Not an exchange
29 May 2023
People who have self-restraint refrain from gluttony; those without property, from greed; the quiet, from idle talk; the pure, from sensual pleasure; the demure, from fornication; the self-sufficient, from avarice; the meek, from turmoil; the humble, from vainglory; and the self-aware, from hypocrisy; Moreover, those who pray avoid despair; the poor, large amounts of money; those who confess Christ, denial; martyrs, idolatry. Do you see that every virtue that continues until death is simply an abstention from a sin. Refraining from sin is a natural task, and not exchange for the kingdom of heaven.
Saint Mark the Ascetic
