Virtue And Quiet

Ὁ διαπεράσαι θέλων τήν νοητὴν θάλασσαν, μακροθυμεῖ, ταπεινοφρονεῖ ἀγρυπνει, ἐγκρατεύεται. Ἐκτὸς δὲ τῶν τεσσάρων τούτων ἐὰν εἰσελθεῖν βιάσηται, θορυβεῖ τὴν καρδίαν, περάσαι δὲ οὐ δύναται. Ἡσυχία ὠφελεῖ, τῶν κακῶν ἀργήσασα. Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τὰς τέσσαρας ἀρετὰς ἐν προσευχῇ προσλάβῃ βοήθημα, πρὸς ἀπάθειαν οὐδὲν αὐτῇ συντομώτερον. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source: Migne PG 65.936a

He who would willingly cast himself into the spiritual sea requires long suffering, humility, vigilance and temperance. Without these four, if someone tries to enter, his heart is troubled, and he cannot. Quiet is of benefit when it has leisure from the vices, and if the four aforementioned virtues have been received for help in prayer, since nothing else can achieve the untroubled state. Saint Mark The Ascetic, On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works