Eager Concerning Doctrines

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Administrator

“Our fathers worshipped in this mountain,” (meaning Abraham and his family, for thither they say that he led up his son,) “and how say ye that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship?” John 4:20

Let us now after this be ashamed, and blush. A woman who had had five husbands, and who was of Samaria, was so eager concerning doctrines, that neither the time of day, nor her having come for another purpose, nor anything else, led her away from inquiring on such matters but we not only do not inquire concerning doctrines, but towards them all our dispositions are careless and indifferent. Therefore everything is neglected.

For which of you when in his house takes some Christian book in hand and goes over its contents, and searches the Scriptures? None can say that he does so, but with most we shall find draughts and dice, but books nowhere, except among a few. And even these few have the same dispositions as the many; for they tie up their books, and keep them always put away in cases, and all their care is for the fineness of the parchments, and the beauty of the letters, not for reading them. For they have not bought them to obtain advantage and benefit from them, but take pains about such matters to show their wealth and pride. Such is the excess of vainglory.

St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on St. John, Homily 32, NPNF 1st series, Vol. 14, p. 114

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The Three Stages

Posted on March 27, 2016 by Administrator

I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,… Luk 15:18

IF then any one is aiming at perfection, from that first Stage of fear which we rightly termed servile (of which it is said: “When ye have done all things say: we are unprofitable servants,”) he should by advancing a step mount to the higher path of hope — which is compared not to a slave but to a hireling, because it looks for the payment of its recompense, and as if it were free from care concerning absolution of its sins and fear of punishment, and conscious of its own good works, though it seems to look for the promised reward, yet it cannot attain to that love of a son who, trusting in his father’s kindness and liberality, has no doubt that all that the father has is his, to which also that prodigal who together with his father’s substance had lost the very name of son, did not venture to aspire, when he said: “I am no more worthy to be called thy son;” (Lk 15:19) for after those husks which the swine ate, satisfaction from which was denied to him, i.e., the disgusting food of sin, as he “came to himself,” (Lk 15:19) and was overcome by a salutary fear, he already began to loathe the uncleanness of the swine, and to dread the punishment of gnawing hunger, and as if he had already been made a servant, desires the condition of a hireling and thinks about the remuneration, and says: “How many hired servants of my father have abundance of bread, and I perish here with hunger. I will then return to my father and will say unto him, ‘Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.’” (Lk 15:18)

But those words of humble penitence his father who ran to meet him received with greater affection than that with which they were spoken, and was not content to allow him lesser things, but passing through the two stages without delay restored him to his former dignity of sonship.

Cassian’s Conferences, 1st Conference of Abbot Chaeremon, Chapter 7, NPNF, 2nd series, Vol.11.

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The Coins of the True King

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Administrator

In the second place we should be careful to see that no wrong interpretation fixed on to the pure gold of Scripture deceives us as to the value of the metal: by which means the devil in his craft tried to impose upon our Lord and Saviour as if He was a mere man, when by his malevolent interpretation he perverted what ought to be understood generally of all good men, and tried to fasten it specially on to Him, who had no need of the care of the angels: saying, “For He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee, to keep Thee in all Thy ways: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone,” (Matt. iv. 6; Ps. xc. 11, 12) by a skilful assumption on his part giving a turn to the precious sayings of Scripture and twisting them into a dangerous sense, the very opposite of their true meaning, so as to offer to us the image and face of an usurper under cover of the gold colour which may deceive us.

Or whether he tries to cheat us with counterfeits, for instance by urging that some work of piety should be taken up which as it does come from the true minds of the fathers, leads under the form of virtue to vice; and, deceiving us either by immoderate or impossible fasts, or by too long vigils, or inordinate prayers, or unsuitable reading, brings us to a bad end. Or, when he persuades us to give ourselves up to mixing in the affairs of others,….

Or else when he incites a man to desire the holy office of the clergy under the pretext of edifying many people, and the love of spiritual gain, by which to draw us away from the humility and strictness of our life….

All of which things, although they are opposed to our salvation and to our profession, yet when covered with a sort of veil of compassion and religion, easily deceive those who are lacking in skill and care. For they imitate the coins of the true king, because they seem at first full of piety, but are not stamped by those who have the right to coin, i.e., the approved Catholic fathers, nor do they proceed from the head public office for receiving them, but are made by stealth and by the fraud of the devil, and palmed off upon the unskilful and ignorant not without serious harm.

Cassian’s Conferences, 1st Conference of Abbot Moses, chapter 20, NPNF, 2nd series, Vol.11

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Treasures on Earth

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Administrator

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where rust and moth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal.” Matt 6:19

For whenever we do anything with a view to human glory we know that we are, as the Lord says, laying up for ourselves treasure on earth, and that consequently being as it were hidden in the ground and buried in the earth it must be destroyed by sundry demons or consumed by the biting rust of vain glory, or devoured by the moths of pride so as to contribute nothing to the use and profits of the man who has hidden it.

We should then constantly search all the inner chambers of our hearts, and trace out the footsteps of whatever enters into them with the closest investigation lest haply some beast, if I may say so, relating to the understanding, either lion or dragon, passing through has furtively left the dangerous marks of his track, which will show to others the way of access into the secret recesses of the heart, owing to a carelessness about our thoughts.

And so daily and hourly turning up the ground of our heart with the gospel plough, i.e., the constant recollection of the Lord’s cross, we shall manage to stamp out or extirpate from our hearts the lairs of noxious beasts and the lurking places of poisonous serpents.

Cassian’s Conferences, 1st Conference of Abbot Moses, Chapter 22, NPNF2 11, p.306

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Forgive

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Administrator

For this cause the whole company of holy prophets, apostles, martyrs, kept the word in their hearts, caring for nothing else, … When they heard the Lord say, “Forgive, and they shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37) , then they reckoned those who wronged them as benefactors, because from them they received occasion for their own forgiveness. When again they heard, “As ye would that men should do unto you, do ye also unto them” (Matt 7:12), then they began to love good men also according to conscience. Leaving their own righteousness, and seeking the righteousness of God, they naturally found love also included in it.

St. Macarius of Egypt, Fifty Spiritual Homilies, Homily 37, parag. 2, p. 251

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The inward temple

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Administrator

… But I Cannot refrain from reminding you that it is not enough for you to appear before the face of the Lord in the temple, which is outside of you.  You must also erect a temple of the Lord within yourselves so as to always have Him in you and by you. If the following words of the Apostle apply to all so much more do they speak straight to you: know ye not that you are the temple of God? (l Cor. 3:16). And also, if to all, then especially to you must refer the commandment: …As unto a living stone, sis allowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, to God by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4-5).

It is profitable for you to think about this now that the temple has been constructed and consecrated. This temple is the direct image of the invisible temple, which it necessary to construct for Him in our hearts. To this already-erected, visible temple, therefore, devote also other labor that knows no end— the construction in one’s heart of an ever-spiritual temple for the Lord.

St. Theophan the Recluse, Kindling the Divine Spark, pp. 73-78

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Who has greater honor?

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Administrator

Who has greater repose and honor, the person who devotes himself to God and acts accordingly, or the person involved in hustle, law courts and worldly cares? The person who always converses with God through meditation on the Holy Scriptures and undistracted prayer and tears, or the person who is always on the go, who devotes himself to fraud and lawless actions which, when they come to nothing, leave him only with his exhaustion and perhaps twofold death?

Consider how some of us endure even painful and dishonorable death all for nothing. Indeed, some for purely destructive ends have inflicted the greatest injury on their own souls. I have in mind robbers, pirates, fornicators, instigators of quarrels – all of them people who refused salvation and the repose, honor and rewards that go with it.

How blind we are! We endure death for the sake of destruction, but do not love life for the sake of salvation. And if we prefer death to the kingdom of heaven, in what do we differ from the thief or grave-robber or soldier? These, simply for the sake of food, have often endured the death that is to come as well as death in this present life.

St. Peter of Damaskos, Philokalia, Vol. 3, p.124

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Have a spiritual father

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Administrator

 For the avoidance of errors, have someone to advise you—a spiritual father or confessor, a brother of like mind; and make known to him all that happens to you in the work of prayer.

For yourself, act always in great humility and with the utmost simplicity, not ascribing any success to yourself. Know that true success is achieved within, unconsciously, and happens as imperceptibly as the growth of the human body.

Therefore when you hear an inner voice saying ‘Ah ! Here it is ! ‘ you should realize that this is the voice of the enemy, showing you a mirage rather than the reality. This is the beginning of self-deception. Stifle this voice immediately, otherwise it will resound in you like a trumpet, inflating your self-esteem.

THEOPHAN THE RECLUSE, The Art of Prayer, p. 116

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Be Still and Silent

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Administrator

    I have often reminded you, my dear sister, about the remembrance of God, and now I tell you again: unless you work and sweat to impress on your heart and mind this awe-inspiring Name, you keep silence in vain, you sing in vain, you fast in vain, you watch in vain. In short, all a nun’s work will be useless without this activity, without recollection of God.

    This is the beginning of silence for the Lord’s sake, and it is also the  end. This most desirable Name is the soul of stillness and silence. By calling it to mind we gain joy and gladness, forgiveness of sins and a wealth of virtues. Few have been able to find this most glorious Name, save only in stillness and silence. Man can attain it in no other way, even with great effort. Therefore, knowing the power of this advice, I entreat you for the love of Christ always to be still and silent, since these virtues enrich remembrance of God within us.

Theophan the Recluse, The Art of Prayer, p. 118

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Love of God

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Administrator

13. I know a man who loves God with great intensity, and yet grieves because he does not love Him as much as he would wish. His soul is ceaselessly filled with burning desire that God should be glorified in him and that he himself should be as nothing.

This man does not think of what he is, even when others praise him. In his great desire for humility he does not think of his priestly rank, but performs his ministry as the rules enjoin. In his extreme love for God, he strips himself of any thought of his own dignity; and with a spirit of humility he buries in the depths of divine love any pride to which his high position might give rise. Thus, out of desire to humble himself, he always sees himself in his own mind as a useless servant, extraneous to the rank he holds.

We too should do the same, fleeing all honor and glory in the overflowing richness of our love for the Lord who loves us so greatly.

~ St Diadochos of Photiki, Philokalia V1.256, para. 13

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