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

We are sons of God or of Satan according to whether we conform to goodness or to evil.

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

Fear of the Lord conquers desire, and distress that accords with God's will repulses sensual pleasure.

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

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

One of the most mysterious anticipations of the Orthodox Church is the contemplation of the 'Protecting Veil of the Mother of God,' of Her constant standing in prayer for the world, surrounded by all the saints, before the throne of 'God. 'Today the Virgin stands in the Church and with hosts of saints invisibly prays to God for us all; angels and high priests worship; apostles and prophets embrace each other-it is for us that the Mother of God prays unto the Eternal God!' Thus the Church remembers the vision which was once seen by St. Andrew, the fool for Christ's sake. And that which was then visibly revealed remains now and will stand for all ages. The 'Contemplation of the Protecting Veil' of the Mother of God is a vision of the celestial Church, a vision of the unbreakable and ever-existent unity of the heavenly and the earthly Church.

Do not neglect the practice of the virtues; if you do, your spiritual knowledge will decrease, and when famine occurs you will go down into Egypt (Genesis 41:57, 46:6).

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

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

Spiritual freedom is release from the passions; without Christ’s mercy you cannot attain it.

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

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.

Blessed stillness gives birth to blessed children: self-control, love and pure prayer.

If you abandon God and are a slave to the passions, you cannot reap God's mercy.

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

A man is neither saved nor lost by the place he is in, but is saved or lost by his deeds. Neither a holy place nor a holy state is of use to him who does not fulfill the commandments of the Lord.

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

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Mailing Address

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

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