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

Do not the angels differ from us in this respect, that they do not want so many things as we do? Therefore the less we need, the more we are on our way to them; the more we need, the more we sink down to this perishable life.

The more you love money, the more securely you close the Kingdom of God.

The fathers say that a man who sets store by the gold and silver he can amass does not believe that there is a God who provides for him.

It is impossible for the soul to be liberated from turbulent thoughts without the virtue of non-possessiveness. And without peace of the bodily senses it is impossible for the soul to have a peaceful intellect. And if it does not come into temptations it will not acquire wisdom of the Holy Spirit. And without laborious and persistence in reading, it will not come to the discernment of thoughts. And without the stillness of thoughts, the intellect cannot move to seek the hidden mysteries of God.

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

He who fears God will pay careful attention to his soul and will free himself from communion with evil.

The wealth is not a possession, it is not property, it is a loan for use.

You know that evil entered into us through the transgression of the commandments. Hence it is obvious that by keeping them, evil departs from us. But without the doing of the commandments we should not even aspire or hope for purity of soul, because at the very outset we do not walk on the path that leads us to purity of soul. Do not say that God can give us the grace of purity of soul even without our keeping the commandments.

How destructive to the heart is even momentary attachment for anything earthly.

He who has tasted the things on high easily despises what is below. But he who has not tasted the things above finds joy in possessions.

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

The zeal which wishes to destroy great evil without appropriate preparation is a great evil in itself.

The desire for possessions is dangerous and terrible, knowing no satiety; it drives the soul which it controls to the heights of evil. Therefore, let us drive it away vigorously from the beginning. For once it has become master it cannot be overcome.

It is better to eat meat and drink wine and not to eat the flesh of one's brethren through slander.

Evil is not an actual substance, but absence of good; just as darkness is nothing but absence of light.

Just as the most bitter medicine drives out poisonous things, so prayer joined to fasting drives evil thoughts away.

Along with an evil thought, a hostile power enters into us, and then the soul is clouded, and evil thoughts harass her.

All other possessions do not really belong to the one who has them or to the one who has acquired them for they are exchanged back and forth like a game of dice. Only virtue among our possessions cannot be taken away, but remains with us when we live and when we die.

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

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