Gregory of Nyssa famous quotes

04-05-2025

If we truly think of Christ as our source of holiness, we shall refrain from anything wicked or impure in thought or act and thus show ourselves to be worthy bearers of his name. For the quality of holiness is shown not by what we say but by what we do in life.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Thinking #Names #Wicked
Just as at sea those who are carried away from the direction of the harbor bring themselves back on course by a clear sign, on seeing a tall beacon light or some mountain peak coming into view, so Scripture may guide those adrift on the sea of the life back into the harbor of the divine will.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Light #Views #Sea
Hope always draws the soul from the beauty which is seen to what is beyond, always kindles the desire for the hidden through what is constantly perceived. Therefore, the ardent lover of beauty, although receiving what is always visible as an image of what he desires, yet longs to be filled with the very stamp of the archetype.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Soul #Desire #Receiving
That we may merge into the deep and dazzling darkness, vanish into it, dissolve in it forever in an unbelievable bliss beyond imagination, for absolute nothingness represents absolute bliss.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Imagination #Forever #Darkness
Concepts create idols; only wonder comprehends anything. People kill one another over idols. Wonder makes us fall to our knees.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Fall #Idols #People
[Jews are] murderers of the Lord, assassins of the prophets, rebels against God, God haters,... advocates of the devil, race of vipers, slanderers, calumniators, dark-minded people, leaven of the Pharisees, sanhedrin of demons, sinners, wicked men, stoners, and haters of righteousness.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Dark #Men #Race
There is one antidote for evil passions: the purification of our souls which takes place through the mystery of godliness. The chief act of faith in this mystery is to look to Him who suffered the passion for us. The cross is the passion, so that whoever looks to it? is not harmed by the poison of desire. To look to the cross means to render one's whole life dead and crucified to the world.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Christian #Passion #Mean
Concepts create idols; only wonder understands anything.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Idols #Wonder
As no darkness can be seen by anyone surrounded by light, so no trivialities can capture the attention of anyone who has his eyes on Christ.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Eye #Light #Darkness
Peace is defined as harmony among those who are divided. When, therefore, we end the civil war within our nature and cultivate peace within ourselves, we become at peace.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#War #Catholic #Harmony
Since with all my soul I behold the face of my beloved, therefore all the beauty of his form is seen in me.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Soul #Faces #Beloved
He who gives you the day will also give you the things necessary for the day.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Giving
May we never risk the life of our souls by being resentful or by bearing grudges.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Catholic #Soul #Risk
Today the darkness begins to grow shorter and the light to lengthen, as the hours of night become fewer.... Realize that the true light is now here and, through the rays of the gospel, is illumining the whole earth.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Night #Light #Darkness
For virtue is a light and buoyant thing, and all who live in her way fly like clouds as Isaiah says, and as doves with their young ones; but sin is a heavy affair, as another of the prophets says, sitting upon a talent of lead.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Christian #Clouds #Light
It is impossible that one who has turned to the world and feels its anxieties, and engages his heart in the wish to please men, can fulfill that first and great commandment of the Master, 'You shall love God with all your heart and with all your strength' (Mt. 22:37).
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Christian #Heart #Men
... where Solomon says that 'Wisdom has built herself a house' (Prov. 9:1), he refers darkly in these words to the preparation of the flesh of the Lord: for the true Wisdom did not dwell in another's building, but built for Itself that dwelling-place from the body of the Virgin.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Christian #Dwelling #House
There have been delivered to us in the Gospel three Persons and names through Whom the generation of the birth of believers takes place, and he who is begotten by this Trinity is equally begotten of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ? for thus does the Gospel speak of the Spirit, that 'that which is born of the Spirit is spirit' (Jn. 3:6), and it is 'in Christ' (I Cor. 4:15) that Paul begets, and the Father is the 'Father of all.'
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Christian #Father #Son
Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again... Closed in the darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light; captives, we awaited a Savior... Are these things minor or insignificant? Did they not move God to descend to human nature and visit it, since humanity was in so miserable and unhappy a state?
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Faith #Moving #Inspiration
The silent painting speaks on the walls and does much good.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Art #Wall #Doe
For truly barren is profane education, which is always in labor but never gives birth. For what fruit worthy of such pangs does philosophy show for being so long in labor? Do not all who are full of wind and never come to term miscarry before they come to the light of the knowledge of God, although they could as well become men if they were not altogether hidden in the womb of barren wisdom?
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Philosophy #Men #Light
The three most ancient opinions concerning God are Anarchia, Polyarchia, and Monarchia. The first two are the sport of the children of Hellas, and may they continue to be so. For Anarchy is a thing without order; and the Rule of Many is factious, and thus anarchical, and thus disorderly. For both these tend to the same thing, namely disorder; and this to dissolution, for disorder is the first step to dissolution. But Monarchy is what we hold in honor.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Sports #Children #Order
If custom is to avail for proof of soundness, we too, surely, may advance our prevailing custom; and if they reject this, we are surely not bound to follow theirs. Let the inspired Scripture, then, be our umpire, and the vote of truth will surely be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words.
-- Gregory of Nyssa

#Umpires #May #Scripture

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