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

Control your stomach, sleep, anger, and tongue, and you will not 'dash your foot against a stone.'

Concern for one's soul means hardship and humility, for through these God forgives us all our sins.

Fear of the Lord conquers desire, and distress that accords with God's will repulses sensual pleasure.

It is an insult to the intelligence to be subject to what lacks intelligence and to concern itself with shameful desires.

You were commanded to keep the body as a servant, not to be unnaturally enslaved to its pleasures.

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

The deeper the contrition, the better. But however deep the contrition, never admit a shadow of doubt about forgiveness. Forgiveness is already fully prepared and the record of all sins has been torn up on the Cross. Repentance and contrition alone are expected of every man, before he too can participate in the power of the redemption of the sins of the world through the Crucifixion.

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

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

Keep the commandments, and you will find peace; love God, and you will attain spiritual knowledge.

Spiritual freedom is release from the passions; without Christ’s mercy you cannot attain it.

Never allow yourself boldly to judge your neighbor; judge and condemn no one, ... rather have compassion and pity for him, but let his example be a lesson in humility to you; realizing that you too are extremely weak and as easily moved to sin as dust on the road, say to yourself: 'He fell today, but tomorrow I shall fall.'

Willing obedience is an action which shows more courage and strength of spirit than subjugating great kings and ruling over them…

If you abandon God and are a slave to the passions, you cannot reap God's mercy.

The greatest weapons of someone striving to lead a life of inward stillness are self-control, love, prayer, and spiritual reading.

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

Spiritual reading and prayer purify the intellect, while love and self-control purify the soul's passionate aspect.

Looking at yourself or at other people and thinking that you alone have been given high rank, that you alone of all living beings on earth have the gift of reason, and serve as the point of union and connection between material and immaterial creatures, rouse yourself to glorify and thank your God and Creator, and say: 'O eternal Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Be Thou blessed forever! How greatly must I give Thee thanks at all times, not only because Thou hast created me out of earth and hast made me King over all earthly creatures, not only because Thou hast honored my nature with Thy likeness, with reason, speech and a living body, but above all because Thou hast given me the power, of my own free will, through virtues to resemble Thee, that thereby I may possess Thee in me and rejoice in Thee forever!

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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)