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

Fear is a rehearsing of danger beforehand; or again, fear is a trembling sensation of the heart, alarmed and troubled by unknown misfortunes. Fear is a loss of assurance.

He who has put a stop to anger has also destroyed remembrance of wrongs; because childbirth continues only while the father is alive.

If you possess the gift of mourning, hold on to it with all your might. For it is easily lost when it is not firmly established. And just as wax melts in the presence of fire, so it is easily dissolved by noise and bodily cares, and by luxury, and especially by talkativeness and levity.

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.

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

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

A fish swiftly escapes a hook and a sensual soul shuns solitude.

I think that for those living in community obedience is a greater virtue than chastity, however perfect. Chastity carries within it the danger of pride, but obedience has within it the promise of humility.

Before all else, let us list sincere thanksgiving first on the scroll of our prayer. On the second line, we should put confession and heartfelt contrition of soul. Then let us present our petition to the King of all. This is the best way of prayer, as it was shown to one of the brethren by an angel of the Lord.

If a person swallows too much food, he is inviting impure thoughts. If he mortifies the stomach, he is creating pure thoughts. Often a lion if it is caressed becomes domesticated, whereas the more you coddle the body, the more it goes wild.

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

Praise God continually with spiritual hymns and always remain in meditation and in this way you will be able to bear the burden of the temptations that come upon you. A traveler who is carrying a heavy load pauses from time to time and draws in deep breaths; it makes the journey easier and the burden lighter.

A man who has embraced poverty offers up prayer that is pure, while a man who loves possessions prays to material images.

A treasure that is known is quickly spent: and even so any virtue that is commented on and made a public show of is destroyed. Even as wax is melted before the face of fire, so is the soul enfeebled by praise, and loses the toughness of its virtue.

Love and humility form a holy pair; what the first builds, the second binds, thus preventing the building from falling asunder.

He who has tasted the things on high easily despises what is below. But he who has not tasted the things above finds joy in possessions.

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

Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing.

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

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