A Call to Repentance
Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Joel 2:12-13
Sin
All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
“Man was broken by terrible temptations.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
“Christ could have kept the devil from himself; but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
“We should be displeased with ourselves when we commit sin, for sin is displeasing to God.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
“No one who has sin within him can see God.” + St. Theophilus of Antioch, bishop (unknown – 181 A.D.)
“You should permit yourself to be tormented by every kind of martyrdom before you would allow yourself to commit a mortal sin.” + St. Louis, King (1214-1270 A.D.)
“A man is justly condemned if, knowing the right way, he heads into the way of darkness.” + St. Barnabas, apostle (unknown – 61 A.D.)
“Indeed, he who does wrong is more to be lamented than he who suffers it, for his wickedness plunges the sinner into punishment, whereas endurance can raise the just man to glory.” + St. Leo the Great, pope (400-461 A.D.)
“The man who becomes proud loses his way and rushes to death.” + St. Cajetan, priest (1480-1547 A.D.)
“No one should complacently think himself innocent, lest his pride lead to further sin.” + St. Cyprian, bishop and martyr (208-258 A.D.)
“John the Baptist saw where his salvation lay. He understood that he was a lamp, and his fear was that it might be blown out by the wind of pride.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
“The reason for all disturbance, if we look to its roots, is that no one finds fault with himself.” + St. Dorotheus, abbot (505-565 A.D.)
“This is the definition of sin: the misuse of powers given us by God for doing good, a use contrary to God’s commandments.” + St. Basil the Great, bishop (329-379 A.D.)
“Keep watch; when the body is asleep nature takes control of us, and what is done is not done by our will but by force, by the impulse of nature.” + St. Ephrem, deacon (306-373 A.D.)
“Make no mistake, my brothers: those who corrupt families will not inherit the kingdom of God.” + St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr (35-98 A.D.)
“The teaching of the arrogant has this characteristic: they do not know how to introduce their teaching humbly and they cannot convey correctly to others the things they understand correctly themselves.” + St. Gregory the Great, pope (540-604 A.D.)
“Jealousy and strife have overthrown great cities and uprooted mighty nations.” + St. Clement I, pope (unknown – 100 A.D.)
“The sinner indeed walks the face of the earth in two directions: externally, his actions seem to be holy, but inwardly his thoughts are worldly.” + St. Gregory the Great, pope (540-604 A.D.)
“Small wonder that pride gives birth to division, and love to unity.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
“In the case of the poor, the lack of worldly goods is often accompanied by a quiet gentleness, whereas the rich are more prone to arrogance.” + St. Leo the Great, pope (400-461 A.D.)
“Which shepherds are dead? Those who seek what is theirs and not what is Christ’s.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
“For your sake, and because of your sin, Christ himself was regarded as a sinner; for his sake, therefore, you must cease to sin.” + St. Gregory Nazianzen, bishop (329-374 A.D.)
“The kingdom of God cannot exist alongside the reign of sin. Therefore, if we wish God to reign in us, in no way should sin reign in our mortal body.” + Origen, priest (185-251 A.D.)
“Never let us fall asleep in a state of sin, lest the prince of wickedness gain power over us and snatch us away from the kingdom of the Lord.” + St. Barnabas, apostle (unknown – 61 A.D.)
“Rouse your conscience to accuse you within your own house, lest it become your accuser before the judgment seat of the Lord.” + St. John Chrysostom, bishop (347-407 A.D.)
“Death is acquired by sin but avoided by right living; life is lost through sin and preserved through good living.” + St. Pacian, bishop (310-391 A.D.)
“God the Word visits in love those in trouble and temptation, to save them from being overwhelmed by their trials.” + St. Ambrose, bishop (340-397 A.D.)
“What sin is there so deadly that it cannot be pardoned by the death of Christ?” + St. Bernard, abbot (1090-1153 A.D.)
“Christ is the only man who can forgive sin.” + Blessed Isaac of Stella, abbot (1100 – 1169 A.D.)
“Christ will not forgive the sin of one who despises the Church.” + Blessed Isaac of Stella, abbot (1100 – 1169 A.D.)
“You should condemn your own sins; that will be enough reason for the Lord to forgive you, for a man who condemns his own sins is slower to commit them again.” + St. John Chrysostom, bishop (347-407 A.D.)
“Our boasting and our confidence must rest on the Lord.” + St. Clement I, pope (unknown – 100 A.D.)
“My brothers, we do not seek, nor should we seek, our own glory even among those whose approval we desire.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
“Remove all obstacles and stumbling blocks so that you will be able to go straight along the road to eternal life.” + St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop (315-387 A.D.)
“When the mists of sin no longer cloud the eye of your soul, you see that blessed vision clearly in the peace and purity of your own heart.” + St. Gregory of Nyssa, bishop (335-394 A.D.)
“May you never be numbered among those whose house is peaceful, quiet and free from care; those on whom the Lord’s chastisement does not descend; those who live out their days in prosperity, and in the twinkling of an eye will go down to hell.” + St. Raymond, priest (1175-1275 A.D.)
“Wherever you are on earth, however long you remain on earth, the Lord is near, do not be anxious about anything.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
