In the advertisement for and description of this evening’s group, I wrote: “How does one deal with feelings of desolation in regards to one’s vocation, resentment towards others, being treated with envy or finding one’s circumstances to be a source of temptation? In the face of the many trials brought upon us by the evil one, great perseverance is needed and freedom from self will.” This description, however, does not capture the depth of the wisdom that we were exposed to this evening. All of our asceticism, all the ways that we seek to remove the impediment of our passions, all the ways that we seek to remain focused upon the spiritual battle that lies within the heart has one end: to bring us to the place where we can enter into the Paschal Mystery in union with Christ. Not one of us should seek to leave the training, ground of the spiritual life prematurely or to choose to rest before God grants it. For it is precisely in this battle that all that remains an impediment to our ascending the cross with Christ is removed. Abba Isaiah, in the richest and most beautiful interpretation of the Passion, unpacks for us the meaning of every experience of our Lord; not that we might reflect upon it in an abstract fashion, but that we would take hold of His experiences as our own. We engage in the ascetical life not to reach the kind of moral perfection or emotional Nirvana but rather that we might reach the place where we can ascend the Cross with Christ. Once we are delivered from all of these things, we pass through our own Passion Week and enter into another, new age, thinking new and incorrupt thoughts. We are reminded of St. Paul’s words, “set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you’re dead.“ We leave our sins behind and find mercy together with those who are worthy of Him!
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Text of chat during the group:
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Seventy-three and Homily Seventy-four Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Thirty-one Part I
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Seventy-two Part IV
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Thirty Part II
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Seventy-two Part III
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-nine Part II and Letter Thirty Part I
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Seventy-two Part II
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-eight Part II and Letter Twenty-nine Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-seven Part II and Letter Twenty-eight Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-seven Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-six Part II
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-five Part II and Letter Twenty-six Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-four Part II and Letter Twenty-five Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-three Part II and Letter Twenty-four Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-three Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-two Part II
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-two Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty-one
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Twenty
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Nineteen
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