssa: Spiritual Ascent in Christ
In another Scriptural passage the progress is a standing still, for it says, You must stand on the rock. This is the most marvelous thing of all: how the same thing is both a standing still and a moving. For he who ascends certainly does not stand still, and he who stands still does not move upwards. But here the ascent takes place by means of the standing. I mean […]
Read moreGregory of Nyssa: Life of Moses II
Fatherly Care for the Young I do this, not moved to it by some unconsidered impulse, but to humor the delights of a beloved child. Since the letter which you recently sent requested us to furnish you with some counsel concerning the perfect life, I thought it only proper to answer your request. Although there may be nothing useful for you in my words, perhaps this example of ready obedience […]
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Gregory of Nyssa: Life of Moses
Good is Limitless No Good has a limit in its own nature but is limited by the presence of its opposite, as life is limited by death and light by darkness … Just as the end of life is the beginning of death, so also stopping in the race of virtue marks the beginning of the race of evil. Whoever pursues true virtue participates in nothing other than God, because […]
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