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

As the gradual pouring of water on a fire completely extinguishes the flame, so the tears of mourning are able to quench every flame of anger and irritability. Therefore, we place this next in order. (after mourning).

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

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

As with the appearance of light, darkness retreats; so, at the fragrance of humility, all anger and bitterness vanishes.

I consider those fallen mourners more blessed than those who have not fallen and are not mourning over themselves; because as a result of their fall, they have risen by a sure resurrection.

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

Those who mourn and those who are insensitive are not subject to fear, but the cowardly often have become deranged. And this is natural. For the Lord rightly forsakes the proud that the rest of us may learn not to be puffed up.

If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.

The demons, murderers as they are, push us into sin. Or if they fail to do this, they get us to pass judgment on those who are sinning, so that they may defile us with the stain which we ourselves are condemning in another.

Control your appetites before they control you.

Most of us call ourselves sinners, and perhaps really think it; but it is indignity that tests the heart.

Do not condemn, even if you see with your eyes, for they are often deceived.

During the divine services, and at the very moment when the Mysteries (e.g., Holy Communion) are being accomplished, this vile enemy often blasphemes the Lord and the holy Sacrifice that is being consecrated. Wherefore, we clearly learn that it is not our soul that pronounces these unspeakable, godless and unthinkable words within us, but the God-hating fiend who fled from Heaven for uttering blasphemies against the Lord there too, as it would seem. For if these shameless and disgraceful words are my own, how could I worship after receiving the Gift? How can I praise and revile at one and the same time?

Just as water when it squeezed on all sides shoots up above, so does the soul when it is pressed hard by dangers often rise to God and be saved.

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

The beginning of the mortification both of the soul’s desire and of the bodily members is much hard work. The middle is sometimes laborious and sometimes not laborious. But the end is insensibility and insusceptibility to toil and pain. Only when he sees himself doing his own will does this blessed living corpse feel sorry and sick at heart; and he fears the responsibility of using his own judgment.

He who has tasted the things on high easily despises what is below. But he who has not tasted the things above finds joy in possessions.

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

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

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440-526-5192 (Phone)