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

People of high spirit bear offence nobly and gladly, but only the holy and righteous can pass through praise without harm.

If they will praise you, you must remain silent—do not say anything.

Pay no attention to praise and fear it; remember what one of the holy fathers says: 'If someone praises you, expect reproaches from him too.'

It is a great work to shake from the soul the praise of men, but to reject the praise of demons is greater.

A treasure that is known is quickly spent: and even so any virtue that is commented on and made a public show of is destroyed. Even as wax is melted before the face of fire, so is the soul enfeebled by praise, and loses the toughness of its virtue.

Our enemies (demons) fell because of their pride, and call us to follow them, and bring us feelings of praise. And if your soul accepts that praise, then grace will depart, until the soul becomes humble again. And so all your life you must learn the humility of Christ.

Whoever reproaches us gives us a gift, but whoever praises us, steals from us.

The enemy of our salvation especially strives to draw our heart and mind away from God when we are about to serve Him, and endeavors to adulterously attach our heart to something irrelevant. Be always, every moment, with God, especially when you pray to Him. If you are inconstant, you will fall away from life, and will cast yourself into sorrow and straitness.

How harmful is the praise of man! Even though a person may have done something worthy of praise, when he enjoys the sound of praise he is already deprived of future glory, according to teachings of the holy fathers.

A true monk does no reproach and does not praise.

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5025 E. Mill Rd
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147

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