Quotes

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

Humility

The old man was asked, 'What is the good of the fasts and watchings which a man imposes on himself?' and he replied, 'They make the soul humble. For it is written, Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins' (Psalm 25:18). 'So if the soul gives itself all this hardship, God will have mercy on it.' The old man was (also) asked, 'What should a man do in all the temptations and evil thoughts that come upon him?' The old man said to him, 'He should weep and implore the goodness of God to come to his aid, and he will obtain peace if he prays with discernment. For it is written, 'With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can man do to me?' (Psalm 118:6).

The Desert Christian

Humility

Let us have recourse to humility on all occasions; for the humble lie prone on the ground, and how can a man fall if he lies on the ground? But a man who stands on a height can easily fall.

St. Barsanuphius the Great, St. John the Prophet

Humility

When we are incapable of scaling the peaks of virtue, all we have to do is to descend into the ravine of humility. Our humility is our surest intercessor before the face of the Lord.

St. Macarius of Optina

Humility

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

St. Basil the Great

Humility

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.

St. Leo the Great

Humility

He, in whose heart humility and meekness are reborn, will find true rest for his soul. He will be satisfied with everything, grateful for everything, peaceful and full of love for everybody. He will judge none and will feel no anger. His heart will be filled with divine sweetness, that is, he will feel in himself the Kingdom of God because God grants His grace only to the humble.

St. Anthony of Optina

Humility

The way to knowledge is detachment and humility, without which no one will see the Lord.

St. Maximus the Confessor

Humility

In the humble God rejoices, but from the proud He is driven away; where there is humility, the glory of God shines forth.

Elder Hilarion of Sarov and Valaam

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

Knowledge

If you have received from God the gift of knowledge, however limited, beware of neglecting charity and temperance. They are virtues which radically purify the soul from passions and so open the way of knowledge continually.

St. Maximus the Confessor

Humility

I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, 'What can get through from such snares?' Then I heard a voice saying to me, 'Humility.'

St. Anthony the Great

Humility

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.

St. Theophan the Recluse

Humility

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

St. Macarius of Optina

Humility

There is nothing more powerful than lowliness.

St. Dorotheus of Gaza

Humility

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

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Humility

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

St. Cosmas of Aitolos

Humility

Humility, even without works, can save a man.

St. Isaac the Syrian

Humility

When I wish to open my mouth and to speak on the exalted theme of humility, I am filled with dread, like someone who is aware that he is about to discourse with his own imperfect words concerning God.

St. Isaac the Syrian

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Let us have recourse to humility on all occasions; for the humble lie prone on the ground, and how can a man fall if he lies on the ground? But a man who stands on a height can easily fall.

St. Barsanuphius the Great, St. John the Prophet

When we are incapable of scaling the peaks of virtue, all we have to do is to descend into the ravine of humility. Our humility is our surest intercessor before the face of the Lord.

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

The way to knowledge is detachment and humility, without which no one will see the Lord.

In the humble God rejoices, but from the proud He is driven away; where there is humility, the glory of God shines forth.

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.

If you have received from God the gift of knowledge, however limited, beware of neglecting charity and temperance. They are virtues which radically purify the soul from passions and so open the way of knowledge continually.

I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, 'What can get through from such snares?' Then I heard a voice saying to me, 'Humility.'

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.

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

There is nothing more powerful than lowliness.

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

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

Humility, even without works, can save a man.

When I wish to open my mouth and to speak on the exalted theme of humility, I am filled with dread, like someone who is aware that he is about to discourse with his own imperfect words concerning God.

St. John of Karpathos

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