Falls and Wounds

Μὴ θαμβηθῆς καθ’ ἡμέραν πίπτων, μηδὲ ἀποπήδα, ἀλλὰ στήθι ἀνδρείως, καὶ πάνατως αἰδεσθήσεταί σου τὴν ὑπομονὴν ὁ φυλάσσων σε ἄγγελος. Ὡς νεαρὸν καὶ ζέον τὸ τραῦμα εὐῖατον εἷναι πέφυκε· τὰ γὰρ χρόνια καὶ ἡμελημένα καὶ κεχερσωμένα δυσίατα, καὶ πολλοῦ τοῦ κόπου, καὶ σιδήρου καὶ ξηρίου, καὶ τοῦ πυρὸς ἐνταῦθα πρὸς ἰατρείαν δεόμενα. Πολλὰ τῳ χρόνῳ ἀνίατα, παρὰ δὲ Θεῷ πάντα δυνατά. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος, ἡ Κλίμαξ

Do not be amazed that you fall every day, do not give up, but stand fast bravely, and assuredly the angel who guards you will respect your endurance. While a wound is still fresh and warm it is easy to heal, but if it is old, neglected and festering, it is most difficult to treat, requiring much trouble, cutting and cauterizing by the physician. Many from long neglect become incurable, but with God all things are possible. Saint John Climacus, The Ladder