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

A fish swiftly escapes a hook and a sensual soul shuns solitude.

Nothing is better than to realize one's weakness and ignorance, and nothing is worse than not to be aware of them.

Nothing so fills the heart with contrition and humbles the soul as solitude embraced with self-awareness, and utter silence.

Every man that loves God loves a quiet life.

Nothing is better for rendering the heart penitent and the soul humble than wise solitude and complete silence.

In the eyes of God, it is always preeminently right that a man should spend himself in devising new means for spreading consolation to his subordinates, who are his charges.

Self-knowledge is a true idea of one's spiritual growth, and an unbroken remembrance of one's slightest sins.

One who is capable of seeing himself is better than one who has been made worthy to see angels.

You write that after Communion you felt well. Glory be to God, Who comforts our unworthiness. And as regards the fact that this soon passed, here also is seen His fatherly providence for us. For continual consolation enfeebles the soul and makes it slothful, or leads to even greater harm. That is why the Lord takes it away quickly and again makes us feel our weakness, our helplessness, and our sinfulness. We must humble ourselves more, reproach ourselves, offer repentance for our sins, and not desire consolations, but patiently endure what God allows. Dryness and cooling of fervor are also permitted on account of vainglory.

Solitude offers us an excellent opportunity for calming our passions and giving our reason time to remove them thoroughly from our soul. For just as wild animals can be soothed by being stroked, so all our anger, fear and stress, which poison and disrupt our soul, can be soothed by an atmosphere of peace where the freedom from constant disturbance ensures that our soul can be brought more easily under the power of reason.

The arrows of the enemy cannot touch one who loves quietness; but he who moves about in a crowd will often be wounded.

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

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440-526-5192 (Phone)