“Our spir­itual struggle is very small, our passions are strong, on the inside and on the outside. Our careless­ness is at the maximum, and the negligence of our spiritual duties is certain. Despite the truth of all this, we will keep struggling bravely and steadily. We will pay no attention to all our enemy’s tricks. We will attach no importance to them whatsoever; only on­wards.”
(Elder Ephraim of Arizona+, monastery letter, December 1999)