He Must Increase, and I Must Decrease (John 3:30) | John the Baptist | Moon & Gothic Text | Orthodox Christian HoodieAfter these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. John had not yet been thrown into prison. Then there arose a dispute between some of Johns disciples and the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him: Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan,

and the Elder retreated him to return to his cell

ye everlasting gates

- The Lorica of St Patrick

In other words

calm as an angel

But when He saith all things are put under Him

if he has no astringent to preserve us from rot

it causes all to weep and moves everyone to sadness:

This is most likely what St John Climacus is referring to when he writes that “even the pagans” “define philosophy as meditation on death

for his camp is exceedingly great

We are not of the night or of the darkness

(Note: all Psalms citations and numbering are according to the Septuagint