“Shine in our hearts, O Master Who loves mankind, the Pure Light of Your Divine Knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind that we may comprehend the proclamations of Your Gospels. Instill in us also reverence for Your Blessed Commandments so that, having trampled down all carnal desires, we may lead a Spiritual life, both thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You. For You, Christ our God, are the illumination of our Souls and bodies, and to You we offer up glory, together with Your Father, Who is without beginning, and Your All-Holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.”
The Prayer of the Holy Gospel, by Saint John Chrysostom
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“When I study the Holy Scripture and patristic books, I leave the Earth and go to Heaven.”
Elder Epiphanios of Athens
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“God requires not the doing of the Commandments for their own sake, but the correction of the Soul, for whose sake He established the Commandments.”
Saint Isaac the Syrian
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“I have what He has written; that is my staff, my security, my peaceful harbour. Let the world be in upheaval. I hold to His promise and read His message; that is my protecting wall and garrison. What message? ‘Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world!'”
Saint John Chrysostom
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“Understand the words of Holy Scripture by putting them into practice…”
Saint Mark the Ascetic
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“Scripture brought me to the Gate of Paradise, and the mind stood in wonder as it entered.”
Saint Ephrem the Syrian
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“If we haven’t got control of our mind during the hour of spiritual study we are not benefited at all. We simply yawn and tire ourselves without a goal, for we cannot remember anything. In the same way, when the printer doesn’t have his mind on his work and forgets to put ink in, the printing presses work without printing anything.”
Saint Paisios the Athonite
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“The reading of the Word of God should be performed in solitude, in order that the whole mind of the reader might be plunged into the truths of the Holy Scripture, and that from this he might receive warmth, which in solitude produces tears; from these a man is wholly warmed and is filled with Spiritual Gifts, which rejoice the mind and heart more than any word.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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“The Bible is a scented garden, delightful, beautiful, it enchants our ears with birdsong in a sweet, divine, and spiritual harmony, it touches our heart, comforts us in sorrow, soothes us in a moment of anger, and fills us with Eternal joy.”
Saint John of Damascus
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“Do not be content with a mere fruitless reading of the Gospel; strive to fulfil its Commandments, and read it with your deeds. This is the Book of Life, and it must be read by life.”
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov
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“If you believe what you like in the Gospel and reject what you do not like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.”
Saint Augustine of Hippo
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“It is very useful to spend time reading the Word of God in solitude and to read the whole Bible with understanding. In return for this exercise alone, without the addition of any other virtuous deeds, the Lord grants man His Mercy and fills him with the gift of understanding. When a man provides his Soul with the Word of God, the he is granted the understanding of what is good and what is evil.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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“When reading the Holy Scriptures, he who is humble and engaged in Spiritual work will apply everything to himself, and not to someone else.”
Saint Mark the Ascetic
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“One should nourish the Soul with the Word of God: for the Word of God, as Saint Gregory the Theologian says, is Angelic bread, by which are nourished Souls who hunger for God. Most of all, one should occupy oneself with reading the New Testament and the Psalter, which one should do standing up. From this there occurs an enlightenment in the mind, which is changed by a Divine change.”
Saint Seraphim of Sarov
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