Today's saint is St. John Climacus, whom we love for his very name. While the erudite know his last name is Greek for "ladder," the more ribald among us know it really means "climax," which has another -- and more fun -- meaning. He may have even been given that surname as a reference to his work: The Ladder (Klimax) of Paradise. Neat. As if we had a C. S. Narnia or H. G. War of the Worlds.
He was a monk on Mount Sinai from the ripe old age of 16 and not until he was 70 was he elected abbot of the monastery, St. Catherine's. He served in that capacity for 4 years until he died.
He is also known as John Scholasticus for his great scholarship. He is a contemplative and ascetic, and is ideas of the unitive way can be seen in St. Teresa of Ávila.
Here are some samplings from his work:
"The fact is that no one can climb a ladder in a single stride . . . At the beginning of one's life as a monk one cannot suddenly become free of gluttony and vainglory."
"The offspring of virtue is perseverance. The fruit and offspring of perseverance is habit, and the child of habit is character."
"Faith furnishes prayer with wings, without which it cannot soar to Heaven."
"Ecclesiastes declares that there is a time for everything under heaven, and everything may be taken to refer to our spiritual life. If this is so, then we ought to examine the matter; and we should do everything in proper season."
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