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

It seems to me that, in all cases when indignity is offered to us, we should be silent; for it is our moment of profit.

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.

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

Let us monks, then, be as trustful as the birds are; for they have no cares, neither do they gather into barns.

A sign of deliverance from our falls is the continual reckoning of ourselves as debtors.

Patience is an unbroken labor of the soul which is never shaken by deserved or undeserved blows.

Meekness is an unchangeable state of mind, which remains the same in honor and dishonor.

Most of us call ourselves sinners, and perhaps really think it; but it is indignity that tests the heart.

Do not condemn, even if you see with your eyes, for they are often deceived.

Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the angel who guards you will honor your patience.

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.

Do not trust that because of abstinence you will not fall. One who had never eaten was cast from Heaven.

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.

Do not regard the feelings of a person who speaks to you about his neighbor disparagingly, but rather say to him: 'Stop, brother! I fall into graver sins every day, so how can I criticize him?' In this way you will achieve two things: you will heal yourself and your neighbor with one plaster. This is one of the shortest ways to the forgiveness of sins; I mean, not to judge. 'Judge not, and ye shall not be judged,' (Luke 6:37).

Meekness is an immovable state of soul which remains unaffected, whether in evil report or in good report, in dishonor or in praise.

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

Let all of us who wish to attract the Lord to ourselves draw near to Him as disciples to the Master, simply, without hypocrisy, without duplicity or guile, not out of idle curiosity. He Himself is simple and not composite, and He wants souls that come to Him to be simple and guileless. For you will surely never see simplicity bereft of humility.

Lying is wiped out by the tortures of superiors; but it is finally destroyed by an abundance of tears.

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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)