Sayings St. John Cassian ~ Entry and adoption of thoughts

 

It is impossible for the mind to remain undisturbed by thoughts, but anyone serious about the matter can certainly permit them entry or drive them away, and although their origin does not lie entirely under our control we can choose to approve of them and to adopt them.

~ St. John Cassian

thanks:

http://theodorakis.net/orthodoxquotescomplete.html

Sayings Confucius & Socrates ~ on the importance of correct language

 

   You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.

~ Socrates (Phaedo, Plato)

Tsze-lu said, "The ruler of Wei has been waiting for you, in order with you to administer the government. What will you consider the first thing to be done?"

The Master replied, "What is necessary is to rectify names." "So! indeed!" said Tsze-lu. "You are wide of the mark! Why must there be such rectification?"

The Master said, "How uncultivated you are, Yu! A superior man, in regard to what he does not know, shows a cautious reserve.

"If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success.

"When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music do not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot.

"Therefore a superior man considers it necessary that the names he uses may be spoken appropriately, and also that what he speaks may be carried out appropriately. What the superior man requires is just that in his words there may be nothing incorrect."

~ Confucius

Sayings Caine ~ honor and our interests

 

It is said that honor dies where interest lies. 

~ Caine

Sayings St. Thomas Aquinas ~ Theology and philosophy

 

  This science [theology] can in a sense depend upon the philosophical sciences, not as though it stood in need of them, but only in order to make its teaching clearer. For it accepts its principles not from other sciences; but immediately from God, by revelation. Therefore it does not depend upon other sciences as upon the higher, but makes use of them as of the lesser, and as handmaidens: even so the master sciences make use of the sciences that supply their materials, as political of military science. That it thus uses them is not due to its own defect or insufficiency, but to the defect of our intelligence, which is more easily led by what is known through natural reason (from which proceed the other sciences), to that which is above reason...

From St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa of the Summa, Ques. 1 Fifth Art., edited by Peter Kreeft; Ignatius Press pgs. 42-43):

Thanks:

http://theodorakis.net/orthodoxquotescomplete.html

Sayings St. John Cassian ~ The souls of the dead not deprived of intellect, feelings

 

  ...the souls of the dead [are] not deprived of their intellectual faculties but... they also are not lacking in feelings such as hope and sadness, joy and fear. They already have a foretaste of what is in store for them after the general judgment. Nor does it happen, as some unbelievers would hold, that upon leaving this world they are turned to nothing. Actually they live more intensely and they concentrate more on the praises of God.

From St. John Cassian (Conferences, Conf. One sect. 14; Paulist Press pg. 49):

Thanks:

http://theodorakis.net/orthodoxquotescomplete.html

Sayings St. John Cassian ~ place, service & companionship in Eternity

 

Let everybody know this. He shall be assigned to the place and to the service to which he gave and devoted himself in this life and he can be sure that in eternity he will have as his lot the service and the companionship which he preferred in this life.

~ St. John Cassian