Selected quotes from St. Antony the Great

"Intelligence is the servant of the intellect: whatever the intellect wills, the intelligence conceives and expresses...Through silence you come to understanding; having understood, you give expression. It is in silence that the intellect gives birth to the intelligence; and the thankful intelligence offered to God is man's salvation."

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"The truly intelligent soul, which enjoys the love of God, knows everything in life in a direct and immediate way; it lovingly woos God's favour, sincerely gives Him thanks, and aspires with all its strength towards Him."

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"The eye perceives the visible; the intellect apprehends the invisible. The intellect that enjoys the love of God is the light of the soul. He who has such an intellect is illumined in his heart, and sees God with his intellect."