Philokalia Ministries
Episodes
Wednesday Jul 29, 2015
Conferences of St. John Cassian - Conference Fourteen On Spiritual Knowledge Part III
Wednesday Jul 29, 2015
Wednesday Jul 29, 2015
Once worldly cares have been stilled and virtue acquired, Abba Nesteros tells Cassian and Germanus that an assiduous program of reading the Bible must be undertaken. Reading though brings with it the danger of pride and consequently Abba Nesteros tells them that humble discretion must be exercised. He suggest the memorization of Scripture - in fact, perhaps, surprising to modern ears, the memorization of the entire Bible. Scripture is put forward here as the subject of continual mediation.Spiritual matters are not to be spoken of lightly; nor without experience behind them. Our one desire should be to seek to be the spouse of Christ and to allow our hearts to be shaped fully by His Word. Holiness leads to the deepest knowledge and we must avoid relying simply on human wisdom and rhetorical skill. Likewise we must set aside all daydreaming about worldly literature and the exercise of the intellect, reason and imagination and make Christ our lasting treasure; understanding that in Him we lack absolutely nothing. Finally, when speaking of the mysteries of God, our words should be directed especially to those who know the bitterness of life, whose hearts have been crushed by the weight of their own sin - those who know their poverty and so can truly be nourished and healed by the Word.
Thursday Jul 23, 2015
Conferences of St. John Cassian - Conference Fourteen On Spiritual Knowledge Part II
Thursday Jul 23, 2015
Thursday Jul 23, 2015
We labored through a few pages of the conference where Abba Nesteros lays out the types of Spiritual Knowledge that exist - tropology, allegory and analogy. Of these various types of knowledge the tropological is most necessary early in the spiritual life - that which pertains to correction of life and to practical instruction in the conquering of vice and growth in virtue. One cannot find perfection in the words of others but rather in the virtuousness of their own acts. Our hearts must become sacred tabernacles, cleansed of every contagion of sin and ready to receive the Word of God.Great care must be taken to remain silent, guarding the teachings of the elders in the heart rather than rushing to teach them to others. Avoid all vainglory in questions and never seek to show off your learning. Don't teach unless you have previously lived the truths you put forward; for Abba Nesteros writes "whoever neglects many great things and dares to teach them is certainly not merely least in the Kingdom of Heaven but should be considered greatest in the punishment of Gehenna."
Thursday Jul 02, 2015
Conferences of St. John Cassian - Conference Fourteen On Spiritual Knowledge Part I
Thursday Jul 02, 2015
Thursday Jul 02, 2015
Knowledge and the Desire for GodCassian and Germanus' discussion with elder Nesteros on Spiritual Knowledge to all appearances is one of the most analytic of all the conferences. The distinction is made between Practical knowledge, which both understands the working of the vices and forms the mind according to the virtues, and Contemplative Knowledge or Theoretical knowledge, which consists of the contemplation of divine things and the understanding of most sacred meanings. Yet, despite its analytic tone, the 14th Conferences is truly about the necessity of simplicity of life, of directing one's thoughts and energies toward the pursuit of God and seeking the knowledge and understanding of things that bring us to that end. Knowledge is not meant to satisfy our curiosity so much as to lead us to God. In fact, we can distract and dissipate our minds through scattering our thoughts too broad and wide upon things of little import. It is holiness that leads us to the deepest knowledge and we must avoid the abuse of learning by treating it merely as a rhetorical skill.NOTE: The next meeting will be July 22nd.