The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XXVI: On Discernment, Part XII

As St. John draws us forward with these simple sayings about discernment and its fruit, we begin to see the immeasurable beauty of the ascetic life and the action of God’s grace. The life that God calls us to is not one of frenetic activity but rather the cultivation of purity of heart and humility in order that He might act within us. We do not seek simply freedom from sin but rather the life of the kingdom. It is the love, the virtue, the goodness of Christ that transforms the world. It is our entrance into the Paschal Mystery, the dying and rising of the spiritual life (with and in Christ), that makes the love of the kingdom present to the world. 

The life of the hesychasts, the ascetics who set all aside for Christ, is at the very heart of the church. When we lose sight of their love and desire for God, the church grows cold.  It is in the spirituality of the desert that the church will find renewal; when the minds and the hearts of men and women are open to the beauty of the life that God has called us to by His Grace.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:37:24 Anthony: In a way, some of the response to church scandal has been like an ill- guided peasants crusade.

 

00:39:35 Anthony: The peasants crusade led to harm for thr peasants

 

00:54:23 sprou: does solitude equal spiritual warfare?

 

00:55:33 David: I liked what Bishop Barron said about love being willing the good of the other. (St. John Paul) but first one needs to know what the good is and what is truth.

 

00:56:03 Vanessa: Reacted to "I liked what Bishop ..." with 👍

 

00:56:58 Jeff O.: I’ve often wondered about the connection between the cultivation of

hesychia and Paul’s admonition to stand in Ephesians 6…it seems there’s some sort of relationship there as it relates to warfare

 

00:57:01 David: This was in response to a lot of virtue signaling and some of the strange things in our culture.

 

01:04:43 Kate : A priest told me that hesychia is a form of quietism.  His comment confused me, and I did not know how to reply.

 

01:06:47 Anthony: Uh oh, Palmas vs Barlaam again..... 😉

 

01:08:39 David: In Latin America it is common with quasi liberation theology priest and lay

people to call them navel gazers but this is just seeing the outside aspect not understanding what is being developed. I always call the fathers the intranauts boldly going to the root of our condition.

 

01:13:18 David: Holiness attracts and people seek what they feel and see in joy and peace of others. N

 

01:13:32 Vanessa: Reacted to "Holiness attracts an..." with ❤️

 

01:13:51 Vanessa: Really enjoying class tonight. Lots of good discussion.

 

01:14:25 Kate : Father, prior to listening to these classes and discovering the Fathers, my ladder was propped against the wrong wall for years…as you stated earlier.  These classes and the Fathers have so transformed my interior life.   I have only begun to understand the love of God.

 

01:15:04 Nick Bodmer: Jesus even rebuked Martha because she was discontent that Mary was not being "worldly enough" in her eyes.  The spiritual life was established even while Jesus was still with us.

 

01:21:40 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂

 

01:21:51 cmoran: Thank you, Father!

 

01:21:53 Lisa Smith: Thank you God bless you

 

01:22:29 Andrew Adams: Thank you, Father! Praying for you!

 

01:22:33 Jeff O.: Thank you! Blessing to be with you all.

 

01:22:41 David: Thank you father will pray for you!