A collection of scriptural meditations from Saints and Fathers of the Church.

Meekness is a rock overlooking the sea of anger, which breaks all the waves that dash against it, yet remains completely unmoved.

He who refuses to accept a criticism, just or not, renounces his own salvation, while he who accepts it, hard or not though it may be, will soon have his sins forgiven.

Just as water when it squeezed on all sides shoots up above, so does the soul when it is pressed hard by dangers often rise to God and be saved.

A vigilant eye makes the mind pure; but much sleep hardens the soul.

People of high spirit bear offence nobly and gladly, but only the holy and righteous can pass through praise without harm.

The beginning of the mortification both of the soul’s desire and of the bodily members is much hard work. The middle is sometimes laborious and sometimes not laborious. But the end is insensibility and insusceptibility to toil and pain. Only when he sees himself doing his own will does this blessed living corpse feel sorry and sick at heart; and he fears the responsibility of using his own judgment.

Do not go into detail in confessing carnal acts, lest you become a traitor to yourself.

It is a great work to shake from the soul the praise of men, but to reject the praise of demons is greater.

A servant of the Lord is he who in body stands before men, but in mind knocks at Heaven with prayer.

As a ray of sun, passing through a crack, lights everything in the house and shows up even the finest dust, so the fear of the Lord, entering a man's heart, reveals to him all his sins.

Our own will is like a wall of brass between us and God, preventing us from coming near to Him or contemplating His mercy.

Let your very dress urge you to the work of mourning, because all who lament the dead are dressed in black. If you do not mourn, mourn for this cause. And if you mourn, lament still more that, by your sins, you have brought yourself down from a state free of labors to one of labor.

As galloping horses race one another, so a good community excites mutual fervor.

Repentance raises the fallen, mourning knocks at the gate of Heaven, and holy humility opens it.

Increasing self-criticism is the sign of increasing humility. Indeed, there is no clearer sign.

Just as over-drinking is a matter of habit, so too from habit comes over-sleeping. Therefore we must struggle with the question of sleep, especially in the early days of obedience, because a long-standing habit is difficult to cure.

Stint your stomach and you will certainly lock your mouth, because the tongue is strengthened by an abundance of food. Struggle with all your might against the stomach and restrain it with all sobriety. If you labor a little, the Lord will also soon work with you.

Control your appetites before they control you.

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Parish

Mailing Address

Archangel Michael Orthodox Church
5025 E. Mill Rd
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147

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[email protected]
440-526-5192 (Phone)