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

The more a man's tongue flees verbosity, the more his intellect is illumined so as to be able to discern deep thoughts; for the rational intellect is befuddled by verbosity.

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

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

He who guards his lips preserves his soul; but he who is bold with his lips dishonors himself.

Break the bonds of your friendship for the body and give it only what is absolutely necessary.

The roof of any house stands upon the foundations and the rest of the structure. The foundations themselves are laid in order to carry the roof. This is both useful and necessary, for the roof cannot stand without the foundations and the foundations are absolutely useless without the roof-- no help to any living creature. In the same way the grace of God is preserved by the practice of the commandments, and the observance of these commandments is laid down like foundations through the gift of God. The grace of the Spirit cannot remain with us without the practice of the commandments, but the practice of the commandments is of no help or advantage to us without the grace of God.

The man who pets a lion may tame it, but the man who coddles the body makes it ravenous.

But let us speak that which is good, to the edification of faith. That is, to speak only what will help to build up our neighbor in virtue; nothing more than that.

Let work humble the body, and when the body is humbled the soul will be humble with it, so that it is truly said that bodily labors lead to humility.

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

You were commanded to keep the body as a servant, not to be unnaturally enslaved to its pleasures.

Observe your thoughts, and beware of what you have in your heart and your spirit, knowing that the demons put ideas into you so as to corrupt your soul by making it think of that which is not right, in order to turn your spirit from the consideration of your sins and of God.

Teach your mouth to say what is in your heart.

Keep the body properly slim so that you reduce the burden of the heart's warfare, with full benefit to yourself.

Charity, temperance, contemplation, and prayer please God; gluttony, licentiousness, and what multiplies them, please the flesh. Therefore they who are in the flesh cannot please God. And they that are Christ’s have crucified their flesh with the passions and concupiscences.

The iniquitous mouth is stopped during prayer, for the condemnation of the conscience deprives a man of his boldness.

When the flesh flourishes, the soul fades; when the flesh has full liberty, the soul is straitened; when the flesh is satiated, the soul hungers; when the flesh is adorned, the soul is deformed; when the flesh overflows with laughter, the soul is surrounded by misfortune; when the flesh is in the light, the soul is in darkness...

He who guards his lips, watches over his soul; but he who is bold with his lips, dishonors himself. Silence gathers, but much talking scatters.

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

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440-526-5192 (Phone)