Quotes

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

Pride

Where a fall has overtaken us, there pride has already pitched its tent; because a fall is an indication of pride.

St. John Climacus

Mourning

He who really keeps account of his actions considers as lost every day in which he does not mourn, whatever good he may have done in it.

St. John Climacus

Chastity

Offer to the Lord the weakness of your nature, fully acknowledging your own powerlessness, and imperceptibly you will receive the gift of chastity.

St. John Climacus

Tears

As writing is washed out by water, so sins can be washed out by tears.

St. John Climacus

Tears

Satiety of the stomach dries the tear sprints, but the stomach when dried produces these waters.

St. John Climacus

Confession

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

St. John Climacus

Meekness

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

St. John Climacus

Mourning

A characteristic of those who are still progressing in blessed mourning is temperance and silence of the lips; and of those who have made progress – freedom from anger and patient endurance of injuries; and of the perfect – humility, thirst for dishonors, voluntary craving for involuntary afflictions, non- condemnation of sinners, compassion even beyond one’s strength. The first are acceptable, the second laudable; but blessed are those who hunger for hardship and thirst for dishonor, for they shall be filled with the food whereof there can be no satiety.

St. John Climacus

Tears

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

St. John Climacus

Sleep

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.

St. John Climacus

Praise

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

St. John Climacus

Silence

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.

St. John Climacus

Guardian Angels

If you feel sweetness or compunction at some word of your prayer, dwell on it; for then our guardian angel is praying with us.

St. John Climacus

Blasphemy

When we stand in prayer, those unclean and unspeakable thoughts (blasphemy) assail us; but if we continue praying to the end, they retire at once, for they do not fight those who stand up to them.

St. John Climacus

Marriage

Some people living carelessly in the world have asked me: 'We have wives and are beset with social cares, and how can we lead the solitary life?' I replied to them: 'Do all the good you can; do not speak evil of anyone; do not steal from anyone; do not hate anyone; do not be absent from Divine services; do not offend anyone; do not wreck another man's domestic happiness, and be content with what your own wives can give you. If you behave in this way, you will not be far from the Kingdom of Heaven.'

St. John Climacus

Humility

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.

St. John Climacus

Mourning

Mourning according to God is sadness of soul and the disposition of a sorrowing heart, which ever madly seeks that for which it thirsts; and when it fails in its quest, it painfully pursues it, and follows in its wake grievously lamenting. Or thus: mourning is a golden spur in a soul which is stripped of all attachment and of all ties, fixed in a soul which is stripped of all attachment and of all ties, fixed by holy sorrow to watch over the heart.

St. John Climacus

Repentance

Painstaking repentance, mourning cleansed of all impurity, and holy humility in beginners, are as different and distinct from each other as yeast and flour from bread. By open repentance the soul is broken and refined; it is brought to a certain unity, I will even say a commingling with God, by means of the water of genuine mourning. Then, kindled by the fire of the Lord, blessed humility becomes bread and is made firm without the leaven of pride. Therefore, when this holy three-fold cord or, rather, heavenly rainbow, unites into one power and activity, it acquires its own effects and properties. And whatever you name as an indication of one of them, is a token also of another. The first and paramount property of this excellent and admirable trinity is the acceptance of indignity with the greatest pleasure, when the soul receives it with outstretched hands and welcomes it as something that relieves and cauterizes diseases of the soul and great sins. The second property is the loss of all bad temper, and humility as its subsiding. The third and highest degree is a true distrust of one’s good qualities and a constant desire to learn.

St. John Climacus

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Where a fall has overtaken us, there pride has already pitched its tent; because a fall is an indication of pride.

He who really keeps account of his actions considers as lost every day in which he does not mourn, whatever good he may have done in it.

Offer to the Lord the weakness of your nature, fully acknowledging your own powerlessness, and imperceptibly you will receive the gift of chastity.

As writing is washed out by water, so sins can be washed out by tears.

Satiety of the stomach dries the tear sprints, but the stomach when dried produces these waters.

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

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

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

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.

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

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 you feel sweetness or compunction at some word of your prayer, dwell on it; for then our guardian angel is praying with us.

When we stand in prayer, those unclean and unspeakable thoughts (blasphemy) assail us; but if we continue praying to the end, they retire at once, for they do not fight those who stand up to them.

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.

St. Nazarius of Valaam

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