Quotes

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

Commandments

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

St. Thalassios the Libyan

Self-Criticism

The more a man struggles to do good, the more fear grows in him, until it shows him his slightest faults, those which he thought of as nothing while he was still in the darkness of ignorance.

St. Peter of Damascus

Self-Criticism

He who believes in Christ is not judged, for he judges himself, and sets his feet aright to follow the light that goes before him. As a man in deep darkness adapts his step to the candle in his hand, so also he who believes in Christ; that is, he who is set to follow after Christ as the light in the darkness of life.

St. Nikolai Velimirovic

Self-Criticism

The martyrs will show their torments, the ascetics their good works; but what will I have to show but my apathy and my incessant indulgence?

St. Ephraim the Syrian

Self-Criticism

A prayer offered while one has any cause to reproach a fellow man is an impure prayer. There is only one whom the praying person may and must reproach, and that is himself. Without self-reproach, your prayer is as worthless as it is while you are reproaching someone else in your heart. Perhaps you ask: How can one learn this? The answer is: One learns it through prayer.

Tito Colliander

Self-Criticism

He alone knows himself in the best way who thinks of himself as being nothing.

St. John Chrysostom

Self-Criticism

Self-condemnation always brings peace and rest to the heart.

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

Sinners

Love sinners, but hate their works; and do not despise them for their faults, lest you be tempted by the same trespasses.

St. Isaac the Syrian

Self-Criticism

Should you accuse and condemn yourself before God for the sins on your conscience, you will be justified for doing so.

St. Moses of Optina

Self-Criticism

If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.

St. John Climacus

Compunction

Compunction comes when you consider how much you have grieved God Who is so good, so sweet, so merciful, so kind, and entirely full of love; Who was crucified and suffered everything for us. When you meditate on these things and other things the Lord has suffered, they bring compunction.

St. Joseph the Hesychast

Compunction

The way to attain compunction is an attentive life. ‘The beginning of repentance comes from the fear of God and attention,’ as the holy martyr Boniface says.

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

Self-Criticism

Who has conquered the body? He who has made the heart contrite. Who then has made the heart contrite? He who has denied himself.

The Desert Fathers

Self-Criticism

There is yet another reason that may cause our prayer to go unanswered: namely, that though we pray we yet continue in sin.

St. John Chrysostom

Self-Criticism

As for uprooting your passions, begin with self-reproach and with awareness of your own weaknesses; and consider yourself to be deserving of afflictions.

St. Anatoly of Optina

Commandments

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

St. Thalassios the Libyan

Self-Criticism

He who smells the smell of one's own foul odor doesn't smell the foul odor of anyone else.

St. Barsanuphius the Great, St. John the Prophet

Commandments

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.

St. Maximus the Confessor

Parish

Faith

Ministries

News

Calendar

Contact

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

The more a man struggles to do good, the more fear grows in him, until it shows him his slightest faults, those which he thought of as nothing while he was still in the darkness of ignorance.

The martyrs will show their torments, the ascetics their good works; but what will I have to show but my apathy and my incessant indulgence?

He alone knows himself in the best way who thinks of himself as being nothing.

Self-condemnation always brings peace and rest to the heart.

Love sinners, but hate their works; and do not despise them for their faults, lest you be tempted by the same trespasses.

Should you accuse and condemn yourself before God for the sins on your conscience, you will be justified for doing so.

If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.

Compunction comes when you consider how much you have grieved God Who is so good, so sweet, so merciful, so kind, and entirely full of love; Who was crucified and suffered everything for us. When you meditate on these things and other things the Lord has suffered, they bring compunction.

The way to attain compunction is an attentive life. ‘The beginning of repentance comes from the fear of God and attention,’ as the holy martyr Boniface says.

Who has conquered the body? He who has made the heart contrite. Who then has made the heart contrite? He who has denied himself.

There is yet another reason that may cause our prayer to go unanswered: namely, that though we pray we yet continue in sin.

As for uprooting your passions, begin with self-reproach and with awareness of your own weaknesses; and consider yourself to be deserving of afflictions.

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

He who smells the smell of one's own foul odor doesn't smell the foul odor of anyone else.

St. Barsanuphius the Great, St. John the Prophet

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.

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

Join our Parish Mailing List