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.

If you wish to be delivered from shameful passions, do not behave with anyone familiarly, especially with those toward whom your heart is inclined by a lustful passion; through this you will be delivered also from vainglory. For in vainglory is involved the pleasing of men, in the pleasing of men is involved familiarity of behavior, and familiarity of behavior is the mother of all passions.

But a sober and prudent man who desires to be saved, when he sees from what it is that he suffers harm, carefully preserves himself from evil remembrances, is not drawn into passionate thoughts, avoids meetings and conversations with those for whom he feels attraction and avoids every occasion for sin, fearing lest he himself ignite a fire within himself. This is the warfare which proceeds from one’s own lust, which a man brings on himself

Worldly virtues promote human glory, spiritual virtues the glory of God.

Make the body serve the commandments, keeping it so far as possible free from sickness and sensual pleasure.

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

Self-love -- that is, friendship for the body -- is the source of evil in the soul.

He who smells the smell of one's own foul odor doesn't smell the foul odor of anyone else.

Silence of the lips is better and more wonderful than any edifying conversation. Our fathers embraced it with reverence and were glorified through it.

The soul's health consists in dispassion and spiritual knowledge; no slave to sensual pleasure can attain it.

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.

If you are not willing to repent through freely choosing to suffer, unsought sufferings will providentially be imposed on you.

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.

A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning till night and yet he is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that is not profitable.

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

My brother, the passions are afflictions; and so the Lord does not excommunicate us because of them, but He says: 'Call upon me in the time of affliction; and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me'. Therefore, when beset by any kind of passion, there is nothing more useful than to call upon the Name of God. All we can do, weak as we are, is to flee for refuge to the Name of Jesus. For the passions, being demons, retreat if this Name is invoked.

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Archangel Michael Orthodox Church
5025 E. Mill Rd
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147

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440-526-5192 (Phone)