Celebration

“And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities

or in the country gather together to one place, and

the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the

prophets are read, as long as time permits; then,

when the reader has ceased, the president verbally

instructs and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as

we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the assent, saying Amen;”

 ...Justin Martyr

Hold Your Tongue

One of the hermits said, "When first we used to meet each other in the assembly and talk of what was helpful to our soul, we were always withdrawn more from the things of sense and we ascended to the heavenly places.  But now when we meet, we spend our time in gossip, and so we drag each other down."

The Desert Fathers - Sayings of the Early Christian Monks

Repentance

Repentance is the renewal of baptism. Repentance is a contract
with God for a second life. A penitent is a buyer of humility.
Repentance is constant distrust of bodily comfort. Repentance is
self-condemning reflection, and carefree self-care. Repentance is
the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair.

A penitent is an undisgraced convict. Repentance is reconciliation with the
Lord by the practice of good deeds contrary to the sins.
Repentance is purification of conscience. Repentance is the
voluntary endurance of all afflictions. A penitent is the
inflicter of his own punishments. Repentance is a mighty
persecution of the stomach, and a striking of the soul into
vigorous awareness.

St. John Climacus  (c. 7th Century CE, also known as John of the Ladder