A treasury of the Church

The Library

One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Sayings of the saints — East and West, ancient and modern — gathered as a single choir, to be tasted slowly.

September’s gathering · a fresh selection each month

The whole choir of the Great Tradition.

When we live the worship of the Church, we live within the world the Scriptures themselves describe.
Fr Stephen De YoungEastern · Contemporary
We become what we worship.
G. K. BealeModern · Contemporary
Do not seek to be loved; seek to love. The one who loves is the one who is at rest.
St Paisios of Mount AthosEastern · 20th c.
Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Attributed to St Teresa of ÁvilaCarmelite · 16th c.
Grace is opposed to earning, but not to effort.
Dallas WillardModern · 20th–21st c.
To come to the knowledge you have not, you must go by a way in which you know not.
St John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount CarmelCarmelite · 16th c.
Prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.
St Teresa of Ávila, LifeCarmelite · 16th c.
Watchfulness is a continual fixing of one’s gaze on the Jesus Prayer.
Philokalia — St Philotheos of SinaiEastern · 9th c.
Our heart is restless, until it rests in You.
St Augustine, ConfessionsWestern · 4th–5th c.
Acquire a peaceful spirit, and around you thousands will be saved.
St Seraphim of SarovEastern · 19th c.
Prayer is keeping company with God.
Clement of AlexandriaWestern · 2nd–3rd c.
Holiness is not an addition to our humanity. It is humanity made whole in Christ.
Fr Stephen De YoungEastern · Contemporary
In the evening of life, we shall be judged on love alone.
St John of the CrossCarmelite · 16th c.
Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away. God alone is enough.
St Teresa of ÁvilaCarmelite · 16th c.
We are formed by what we love, and we love what we behold.
James K. A. SmithModern · Contemporary
The aim of the Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God.
St Seraphim of SarovEastern · 19th c.

“That they may all be one… so that the world may believe.” — John 17:21