Mar Ephrem the Syrian (The Great)
St Ephrem: Excerpt on The Rogation of the Ninevites
St Ephrem: Homily on The Lord's Fast
St. John Chrysostom
Theodore of Mopsuestia
Mar Narsai (The Harp of the Spirit)
Mar Isaac of Nineveh
Excerpt from the writings of Mar Isaac:
Ch. XXXIX – Helpful advice based on Love.
"The hard temptations into which God brings the soul are in accordance with the greatness of His gifts. If there is a weak soul which is
not able to bear a very hard temptation and God deals meekly with it, then know with certainty that, as it is not capable of bearing a hard temptation, so it
is not worthy of a large gift.
As great temptations have been withdrawn from it, so large gifts are also withdrawn from it. God never gives a large gift and small
temptations. So temptations are to be classed in accordance with gifts. Thus from the hardships to which thou has been subjected thou mayest understand the
measure of the greatness which thy soul has reached, In accordance with affection is consolation.”
