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

Patient endurance is the soul's struggle for virtue; where there is struggle for virtue, self-indulgence is banished.

All sin is due to sensual pleasure, all forgiveness to hardship and distress.

Self-control and strenuous effort curb desire; stillness and intense longing for God wither it.

He who fears God will pay careful attention to his soul and will free himself from communion with evil.

The adversary will sit in the temple of Jerusalem, in order to show himself as Christ, he will demand that those who are captivated by him should worship him as Christ. The Antichrist will demand worship as if he were God.

Blessed stillness gives birth to blessed children: self-control, love and pure prayer.

Just as desire and rage multiply our sins, so self-control and humility erase them.

Self-control and strenuous effort curb desire; stillness and intense longing for God wither it.

Long-suffering and readiness to forgive curb anger; love and compassion wither it.

Brothers, as long as you have breath in your bodies, strive for your salvation. Before the hour comes in which we shall weep for ourselves, let us practice virtue eagerly. For I tell you that if you knew what good things are in heaven, what promise is laid up for the saints and how those who have fallen away from God are punished and also what torments are laid up for those who have been negligent – especially those who have known the truth and have not led a way of life worthy of it so as to inherit that blessedness which is reserved for the saints and to flee the punishments of these torments – then you would endure every pain in order to be made perfect in the virtue which is according to Christ.

The person who is unaffected by the things of this world loves stillness; and he who loves no human thing loves all men.

A wise man is one who pays attention to himself and is quick to separate himself from all defilement.

Strive to love every man equally, and you will simultaneously expel all the passions.

The study of divine principles teaches knowledge of God to the person who lives in truth, longing and reverence.

Do not rail against anyone, but rather say ‘God knows each one.’ Do not agree with him who slanders, do not rejoice at his slander and do not hate him who slanders his neighbor. This is what it means not to judge.

Struggle until death to fulfill the commandments: purified through them, you will enter into life.

Dr. Bebis continues, 'The same language is used by St. Gregory the Theologian in his encomium to St. Cyprian. St. John Chrysostom says that we should seek the intercession and the fervent prayers of the saints, because they have special ''boldness'' (parresia), before God. (Gen. 44: 2 and Encomium to Julian, Iuventinus and Maximinus, 3).'

A haughty person is not aware of his faults, or a humble person of his good qualities. An evil ignorance blinds the first, an ignorance pleasing to God blinds the second.

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