St. Mark the Wrestler Quotes from: On Those who Think They Are Made Righteous by Works: Two Hundred Twenty Six Texts

st. mark

  • We cannot with all our heart forgive someone who does us wrong unless we possess real knowledge. For this knowledge shows us that we deserve all we experience.

  • Some people when praised for their virtue are delighted, and attribute this pleasurable feeling of self-esteem to grace. Others when reproved for their sins are pained, and they mistake this beneficial pain for the action of sin.

  • Often our knowledge becomes darkened because we fail to put things into practice. For when we have totally neglected to practice something, our memory of it will gradually disappear.

  • For this reason Scripture urges us to acquire the knowledge of God, so that through our works we may serve Him rightly.

  • When an intellect forgets real knowledge, it fights with men for harmful things as though they were helpful.

  • Each man’s knowledge is genuine to the extent that it is confirmed by gentleness, humility and love.