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

Prayer is a remedy against grief and depression.

Everything you do in revenge against a brother who has harmed you will come back to your mind at the time of prayer.

Undistracted prayer is the highest doing of the mind.

When you shed floods of tears during prayer, do not exalt yourself for this, as though you were above many others. It is that your prayer has received help from above, so that, having zealously confessed your sins, you may incline the almighty to mercy by your tears.

Put aside bodily considerations when you stand in prayer, lest the bite of a flea, a gnat or a fly deprive you of the greatest gain afforded by prayer.

Do not shun poverty and afflictions, these wings of buoyant prayer.

A mind from which the thought of God has been carried away and which has thus become far removed from remembering Him, is also indifferent to sin with the outer senses. For such a mind can guide neither the hearing nor the tongue, since zest to work on itself has gone out of it.

Be fond of working with your hands, but still more of the memory of prayer; because the first does not always bring us the fruit of that occupation, while the second does so unceasingly. Do not stop praying until you have paid your due of prayer in full, and do not listen to the thought that it is time to sit down to work. Equally, when you sit at work, do not be too concerned in it, lest you agitate the heart by your haste and make it worthless for prayer.

Rivalry over material possessions has made us forget the counsel of the Lord, who urged us to take no thought for earthly things, but to seek only the kingdom of heaven (cf. Matt. 6:33).

Whatever you have endured out of love of wisdom will bear fruit for you at the time of prayer.

Undistracted prayer is the highest doing of the mind.

Prayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger.

He who endures distress, will be granted joys; and he who bears with unpleasant things, will not be deprived of the pleasant.

Do not pray that things may be according to your desires, for they are not always in keeping with the will of God. Better pray as you were taught, saying: ‘Thy will be done’ on me (Matt. vi 10). And ask thus about all things, for He always desires what is good and profitable for your soul, whereas you do not always seek it.

Go, sell all that belongs to you and give it to the poor and taking up the cross, deny yourself; in this way you will be able to pray without distraction.

Do not shun poverty and afflictions, these wings of buoyant prayer.

If you want to pray properly, do not let yourself be upset or you will run in vain.

To master any art requires time and much instruction; can the art of arts alone be mastered without being learnt?

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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)