• Vespers: Saturdays 5PM
  • Divine Liturgy: Sundays 9:30AM
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Quotes

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

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.

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

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

The angels know how to speak about love, and even they can only do this according to the degree of their enlightenment.

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

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

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

A servant of the Lord is he who in body stands before men, but in mind knocks at Heaven with prayer.

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.

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.

A vigilant monk is a foe to fornication, but a sleepy one is its mate.

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 you are praying, don’t rack your brains to find words. On many occasions the simple, monotonous stammering of children has satisfied their Father who is in heaven. Don’t bother to be loquacious lest the mind is bewildered in the search for words. The tax-collector gained the Lord’s forgiveness with a single sentence, and a single word charged with faith was the salvation of the robber. Loquacity in prayer often fills the head with foolish fancies and provokes distractions. Brevity on the other hand - sometimes only one word is enough - in general favors recollection.

Repentance is the renewal of baptism. Repentance is a contract with God for a second life. A penitent is a buyer of humility. Repentance is constant distrust of bodily comfort. Repentance is self-condemning reflection, and carefree self-care. Repentance is the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair.

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

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.

Obedience is absolute renunciation of our own life, clearly expressed in our bodily actions. Or, conversely, obedience is the mortification of the limbs while the mind remains alive. Obedience is unquestioning movement, voluntary death, a life free of curiosity, carefree danger, unprepared defense before God, fearlessness of death, a safe voyage, a sleeper’s progress. Obedience is the tomb of the will and the resurrection of humility. A corpse does not argue or reason as to what is good or what seems to be bad. For he who has devoutly put the soul of the novice to death will answer for everything. Obedience is an abandonment of discernment in a wealth of discernment.

An Athonite elder said, 'Blasphemous thoughts are like airplanes that annoy us, against our will, with their noise, and we are powerless to prevent them. The heavy anti-aircraft battery is psalmody, because it is both prayer to Christ and disdain for the devil.'

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

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