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

Pride is known by its deeds as a tree is known by its fruits.

May simplicity go before you everywhere; especially be simple in your faith, hope, and love, for God is an Essence of Simplicity, a Unity that is worshipped everlastingly, and our soul is simple. The simplicity of our soul is hindered by our flesh, when we please it.

Sometimes, when we are overcome by pride or impatience and are unwilling to amend our ill-conditioned and disordered way of life, we complain that what we need is solitude, as though in solitude, meeting with no provocation, we should find there the virtue of patience, making excuses for our slackness, and laying the blame of our agitation not upon our own lack of patience, but ascribing it to the faults of our brethren, whereas so long as we impute to others the causes of our own faults, we shall never be able to reach the goal of patience and of perfection.

The garment of your soul must shine with the whiteness of simplicity.

Pride is known by its deeds as a tree is known by its fruits.

Those who mourn and those who are insensitive are not subject to fear, but the cowardly often have become deranged. And this is natural. For the Lord rightly forsakes the proud that the rest of us may learn not to be puffed up.

Blessed are those who, from love of God, have girded their loins with unquestioning simplicity for this sea of suffering, and who do not turn back.

Where there is simplicity, there are a hundred Angels, but where there is cleverness – there are none.

Know that if your thought leads you to look at how others live, this is a sign of pride.

Just as a moth devours clothing and a worm devours wood, so dejection devours a man’s soul.

Every day you provide your bodies with good to keep them from failing. In the same way your good works should be the daily nourishment of your hearts. Your bodies are fed with food and your spirits with good works. You aren't to deny your soul, which is going to live forever, what you grant to your body, which is going to die.

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.

Wherefore, do not remember your good deeds, in order that God may remember them. Do thou first confess thy sins, it is written, that thou mayest be justified (Isaiah 43:26).

Arrogance cannot bear to see itself scorned and humility held in honor.

I prefer a defeat accompanied by humility to a victory accompanied by pride.

Pride is the forerunner of every fall.

It is no small struggle to be freed from self-esteem. Such freedom is to be attained by the inner practice of the virtues and by more frequent prayer; and the sign that you have attained it is that you no longer harbor rancor against anybody who abuses or has abused you.

Where a fall has overtaken us, there pride has already pitched its tent; because a fall is an indication of pride.

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5025 E. Mill Rd
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147

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