Quotes

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

Anger

Silence of lips is better and more wonderful than any edifying conversation. Strive to acquire humility and submissiveness. Never insist that anything should be according to your will, for this gives birth to anger. Do not judge or humiliate anyone, for this gives birth to anger. Do not judge or humiliate anyone, for this exhausts the heart and blinds the mind, and thereon leads to negligence and makes the heart unfeeling.

St. Barsanuphius the Great, St. John the Prophet

Temptations

If a man tries to overcome temptations without prayer and patient endurance, he will become more entangled in them instead of driving them away.

St. Mark the Ascetic

Temptations

Waves of temptation of every sort were aimed at the righteous ones, but they did not grow faint. Glory did not make them haughty, nor did abusive treatment cause them to be despondent. They were always the same; never did the fragrance of their virtues falter.

St. Ephraim the Syrian

Humility

The Lord does not reveal Himself to many because of their intellectual pride; yet they think that they have much knowledge. But what is their knowledge worth, if they know not the Lord, know not the grace of the Holy Spirit, know not how this grace comes and wherefore it is lost? But let us humble ourselves, brethren, and the Lord will show us all things, as a loving father shows all things to his children.

St. Silouan of the Holy Mountain

Humility

A haughty person is not aware of his faults, or a humble person of his good qualities. An evil ignorance blinds the first, an ignorance pleasing to God blinds the second.

Ilias the Presbyter

Anger

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

St. Nilus of Sinai

Humility

Learn the humility of Christ and the Lord will give you to taste of the sweetness of prayer.

St. Silouan of the Holy Mountain

Temptations

When you pray fervently, watch, for there will be temptations. This happens to everyone.

St. Ambrose of Optina

Humility

In the humble God rejoices, but from the proud He is driven away; where there is humility, the glory of God shines forth.

Elder Hilarion of Sarov and Valaam

Humility

He, in whose heart humility and meekness are reborn, will find true rest for his soul. He will be satisfied with everything, grateful for everything, peaceful and full of love for everybody. He will judge none and will feel no anger. His heart will be filled with divine sweetness, that is, he will feel in himself the Kingdom of God because God grants His grace only to the humble.

St. Anthony of Optina

Humility

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

St. John Climacus

Humility

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.

St. John Climacus

Humility

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

St. John Climacus

Anger

How then shall we escape the disasters that anger brings? By training the force of our feelings not to rush ahead of the power of reason.

St. Basil the Great

Temptations

Remember that a good action is always either preceded or followed by temptations. God permits this so that the virtue, exercised in that particular action, may be confirmed, consolidated, steeled.

St. Macarius of Optina

Humility

When we are incapable of scaling the peaks of virtue, all we have to do is to descend into the ravine of humility. Our humility is our surest intercessor before the face of the Lord.

St. Macarius of Optina

Temptations

'Grace always precedes temptations.' He knew that grace always precedes temptations as a forewarning preparation. As soon as you perceive grace, gird yourself and say: 'Here comes the call to battle! Beware, attend, O Clay, to where the wicked on will strike the battle. Many times it comes quickly, and many times after two or three days. In any event, it will come, and the earthworks must be firm. Confessions every evening, Obedience to the elder, humility and love towards all. By these means lighten the affliction.' Grace is divided into three stages: purifying, enlightening, and perfecting. So also are deeds: natural, supernatural, contranatural. According to these three stages on ascends and descends. The great gifts one receives are also three: contemplation, love, dispassion.'

St. Seraphim of Sarov

Humility

We see that water gravitates from the mountains to low-lying areas; so too, the grace of God is poured out from the Heavenly Father upon humble hearts.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

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St. Barsanuphius the Great, St. John the Prophet

If a man tries to overcome temptations without prayer and patient endurance, he will become more entangled in them instead of driving them away.

Waves of temptation of every sort were aimed at the righteous ones, but they did not grow faint. Glory did not make them haughty, nor did abusive treatment cause them to be despondent. They were always the same; never did the fragrance of their virtues falter.

A haughty person is not aware of his faults, or a humble person of his good qualities. An evil ignorance blinds the first, an ignorance pleasing to God blinds the second.

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

Learn the humility of Christ and the Lord will give you to taste of the sweetness of prayer.

When you pray fervently, watch, for there will be temptations. This happens to everyone.

In the humble God rejoices, but from the proud He is driven away; where there is humility, the glory of God shines forth.

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

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.

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

How then shall we escape the disasters that anger brings? By training the force of our feelings not to rush ahead of the power of reason.

Remember that a good action is always either preceded or followed by temptations. God permits this so that the virtue, exercised in that particular action, may be confirmed, consolidated, steeled.

When we are incapable of scaling the peaks of virtue, all we have to do is to descend into the ravine of humility. Our humility is our surest intercessor before the face of the Lord.

We see that water gravitates from the mountains to low-lying areas; so too, the grace of God is poured out from the Heavenly Father upon humble hearts.

"Mayest thou [Cyprian] look down from above propitiously upon us, and guide our word and life; and shepherd [or shepherd with me] this sacred flock... gladdening us with a more perfect and clear illumination of the Holy Trinity, before Which thou standest."

St. Gregory the Theologian

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