Quotes

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

Tears

Above all pray for the gift of tears...

St. Nilus of Sora

Scriptures

Reading the Scriptures is a great means of security against sinning.

St. John Chrysostom

Scriptures

Holy Scripture is presented to the mind’s eye like a mirror in which the appearance of our inner being can be seen.

St. Gregory the Great

Tears

For weeping delivers us from eternal fire and other future punishments, so the Fathers say.

St. Nilus of Sora

Scriptures

Put aside bodily considerations when you stand in prayer, lest the bite of a flea, a gnat or a fly deprive you of the greatest gain afforded by prayer.

St. Nilus of Sinai

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

Scriptures

Ignorance of the scriptures is a precipice and a deep abyss.

St. Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis

Solitude

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

St. John Climacus

Scriptures

The Scriptures were not given merely that we might have them in books, but that we might engrave them on our hearts.

St. John Chrysostom

Tears

God, the Word, made man for the salvation of our race, aware of the exceeding frailty and misery of our nature, hath not even here suffered our sickness to be without remedy. But like a skillful doctor, he hath mixed for our unsteady and sin loving heart the potion of repentance, prescribing this for the remission of sins. For after we have received the knowledge of the truth, and have been sanctified by water and the Spirit, and cleansed without effort from all sin and all defilement, if we should happen to fall into any transgression, there is, it is true, no second regeneration made within us by the Spirit through baptism in the water of the font, and wholly recreating us (that gift is given once for all); but, by means of painful repentance, hot tears, toils and sweats, there is a purifying and pardoning of our offences through the tender mercy of our God. For the fount of tears is also called baptism, according to the grace of the Master.

St. John of Damascus

Tears

Many times, weeping conquers God, if one can say that; and He is truly overcome. For gladly is the Merciful One constrained by tears -- But tears of the spirit And not those caused by afflictions of the body. Indeed, we weep for the dead, and we cry out over blows, For the flesh is clay and is subject to never-ending flow of tears. Let us, then, lament from our hearts In the way in which the Ninevites in their contrition opened Heaven And were heeded by the Savior. Indeed, He received their repentance.

St. Romanos the Melodist

Tears

Such tears should be preserved... because they have great power and action in destroying and uprooting sins and passions.

St. Nilus of Sora

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

Tears

In truth, the moisture in the eyes drains the anger in the heart.

St. Nikolai Velimirovic

Tears

God is visiting you when tears come during prayer.

Elder Amphilochios Makris

Tears

What rain is for seeds tears are for those who are afflicted.

St. John Chrysostom

Scriptures

A humble and spiritually active man, when he reads the Holy Scripture, will refer everything to himself and not to another.

St. Mark the Ascetic

Tears

Thus should we weep for the forgiveness of our sins. The words of the bearer of the purple should convince us of this: 'Going they went and wept, casting their seed; but coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves (Ps. 125:6);' as well as the words of St. Isaac the Syrian: 'Moisten your cheeks with the tears of your eyes, that the Holy Spirit may abide in you, and cleanse the filth of your malice. Move your lord with your tears, that He may help you' (homily 68).

St. Seraphim of Sarov

Parish

Faith

Ministries

News

Calendar

Contact

Above all pray for the gift of tears...

Reading the Scriptures is a great means of security against sinning.

Holy Scripture is presented to the mind’s eye like a mirror in which the appearance of our inner being can be seen.

For weeping delivers us from eternal fire and other future punishments, so the Fathers say.

Put aside bodily considerations when you stand in prayer, lest the bite of a flea, a gnat or a fly deprive you of the greatest gain afforded by prayer.

Ignorance of the scriptures is a precipice and a deep abyss.

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

The Scriptures were not given merely that we might have them in books, but that we might engrave them on our hearts.

Such tears should be preserved... because they have great power and action in destroying and uprooting sins and passions.

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

In truth, the moisture in the eyes drains the anger in the heart.

God is visiting you when tears come during prayer.

What rain is for seeds tears are for those who are afflicted.

A humble and spiritually active man, when he reads the Holy Scripture, will refer everything to himself and not to another.

"Silence of the lips is better and more wonderful than any edifying conversation. Our fathers embraced it with reverence and were glorified through it."

St. Barsanuphius the Great and St. John the Prohpet

Join our Parish Mailing List