Quotes

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

Lent

Great Lent - all of its services are united by the idea of preparing for Holy Pascha, to meet the Risen Christ with a clean heart.

St. John Maximovitch of Shanghai and San Francisco

Solitude

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

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

Meekness

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

St. John Climacus

Prayer

Until we have acquired true prayer, we are like those who introduce children to walking. Make the effort to raise up, or rather, to enclose your mind within the words of your prayer; and if, like a child, it gets tired and falters, raise it up again. The mind, after all, is naturally unstable, but the God Who can do everything can also give it firm endurance. Persevere in this, therefore, and do not grow weary...

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

Pascha

Paschal joy is a foretaste of eternal joy in the approaching kingdom of Christ.

St. John Maximovitch of Shanghai and San Francisco

Heart

If you have a heart, you can be saved.

Abba Pambo

Poor

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

St. John Climacus

World

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.

St. John Climacus

Meekness

In the hearts of the meek the Lord finds rest, but a turbulent soul is a seat of the devil.

St. John Climacus

Anger

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

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

Tears

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

St. John Climacus

Forgiving

Some, for the sake of forgiveness, give themselves up to labors and struggles, but a man who is forgetful of wrongs excels them. If you forgive quickly, then you will be generously forgiven.

St. John Climacus

Humility

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

St. John Climacus

Silence

The lover of silence draws close to God. He talks to Him in secret and God enlightens him.

St. John Climacus

Self-Knowledge

Self-knowledge is a true idea of one's spiritual growth, and an unbroken remembrance of one's slightest sins.

St. John Climacus

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Great Lent - all of its services are united by the idea of preparing for Holy Pascha, to meet the Risen Christ with a clean heart.

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

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.

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

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

Paschal joy is a foretaste of eternal joy in the approaching kingdom of Christ.

If you have a heart, you can be saved.

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

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.

In the hearts of the meek the Lord finds rest, but a turbulent soul is a seat of the devil.

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

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.

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

Some, for the sake of forgiveness, give themselves up to labors and struggles, but a man who is forgetful of wrongs excels them. If you forgive quickly, then you will be generously forgiven.

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

The lover of silence draws close to God. He talks to Him in secret and God enlightens him.

Self-knowledge is a true idea of one's spiritual growth, and an unbroken remembrance of one's slightest sins.

"When we are incapable of scaling the peaks of virtue, all we have to do is to descend into the ravine of humility. Our humility is our surest intercessor before the face of the Lord."

St. Macarius of Optina

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