7 Quotes by Benedicta Ward

A monk was told that his father had died. He said to the messenger, "Do not blaspheme. My Father cannot die.

The devil appeared to a monk disguised as an angel of light, and said to him, ‘I am the angel Gabriel, and I have been sent to you.’ But the monk said, ‘Are you sure you weren’t sent to someone else? I am not worthy to have an angel sent to me.’ At that the devil vanished.

Evagrius said, ‘Cut the desire for many things out of your heart and so prevent your mind being dispersed and your stillness lost.

Evagrius said, ‘A wandering mind is strengthened by reading, and prayer. Passion is dampened down by hunger and work and solitude. Anger is repressed by psalmody and long-suffering and mercy. But all these should be at the proper times and in due measure.

A monk was told that his father had died. He said to the messenger, “Do not blaspheme. My Father cannot die.

Daniel said, ‘If the body is strong, the soul weakens. If the body weakens, the soul is strong.

When Poemen was asked how he dealt with any brother who fell asleep during public prayer, he replied, ‘I put his head upon my knees and help him to rest.