By St. Theophan the Recluse
"Fear the Lord, and depart from evil" (Prov. 3:7). Set this as the goal of your preparation for Holy Communion, so that at the end of this preparation the fear of God will dwell in you, and a firm intention to avoid every evil will take root, even if you should have to lose everything, including your life, in order to do so. Do not limit yourself to an external routine of preparation alone, but focus in particular on yourself, enter within yourself and examine your views, whether they are in agreement in all things with the true word of God. Examine your inclinations and dispositions, whether they are what the Lord demands of you in the Gospels. Examine your whole life, whether it agrees with God’s commandments in every way. Mourn and hate whatever is offensive to God, and set in your mind never to do it again. If you do this, you will be most wise; but you would most unwise not to do this.
