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

The nature then of Christ's teaching is attested by His own holy statements: that they who wish to arrive at eternal blessedness may understand the steps of ascent to that high happiness. 'Blessed,' He saith, 'are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' It would perhaps be doubtful what poor He was speaking of, if in saying 'blessed are the poor' He had added nothing which would explain the sort of poor: and then that poverty by itself would appear sufficient to win the kingdom of heaven which many suffer from hard and heavy necessity. But when He says 'blessed are the poor in spirit,' He shows that the kingdom of heaven must be assigned to those who are recommended by the humility of their spirits rather than by the smallness of their means.

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.

Humility, even without works, can save a man.

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.

The Christian needs two wings in order to soar upward and attain Paradise: humility and love.

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

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.

Labor to acquire meekness. Concerning the heavenly virtues, meekness and humility, the Lord Himself teaches us, saying: Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matt. 11:29). Learn not from angels, nor from men, but from Me, He says; that is, from the higher wisdom.

If we are humble, God helps us to fight our sinfulness; if we are proud, He does not.

Keep both eyes open. This is the measure of humility: if a man is humble he never thinks that he has been treated worse than he deserves. He stands so low in his own estimation that no one, however hard they try, can think more poorly of him than he thinks of himself.

All that the Lord has done, we shall find, is intended to instruct us in humility.

Humility has such power that it inclines even the hard of heart. For God, the lover of humility, works through the humble.

What joy is ours that the Lord not only forgives our sins but allows the soul to know Him, as soon as she humbles herself.

He who seeks glory from men travels by the path of pride, but he who seeks glory from God travels by the path of humility.

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

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.

When you humble yourself, everyone will seem saintly to you; when you are proud, everyone will seem bothersome and bad.

Do you see the humility of the saints? How their hearts were moved? Even when God sent them to help other people, they did not agree to this easily out of humility and to avoid glory. Like a man wearing an all-silk garment, if someone throws a dirty rag at him he leaves so as not to ruin his expensive clothes, it is with the saints, who are dressed in virtues, and avoid human glory in order not to be defiled.

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

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440-526-5192 (Phone)