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

Almsgiving heals the soul's incensive power; fasting withers sensual desire; prayer purifies the intellect and prepares it for contemplation of created beings. For the Lord has given us commandments which correspond to the powers of the soul.

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

A dog is better than I am, for he has love and he does not judge.

Nothing is better than to realize one's weakness and ignorance, and nothing is worse than not to be aware of them.

Unless a man keeps the commandments of God, he cannot progress, even in a single virtue.

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

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

Being delivered from bodily sins is not enough, we must also cleanse the inner energy which dwells in our souls.

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

Obedience with abstinence gives men control over wild beasts.

Once when a hippopotamus was ravaging the neighboring countryside the fathers called on Abba Bes to help them. He stood at the place and waited and when he saw the beast, which was of enormous size, he commanded it not to ravage the countryside any more, saying, 'In the name of Jesus Christ, I order you not to ravage this countryside anymore.' The hippopotamus vanished completely from that district as if driven away by an angel.

The man who has come to loathe sin has mounted the first rung of the heavenly ladder.

One who is capable of seeing himself is better than one who has been made worthy to see angels.

The only thing God requires of us is that we do not sin. But this is achieved, not by acting according to the law, but by carefully guarding the divine image in us and our supernal dignity. When we thus live in our natural state, wearing the resplendent robe of the Spirit, we dwell in God and God dwells in us. Then we are called gods by adoption and sons of God, sealed by the light of the knowledge of God.

Greater therefore is the rejoicing of heaven over the sinner converted than upon the soul that remained just. A captain in battle will feel a warmer regard for the soldier who at first faltered and ran, and then had bravely fought back, than over the one who had never yielded yet had never thrust bravely forward. So will the farmer love more the fields that cleaned of their weeds now bear a fruitful yield, than the land which had never known thorns, yet had never yielded a bountiful crop.

Do not hate the sinner. Become a proclaimer of God's grace, seeing that God provides for you even though you are unworthy.

Every man who has committed sin, has stopped up the senses of his soul with the mud of pleasure.

If you feel no pang in committing minor offences you will through them fall into major transgressions.

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

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