Quotes

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

Solitude

Every man that loves God loves a quiet life.

St. Isaac the Syrian

Tests

Grace always precedes temptation, as if to notify you saying, 'Prepare yourself and lock your doors.'

Elder Joseph the Hesychast

Solitude

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

St. John Climacus

Poor

The feeding of the needy is the purchase money of the heavenly kingdom and the free dispenser of things temporal is made the heir of things eternal.

St. Leo the Great

Poor

A man who has embraced poverty offers up prayer that is pure, while a man who loves possessions prays to material images.

St. John Climacus

Solitude

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

St. Nilus of Sinai

Solitude

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

St. Gregory of Sinai

Poor

I had wasted much of my time and devoted almost all of my youth in acquiring knowledge which now appears as just foolishness before God. Then one day I awoke suddenly, as if from some deep sleep, and saw the intense light of divine truth, and realized the absolute worthlessness of all the wisdom taught by the leaders of this world. I wept many tears for the wretchedness of my life and prayed for some guidance to lead my life to faith. The first thing I did to reform my previous way of life was to mix with the poor...

St. Basil the Great

Tests

As work according to God is called virtue, so unexpected affliction is called a test.

St. Mark the Ascetic

Tests

Knowing the exact nature of everything, God permits each person to be tested according to his strength. As St. Paul puts it: 'God is to be trusted not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but with the trial He will provide a way out, so that you are able to bear it' (1 Cor. 10:13).

St. Macarius the Great

Solitude

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

St. Gregory of Sinai

Poor

Love the poor, and through them you will find mercy.

St. Isaac the Syrian

Solitude

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.

St. Basil the Great

Poor

Do not shun poverty and afflictions, these wings of buoyant prayer.

St. Nilus of Sinai

Tests

When tested by some trial you should try to find out not why or through whom it came, but only how to endure it gratefully, without distress or rancor.

St. Mark the Ascetic

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Every man that loves God loves a quiet life.

Grace always precedes temptation, as if to notify you saying, 'Prepare yourself and lock your doors.'

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

The feeding of the needy is the purchase money of the heavenly kingdom and the free dispenser of things temporal is made the heir of things eternal.

A man who has embraced poverty offers up prayer that is pure, while a man who loves possessions prays to material images.

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

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

As work according to God is called virtue, so unexpected affliction is called a test.

Knowing the exact nature of everything, God permits each person to be tested according to his strength. As St. Paul puts it: 'God is to be trusted not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but with the trial He will provide a way out, so that you are able to bear it' (1 Cor. 10:13).

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

Love the poor, and through them you will find mercy.

Do not shun poverty and afflictions, these wings of buoyant prayer.

When tested by some trial you should try to find out not why or through whom it came, but only how to endure it gratefully, without distress or rancor.

"We should bear in mind the fact that just as the earth cannot yield worthwhile fruit without labor, so the soul cannot acquire anything which pleases God or leads to salvation without spiritual struggles."

St. Gregory Palamas

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