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

Self-control and strenuous effort curb desire; stillness and intense longing for God wither it.

A treasure that is known is quickly spent: and even so any virtue that is commented on and made a public show of is destroyed. Even as wax is melted before the face of fire, so is the soul enfeebled by praise, and loses the toughness of its virtue.

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.'

Keep the commandments, and you will find peace; love God, and you will attain spiritual knowledge.

Concern for one's soul means hardship and humility, for through these God forgives us all our sins.

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

An elderly monk said, 'Always, when you are tempted to criticize, you should put a question mark on the whole situation and not judge. For we do not know what is really going on.'

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

He who fears God will pay careful attention to his soul and will free himself from communion with evil.

Just as desire and rage multiply our sins, so self-control and humility erase them.

All sin is due to sensual pleasure, all forgiveness to hardship and distress.

If you lay down rules for yourself, do not disobey yourself; for he who cheats himself is self-deluded.

In the beginning, there is struggle and a lot of work for those who come near to God. But after that, there is indescribable joy. It is just like building a fire: at first it's smoky and your eyes water, but later you get the desired result. Thus we ought to light the divine fire in ourselves with tears and effort.

It is an insult to the intelligence to be subject to what lacks intelligence and to concern itself with shameful desires.

Spiritual reading and prayer purify the intellect, while love and self-control purify the soul's passionate aspect.

Self-control and strenuous effort curb desire; stillness and intense longing for God wither it.

Strive to love every man equally, and you will simultaneously expel all the passions.

A wise man is one who pays attention to himself and is quick to separate himself from all defilement.

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