Isaac the Syrian Quotes

Once a person has, through divine assistance, become recollected from external concerns,

Prayer, however, is lower in rank than being stirred in spirit: on this there is no dispute, for prayer is inferior to this mystery.

What is a charitable heart? It is a heart which is burning with love for the whole creation, for men, for the birds, for the beasts … for all creatures. He who has such a heart cannot see or call to mind a creature without his eyes being filled with tears by reason of the immense compassion which seizes his heart; a heart which is softened and can no longer bear to see or learn from others of any suffering, even the smallest pain being inflicted upon a creature. That is why such a man never ceases to pray for the animals … [He is] … moved by the infinite pity which reigns in the hearts of those who are becoming united with God.

Just as all namings and appellations that concern God were with him at the beginning of creation,

Prayer does not consist only of the repeating <of words>,

The light of contemplation proceeds along

The “noetic cloud” is the intellect that is smitten with wonder

Or maybe there is someone who imagines that the level and the stirring of spiritual prayer consists in one of these things.

For every event, natural being and utterance in this creation there is a Sanctuary and a Holy of Holies.

How feeble is the power of <pen and> ink and the traces of the letters to indicate in writing the precise nature of <this> action,

What watering is to plants, exactly the same is continual silence for the growth of knowledge.

Life in the world is like a manuscript of writings that is still in rough draft.

Just as the non-rational light was entrusted for the distinction of bodies,

The man who follows Christ in solitary mourning is greater than he who praises Christ amid the congregations of men.

When a sailor voyages in the midst of the sea, he watches the stars,