Salvation and Prayer

Τινὲς τῷ θέρει ἐκ λιμένων ἀναχθένες ἐναυάγησαν, τινὲς δὲ ἐν χειμῶνι πλεύσαντες ἀκινδύνως ἐσώθησαν. Πόσοι δ' ἀθληταὶ ἀνενδοίαστον νίκην προσδοκήσαντες ἡττήθηαν; οἱ δε καὶ δευτερείων ἀπεγνωκότες τὰ πρωτεῖα ἐστεφανηφόρησαν; Μήτε οὖν καταφρονῶμεν, μήτε ἀπελπίζωμεν, ἀλλ' ἐφ' ἄπασι πράγμασι τῇ εὐχῇ κολληθῶμεν. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ Ι', Πτολεμαιῳ

Some relaxing in summer heat suffer shipwreck, some blown by winter's blasts are saved from danger. How many athletes promising to themselves undoubted victory have failed? How many despairing even of the lesser prizes have been crowned with the first? Therefore let us not be negligent, let us not be weak in mind, let us in all things cleave to prayer. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 10, To Ptolemaius