St. Mark the Ascetic

[ChristianCatholic]

Shin,

Where do all the quotes from St. Mark the Ascetic come from?

[Shin]

They're from his works 'On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts', 'On Those who Think that They are Made Righteous by Works: Two Hundred and Twenty-Six Texts', and "Letter to Nicolas the Solitary'.

There's not much of his work translated into English as far as I can tell. The only way to get it AFAIK is through the compilation work the Philokalia, which in its first two volumes at least is largely a compilation of Catholic works from before the schism of the 'Orthodox'. If you throw away what little commentary there is included with the work from that perspective, then there are some important writings that AFAIK you cannot otherwise get of some saints.

[CyrilSebastian]

From his youth Mark's fondest pursuit was the reading of Holy Scripture.

[Shin]

St. Mark the Ascetic truly has so many wonderful quotes. So much so that I read a 14th century manuscript contains the words:

"Sell everything and buy Mark!"

[CyrilSebastian]

St. Mark's works are traditionally of the spiritual law, of penitence, of baptism, and on fasting and humility.

[CyrilSebastian]

A quotation from St. Mark the Ascetic   
 
You should continually and increasingly call to mind all the blessings which God in His love     
has bestowed on you in the past, and still bestows for the salvation of your soul.

[Benedict]

"Wishing to show that to fulfill every commandment is a duty, whereas sonship is a gift given to men through His own Blood, the Lord said: 'When you have done all that is commanded you, say: 'We are useless servants: we have only done what was our duty' (Luke 17:10). Thus the kingdom of heaven is not a reward for works, but a gift of grace prepared by the Master for his faithful servants."

Saint Mark the Ascetic