Saint and Scripture St John Climacus

As I was watching EWTN on Wednesday morning I saw a quote: "Run from places of sin as from the plague."--St John Climacus
I found the saying to be really profound, since sin is just as dangerous to souls as plagues are to bodies. It is a reminder to actively resist that which draws us away from God.
St John Climacus was born in the 6th Century in Palestine. At 16 he joined St Catherine's Monastery (it still exists) on Mt Sinai. After a time he withdrew to a hermitage at the base of the mountain. Two of his written works still exist today, Ladder of Divine Ascent and To the Pastor. The Ladder of Divine Ascent also has an icon named for it.
St John Climacus's quote also reminded of Christ's warnings to cut off anything which leads us into sin.

"You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell." Matthew 5:28-30

"And if thy hand, or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire." Matthew 18:8

"And if thy hand scandalize thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life, maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into unquenchable fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished. And if thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter lame into life everlasting, than having two feet, to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished. And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee with one eye to enter into the kingdom of God, than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished." Mark 9:42-47

May God bless all who read my ramblings,


Source for the pic of St John Climacus
Source for the ladder icon