The joy that is in God is stronger than this present life. And he who finds this joy, not only will he not pay attention to the passions, but he will not even give a thought to his own life, not will he have awareness of anything else, if his experience of this joy is true.
Love is sweeter than life. And the concord with God from which love is born is sweeter than honey and the honey comb. It does not seem grievous to Love to undergo a bitter death for the sake of he beloved… And to the heart which has received this joy every sweetness of this world seems superfluous. For there is nothing which can be likened to sweetness of the knowledge of God.
St. Isaac the Syrian
