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

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

Why do we live in pleasure in the presence of our brothers' affliction?

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

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

Increasing self-criticism is the sign of increasing humility. Indeed, there is no clearer sign.

He who has obtained the fear of the Lord has forsaken lying, having within himself an incorruptible judge – his own conscience.

Believe me, brethren, the more we are now in earnest to keep ourselves free from sin, the more confident shall we then be in His Presence.

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).

He who has become aware of his sins has controlled his tongue, but a talkative person has not yet come to know himself as he should.

The first step toward freedom from anger is to keep the lips silent when the heart is stirred; the next, to keep thoughts silent when the soul is upset; the last, to be totally calm when unclean winds are blowing.

Repentance raises the fallen, mourning knocks at the gate of Heaven, and holy humility opens it.

Before all else, let us list sincere thanksgiving first on the scroll of our prayer. On the second line, we should put confession and heartfelt contrition of soul. Then let us present our petition to the King of all. This is the best way of prayer, as it was shown to one of the brethren by an angel of the Lord.

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.

Do not allow human respect to get in your way when you hear someone slandering his neighbor. Instead, say to him, 'Brother, stop it! I do worse things every day, so how can I criticize him?' You accomplish two things when you say this. You heal yourself and you heal your neighbor with one bandage.

As too many sticks often choke a fire and put it out, while making a lot of smoke, so excessive sorrow often makes the soul smoky and dark, and dries the stream of tears.

Be concentrated without self-display, withdrawn into your heart. For the demons fear concentration as thieves fear dogs.

If you possess the gift of mourning, hold on to it with all your might. For it is easily lost when it is not firmly established. And just as wax melts in the presence of fire, so it is easily dissolved by noise and bodily cares, and by luxury, and especially by talkativeness and levity.

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

Filters
Search By Keyword
Filter By
See more See less
Topics (Love, Anger, Confession, etc.)
See more See less
Parish

Mailing Address

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

Email, Phone, and Fax

[email protected]
440-526-5192 (Phone)