Philokalia Ministries

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily VI, Part VII

Here Isaac is not giving us a technique for moral improvement. He is unveiling an icon.
Behind his austere language of toil and Scripture and withdrawal stands a single, luminous vision: the human heart being slowly remade into the dwelling place of God. Asceticism is not a set of behaviors aimed at self mastery. It is the patient clearing of space so that the Trinity may come to rest within us. Everything Isaac names flows from this one mystery.
He begins with what looks like a chain of practices. Bodily toil guards purity. Scripture sustains the toil. Hope and fear steady the soul. Prayer and withdrawal from men protect the heart. But Isaac is not describing a ladder that climbs upward by human effort. He is describing how the soul is held open until it can be seized by the Spirit. These disciplines do not save. They keep us available for salvation. They prevent the heart from sealing itself against grace.
This is why Isaac speaks so soberly about the Scriptures. Until the Comforter has come and taken up His dwelling in the depths of the person we need the written word to keep us from drifting into forgetfulness and fantasy. The Scriptures are not information. They are a form of remembrance. They press the shape of Christ into the memory of the heart so that when our mind is scattered and the passions begin to speak their lies we are not carried away from our true homeland.
But Isaac also knows that even Scripture is provisional. There comes a moment when the teaching no longer comes from without but from within. When the Spirit penetrates the noetic powers of the soul the heart itself becomes the book. The same Word who once spoke in letters now speaks in fire. This is not a rejection of Scripture but its fulfillment. The written Gospel gives way to the living Christ engraved upon the heart.
Here we touch the heart of Eastern Christian mysticism. Salvation is not merely a verdict. It is a transformation of perception. The center of knowing shifts. The ego no longer stands as the interpreter of reality. The Spirit becomes the teacher. And because this teaching comes from God Himself it is not lost. It does not evaporate under distraction or suffering. It remains as a living memory of communion.
Isaac then strikes at something that terrifies the ego. He distinguishes between good thoughts and a good heart. We are accustomed to judging ourselves by the surface weather of the mind. We watch our thoughts rise and fall like waves and imagine that our worth before God is decided by their movement. Isaac says this is an illusion. Thoughts come and go like sea winds. They stir the waters but they do not constitute the depths.
The heart is the foundation. It is the place where we truly consent or refuse. A person may be flooded with thoughts and yet remain rooted in God. Another may have refined ideas and yet be inwardly turned toward self. What matters is not the agitation of the surface but the direction of the ground beneath it.
This is a devastating word for the controlling ego. We want to manage our thoughts. We want to produce holiness by technique. We want to ensure our standing before God by monitoring every inner movement. Isaac tells us that this entire project is misguided. If judgment were passed on every thought we would be condemned and justified a thousand times a day. That is not how God sees us. God looks at the heart. He looks at where we have placed our deepest trust.
And here the abyss opens.
To let go of the ego is not to become passive or vague. It is to cease making ourselves the measure of reality. It is to fall into the love of God without conditions. The heart that consents to this fall becomes a foundation of peace even while the mind continues to be stirred by many winds. This is why the saints can live in such freedom. They are no longer organized around self protection. They have entrusted themselves to the Paschal mystery.
For Isaac all of this is Christological. The Spirit who teaches the heart is the Spirit poured out by the crucified and risen Lord. The abyss into which we fall is the same abyss into which Christ descended in His self emptying love. To enter this path is to be drawn into the very life of the Trinity. We are no longer managing ourselves toward virtue. We are being re created from within by divine love.
This is the beauty of the ascetical mystical tradition of the East. It does not offer self improvement. It offers transfiguration. It does not promise control. It invites surrender. It does not measure us by the turbulence of our thoughts but by the quiet yes of the heart.
Isaac shows us a humanity that has learned to rest in God even while the winds still blow. A humanity no longer driven by fear or fantasy but grounded in the living presence of the Spirit. This is what we have become in Christ. And this is what the desert still calls us to be.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:01 Jonathan Grobler: Evening father
00:02:20 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Good evening
00:02:50 Ryan Ngeve: Good evening Father
00:04:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 175, # 19, final paragraph
00:04:49 Adam Paige: Happy feast day of Saint Isaac the Syrian to all ! New movie from the writer & director of “Man of God” (about St Nektarios) coming out this weekend: “Moses the Black” ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_the_Black_(film)
00:05:49 Anna: There was a run on bananas with this last storm
00:06:06 Anna: What movie
00:06:35 Anna: Thanks
00:08:08 Anna: Movie theater for Moses the Black... https://www.fathomentertainment.com/releases/moses-the-black/
00:08:19 Anna: It's in theaters
00:09:35 Anna: That doesn't look like it
00:10:11 Jonathan Grobler: Excited for Lent, will hopefully be confirmed this Easter
00:10:41 Jessica McHale: 16th of Feb
00:10:41 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 175, # 19, final paragraph
00:10:53 Angela Bellamy: Is there a resource some place on how Lent is traditionally observed?
00:11:18 Anna: That link is the movie playing on the 30th and so on
00:11:18 Janine: Yes
00:11:22 Anna: https://www.fathomentertainment.com/releases/moses-the-black/
00:11:30 Janine: Alexander
00:11:45 Jessica McHale: Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Father Alexander Schmemann
00:14:22 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "Great Lent: Journey ..." with 👍
00:19:14 Elizabeth Richards: Amen!
00:30:28 Anthony: As a matter of comfort, seeing sin is not a sign necessarily of being cut off from God; seeing sin is a token of grace.  I think a Greek father said this.
00:32:41 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "As a matter of com..." with ❤️
00:32:45 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "As a matter of comfo..." with ❤️
00:35:24 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 176, # 29, first paragraph
00:38:48 susan: thoughts?  Jesus prayer
00:43:42 Jessica McHale: That would be a TERRIFIC course! Much needed for me!
00:44:13 Kevin Burke: Reacted to "That would be a TERR…" with ❤️
00:47:06 Ben: Reacted to "That would be a TERR..." with 👍
00:47:36 Erick Chastain: how practically does the judgment from the thought not hit one, especially with the high number of them and their potentially upsetting nature? Turning to the prayer might not happen rapidly enough to prevent reacting to some thoughts.
00:47:49 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "That would be a TERR..." with ❤️
00:50:19 Maureen Cunningham: The St Patrick Prayer
00:50:55 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "The St Patrick Praye..." with 👍🏼
00:52:33 Angela Bellamy: I love the story of Peter walking on water to meet Jesus but is overcome by his circumstance... the Lord reached out and brought him back to Himself, after Peter cried out, and they went back to the boat together.❤️
00:53:19 Joan Chakonas: I understand my vainglorious nature and have been blessed lately with the understanding that my ideas, which I am initially inclined to love, are usually wrong, and it ‘s a relief to abandon them to God’s guidance, which He always gives
00:53:43 David Swiderski, WI: I wasted years reading on discernment and looking back think the minute I engaged reason to try to discern I could rationalize just about anything. On a retreat a 92 year old priest when I asked for yet another book on discernment smiled and said no no no don't waste your time. Simply weigh by your heart anything "Does this lead me closer to God or away from God" discard that which does not lead you closer and don't dwell upon them. This seem clearer since that point.
00:54:49 Anthony: Become like an atheist.... that's like the examination of conscience in the Pilgrim book.
00:55:37 Elizabeth Richards: You are speaking the gospel!
01:00:03 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "I understand my vain..." with 🙏🏼
01:02:25 Anthony: That's a danger to me. I think it sets up an idol in a sense, and then is very confusing to distinguish my thoughts from God, from dark origin thoughts.
01:02:55 Elizabeth Richards: I heard today we cannot "make" sense- because sense has already been made 🙂
01:03:31 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "I wasted years readi..." with 🙏🏼
01:03:35 Kevin Burke: Reacted to "I wasted years readi…" with 🙏🏼
01:04:15 Angela Bellamy: It seems that the difficulty in letting go of an identity outside of God is that we often built that identity around love — but human love, when it is not healed, can be a brutal thing. When that identity is stripped away, what is revealed is not the absence of love, but its truth: a freedom that is real, attainable, and no longer bound to self-will. Glory to Him.
01:04:51 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "I heard today we can..." with 👍🏼
01:08:52 Kimberley A: I believe before the Fall Adam was fully God conscious. After the Fall, he became self conscious.
01:09:18 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "I believe before the..." with 😯
01:13:20 Elizabeth Richards: So rich this eve! Thank you Father
01:13:40 Elizabeth Richards: Amen!
01:14:18 Maureen Cunningham: Blessing thank you
01:14:39 Joan Chakonas: Thank God for your guidance
01:14:43 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father may God bless you and your mother!
01:14:45 Joan Chakonas: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
01:14:47 Angela Bellamy: Thank you Father
01:15:01 Angela Bellamy: 😁
01:15:03 Janine: Thank you Father!
01:15:05 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you 😊
01:15:05 Elizabeth Richards: Plan a conference!!
01:15:08 Nypaver Clan: Thank you!
01:15:08 Jessica McHale: St Issac Feast Day for Melkite today too!  Thank you and Amen! Many prayers. Yes, I am moving to Pittsburg since you said it!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XLVI, Part III

The Evergetinos does not offer us inspiring stories. It offers us a blade. These elders do not behave reasonably. They do not protect their reputations. They do not appeal to due process. They do not defend themselves. They kneel. They ask forgiveness for crimes they did not commit. They accept punishment. They allow their names to be dragged through the dust. And this is exactly where modern religious people begin to choke.
We admire Christ until His way threatens our dignity. We praise the Cross until it begins to cost us something that feels personal. We speak of humility until it asks us to surrender our right to be seen as innocent. Then the mind rises up. The lawyer wakes. Natural reason sharpens its pen. We start dissecting the text. Surely this is symbolic. Surely this is exaggerated. Surely there must be limits.
But the Gospel has no interest in preserving your image. The divine ethos revealed in Christ is not reasonable. It is cruciform.
Look at the Elder who accepts blame for theft. He knows he did not steal. He also knows something far more dangerous. He knows that Christ Himself was accused, beaten and condemned while innocent. So he chooses to stand where Christ stands rather than where the ego demands to stand. He does not argue. He does not clarify. He does not try to control the narrative. He bows. He becomes small. He lets truth be carried by God rather than by his own voice.
This is not weakness. It is terrifying strength.
In the second account the Deacon accepts public disgrace, penance and exclusion from communion for a crime planted in his cell by envy. He allows his spiritual father and the entire community to think him a thief. Why. Because love of God is worth more than the right to be seen as virtuous. And because hatred of slanderers is more deadly than slander itself.
Notice what breaks the demonic power. Not investigation. Not confession extracted by pressure. But the prayer of the one who was falsely accused. Only the slandered man can heal the slanderer. This is the law of the Cross. Wounds heal wounds when they are offered in love.
The story of Abba Nikon goes even further. He is beaten, excommunicated and isolated for three years for a crime he did not commit. He stands outside the church every Sunday begging for prayer like a criminal. When his innocence is finally revealed, he does not remain to receive praise. He leaves. He knows that glory is as dangerous as slander. Both feed the ego. Both can poison the soul.
This is what divine discernment looks like. Not clever arguments but crucified love.
Abba Isaiah gives the rule that offends every modern religious instinct. If you are slandered make a prostration and say forgive me even if you do not know what you did. This is not moral confusion. It is spiritual clarity. It is a refusal to let the heart harden. It is the choice to stand with Christ rather than with self justification.
St Maximos explains why this cuts so deeply. The demons cannot always trap us through money or pleasure. So they use slander. They try to provoke hatred. They want you to burn with indignation. They want you to lose love. They want you to step off the Cross and into self defense. To endure slander without hatred is one of the highest ascetical acts. It requires that you look to God alone for vindication.
St Ephraim then gives the final warning. Even when the truth comes out do not become proud. Do not feast on your vindication. God delivered you. You did not save yourself.
This is why we want to soften these stories. They leave no room for spiritual narcissism. They strip away our moral theater. They expose how deeply attached we are to being right, to being respected, to being seen as good.
The Cross does not negotiate with your ego. It kills it.
Slander reveals what we truly love. If we love Christ we will accept being misunderstood. If we love ourselves we will fight to be cleared.
The Evergetinos does not ask whether this is fair. It asks whether you want to belong to the Crucified.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:41 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 349 number 2
00:03:19 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:04:07 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.youtube.com/@philokaliaministries
00:09:55 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Two possible Philokalia Novice Conference Series
00:11:58 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 349 #2
00:12:46 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: 1. The Inner Grammar of the Eastern Christian LifeHow the Church actually heals the human person
This would be a 10 to 12 week arc that shows how Eastern Christianity is not merely a set of beliefs or practices but a therapeutic and mystical way of being human.
Each session takes one essential dimension of the ascetical and sacramental life and shows how it works together with the others.
2. Urban Asceticism: A Prelude to the Way of Hidden Fire
These reflections are for those who are trying to live a real spiritual life in the middle of ordinary, complicated, and often exhausting circumstances.
Not as an escape from the worldbut as a way of becoming inwardly still within it.
Here we explore the ancient wisdom of the desert fathers and the lived experience of the Church as a way of healing the heart and learning how to dwell with God in hiddenness.
This is not a program or a method.
It is a way.
Two possible Philokalia Novice Conference Series
00:12:56 Janine: Oh those look great!
00:13:18 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 349 #2
00:13:27 Jacqulyn Dudasko: Reacted to "Oh those look great!" with 👍
00:14:33 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.youtube.com/@philokaliaministries
00:16:40 Wayne: Quick question? Is there a difference between gossip and slander?
00:22:19 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 350 #3
00:33:10 Joan Chakonas: Turning the other cheek in all circumstances- these lessons are deep.
00:36:56 Myles Davidson: In translating these stories to modern times, it doesn’t seem prudent to admit to a crime one didn’t do if police are involved. Would you agree these stories are very much situational?
00:38:03 Joan Chakonas: Very valuable.  I can’t think of any other way to convey these understandings to turn the other cheek.  Psychological smack downs versus physical ones.
00:38:58 Angela Bellamy: Recently, reading the Gospels, I was struck by how plainly Christ speaks about what must be endured for His sake. In that light, the saints’ words on slander feel very concrete. The Christian life seems to be about learning to remain faithful even when the flow of life is difficult, trusting that Christ is with us in whatever He allows.
00:45:07 Jonathan Grobler: What an absolute freedom it would be to be free of the ego. The freedom of a fool of Christ. 
To no longer care about yourself, but care only about God and others.
00:45:47 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "What an absolute fre..." with ❤️
00:45:49 Anna: What if you're falsely accused of murder, then you're up to being killed as the punishment, are you to speak up to protect your life or not speak up? From my 13 yr old daughter
00:47:33 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "What an absolute f..." with ❤️
00:48:22 paul g.: Slander and gossip disturb our own peace/silence.
00:49:46 Lee Graham: Reacted to "What an absolute fre…" with ❤️
00:49:47 Anna: Wouldn't there sometimes be a need for justice of truth for the sake of the soul?
00:59:44 Larry Ruggiero: Man’s justice is never good for the people, because man’s justice is always lacking. Lacking because it is done without Christ teachings.
01:09:02 Maureen Cunningham: Who is Susannah ?
01:09:37 Forrest: Replying to "Who is Susannah ?"
Chapter 13 of Daniel
01:11:43 Anna: Pray Jesus prayers for them 😂
01:13:01 Angela Bellamy: Thank you Father for your time this evening. Looking forward to the new lectures you'll be posting on YouTube.
01:13:39 Jessica McHale: What you do, Father, is sent from God. Yes, this is deeply formative. Thank you!!! Many prayers for you!
01:13:44 Kevin Burke: Thank You Father!
01:13:46 Maureen Cunningham: T hank You always a Blessing
01:13:59 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "What you do, Father,..." with 🙏
01:14:33 Jennifer Dantchev: Thank you!
01:14:44 Charmaine's iPad: Thank you

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily VI, Part VI

St. Isaac the Syrian does not allow us the comfortable fiction that we can want less than everything and still be safe. His words strip away a thousand modern compromises. To say I only wish to escape Gehenna but not to enter the Kingdom is for him a form of madness. There are not three places. There are two. To fall short of the Kingdom is already to enter the place of loss. Hell is not merely fire but exclusion. It is the outer darkness of having turned away from the Face that was offered. The tragedy is not that we were punished but that we did not desire enough.
This is why the spiritual life cannot be treated as damage control. We are not here merely to avoid catastrophe. We are here to be transfigured. Christ did not come so that we might barely survive eternity but so that we might shine as the sun in the Kingdom of the Father. Every half hearted approach to faith is therefore a refusal of glory. It is not humility. It is fear disguised as prudence. Isaac calls us to a hunger that dares to want everything God wants to give.
From this flows his severe counsel about silence and withdrawal. He is not condemning love of neighbor. He is defending the integrity of the heart. If a man seeks to heal others while losing his own clarity then his charity has become a form of self betrayal. A clouded mind cannot give light. A weakened conscience cannot give strength. To remain in constant exposure when one is not yet stable is not heroism. It is negligence. Isaac insists that the first obedience is to guard the sanctuary of the heart. When the heart is healthy it teaches without words. When it is sick even holy words become hollow.
Here he shows something deeply uncomfortable for our age. Being seen is not the same as being holy. Being useful is not the same as being whole. One can be busy for God while drifting away from Him. To be far from men in order to be with God is not selfishness when it preserves the soul. In time such a life benefits others more than any speech because it radiates truth rather than merely talking about it.
This leads to Isaac’s terrifying diagnosis of how corruption begins. The devil does not start with fornication. He starts with vainglory. He offers the sweetness of being admired for virtue. It seems harmless. It even feels spiritual. Yet the moment the mind steps out of its refuge to taste this praise the door is opened. What begins as spiritual self regard becomes sensual fantasy. What was once clear becomes confused. The fall is not sudden. It is incremental and therefore more deadly. One indulgence prepares the next. The first passion creates the conditions for the second.
The remedy is not endless argument with thoughts. Isaac is blunt. To wrestle with passions once they have filled the imagination is already to be weakened. Images and idols are stamped upon the mind. The heart loses its simplicity. The truer strategy is to outrun them by remembrance of virtue and God. When the soul turns immediately toward what is pure and beautiful the invading thoughts find no place to lodge. They depart without leaving a trace.
Everything in these pages converges on one demand. We must want God more than our safety more than our reputation more than our consolations and more than our sins. The Kingdom is not won by those who merely avoid falling but by those who run. To hold anything back is already to drift toward the outer darkness. To give everything is to begin even now to shine.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:02:12 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Humility Real? - how heart react when another wounds usIs our understanding of the Kingdom and its light childish or rooted in mature faithDo we desire the kingdom or look for an in-between stateDo we teach others before we are healed?Enemy is subtle - vainglorious to focus on sin or temptation. Should focus on virtue.Resolve and labor tied togetherVirtue must be practiced otherwise we are like a fledgling without feathersHumility, fervor, tears can be lost through negligenceAffliction should ultimately give way to hope.Should not seek ways to avoid the cross •  11. Begin with courage.  Don’t divide the soul but trust God absolutely
00:02:42 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 173
00:04:04 Una’s iPhone: It’s the feast of St Agnes today, my name day
00:04:24 Una’s iPhone: Una is Agnes in Irish
00:05:06 Una’s iPhone: Those early virgins would have lived at home
00:05:24 Una’s iPhone: Like hermits of a sort
00:08:16 Anna: We're going to get hit hard. Prayers for my children and I not to lose power.
00:08:26 Anna: GA
00:08:28 Anna: Ice
00:14:38 read.ai meeting notes: noah added read.ai meeting notes to the meeting.
Read provides AI generated meeting summaries to make meetings more effective and efficient. View our Privacy Policy at https://www.read.ai/pp
Type "read stop" to disable, or "opt out" to delete meeting data.00:17:49 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 173, # 14, final paragraph00:26:57 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 174, # 15, first paragraph
00:33:18 Ryan Ngeve: Father if we ought to hide our virtues from others for the sake of humility, how then are we to teach others through our example
00:50:13 Jonathan Grobler: Once heard someone say, in the lines off, a true reflection of the health of a parish, is how long the confession line is.
00:51:04 Ben: Anna says; As a mother, I feel this exhortation to my bones.  I have these little people to teach, who have much greater purity of heart than I.
00:54:57 Jesssica Imanaka: I love the suggestion that families in a parish should meet to discuss the asceticism of parenthood and to help and support each other in that.
00:56:43 Eleana Urrego: Mother Teresa said is not doing a lot of things, but to do the small things with love.
00:57:08 Bob Čihák, AZ: Here's most of what I know about St. Charbel: https://www.ncregister.com/features/devotion-to-st-sharbel-grows-in-us
00:58:20 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "Here's most of what ..." with 👍🏼
01:00:25 Jesssica Imanaka: Desert mothers reading group!
01:01:05 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Here's most of what …" with ❤️
01:01:13 shang yang: Reacted to "Here's most of what ..." with 👍🏼
01:02:17 Jessica McHale: I would pack up and move out of Boston if there were a parish anywhere that did this.
01:03:57 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 174, # 16, last paragraph
01:06:52 Ambrose Little: Best movie ever
01:07:06 Eleana Urrego: what is the name?
01:07:32 Ambrose Little: A Christmas Story
01:07:40 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "A Christmas Story" with 👍🏼
01:16:17 Angela Bellamy: If a person wanted to be a saint and then found every time that they prayed they would be taken by imagination to the Great works they would do in God's name, interrupting the prayer to God but focusing on themselves in this fantasy... Ashamed then, the person decides they do not want to be a saint but only a servant of God, and then the fantasy begins to dissolve? Is this accurate to what you are saying?
01:19:17 Angela Bellamy: Praise and glory to God
01:22:34 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father, may God bless you and your mother. Stay warm!
01:22:34 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you, Father, and all participants.
01:22:35 Jessica McHale: Many prayers!!!!
01:22:38 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:22:41 Catherine Opie: Always
01:22:42 Janine: God bless Father…
01:22:42 Art: Thank you Father.
01:22:44 Elizabeth Richards: 🙏🏼
01:22:48 Angela Bellamy: Prayers Father. Thank you
01:23:00 Christopher Berry: Thank you, Father!
01:23:03 Art: Don’t shoot your eye out!
01:23:18 Catherine Opie: 🙏🏻
01:23:20 Rod Castillo: Thank you Father

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XLVI, Part II

This section of the Evergetinos exposes slander not as a minor moral failure or social misstep but as a profoundly spiritual violence. The Desert Fathers present it as a force that wounds the heart, fractures the mind, and distorts reality itself, not only for the one who is slandered but especially for the one who speaks the lie and for all who consent to it by listening.
In the lives of the two Gregories and Abba Makarios, slander arises from a familiar source: the refusal of sinners to endure the silent rebuke of holiness. The purity of Gregory the Wonderworker becomes unbearable to those who live dissolutely. Rather than repent, they must obscure the light that judges them simply by existing. Slander becomes their counterfeit leveling of the field. If the saint can be dragged down into accusation, then their own corruption can remain hidden and unchallenged.
What is striking is not merely the cruelty of the accusation but the saintly response. Gregory does not defend himself, does not appeal to his reputation, does not expose the plot, does not demand justice. He refuses to enter the logic of the lie. He acts as though the accusation has no power over his inner world. By paying the woman calmly, he breaks the spell of outrage and self-justification that slander seeks to provoke. His silence is not passivity but clarity. He preserves the integrity of the heart by refusing to let the false word become an interior dialogue.
The consequence is immediate and terrifying. The slander does not remain a neutral utterance. It reveals its true nature as communion with darkness. The demonization of the prostitute is not presented as an arbitrary punishment but as a manifestation of what slander already does invisibly. The lie fragments the person. The mind loses its harmony. Perception collapses. The woman becomes externally what slander makes one internally: disintegrated, driven, no longer master of oneself. Only the prayer of the one she accused restores her, revealing that the saint bears not resentment but intercession.
The same pattern unfolds in the life of Gregory of Akragas. Years of imprisonment and suffocation are endured without bitterness. His patience becomes a slow purification that exposes truth without violence. When vindication finally comes, it is accompanied by healing, not triumph. The slanderer is restored, while the architects of the lie are left speechless and darkened, their inability to speak symbolizing the final sterility of falsehood. Slander ultimately consumes the voice of the one who practices it.
Abba Makarios brings the teaching to its most intimate and terrifying form. He does not merely accept public humiliation. He inwardly consents to the burden placed upon him. He works to support the child he did not father. He rewrites the narrative within himself, not as injustice but as a providential call to greater humility and labor. In doing so, he is purified of even the desire to be seen rightly. When the truth finally emerges, he flees from honor as from fire, knowing that praise can undo what slander, paradoxically, had refined.
Across these accounts, the Fathers reveal a severe mercy at work. God allows slander to touch the righteous not because He delights in injustice but because it becomes a furnace in which self-love is burned away. The saint emerges freer, simpler, more transparent. At the same time, slander unmasks itself. It darkens the intellect. It warps perception. It draws others into a shared unreality where suspicion replaces truth and noise replaces discernment. Left unrepented, it leads not to mastery but to loss of speech, loss of sight, loss of coherence.
The Evergetinos does not leave the reader neutral. These stories are a warning and an invitation. To endure slander without retaliation is to enter the Cross where Christ Himself was accused, mocked, and condemned in silence. To participate in slander, even subtly, is to consent to a fragmentation of the heart that eventually spreads outward, shaping families, communities, and entire cultures.
The Desert Fathers are uncompromising because they are physicians of the soul. They show that words are never merely words. They either heal or deform. And they insist that God, in His mercy, will expose the lie, whether through repentance and healing or through the terrible unveiling of what darkness does when it is allowed to speak unchecked.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:05 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 346 Letter B
00:07:13 Anna: Maybe my husband could be considered for sainthood
00:08:16 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Reacted to "Maybe my husband cou..." with 😂
00:08:36 Anna: Actually seriously for my husband
00:09:00 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 346 Letter B
00:10:20 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/the-things-hung-around-the-neck
00:11:58 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 346 Letter B
00:12:04 Jessica McHale: Did you take the photo on this blog page? It's a great photo! Love it!
00:12:59 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/the-things-hung-around-the-neck
00:13:13 Jessica McHale: Yes
00:13:42 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "https://www.philokal..." with ❤️
00:14:01 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 346 B
00:14:38 Forrest: Replying to "Actually seriously f..."
Anna, there is a cause for Ruth Pakulak. Her husband is a well-known catholic essayist. It is just an example. I don't know very much about it.
00:15:51 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/the-things-hung-around-the-neck
00:30:23 Jessica McHale: I think the hardest part of this story is to learn to remember to call on God when slandered or if lies are told about us. Right in the moment, it's so hard to stop and turn to God.
00:33:26 Joan Chakonas: Giving her the money- how little money matters, the peace of the conversation interrupted matters
00:35:00 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 347 C
00:43:28 Anna: Reacted to Maybe my husband cou... with "😂"
00:43:31 Anna: Reacted to Maybe my husband cou... with "😂"
00:44:16 Anna: Reacted to Maybe my husband cou... with "👍"
00:44:23 Anna: Reacted to Maybe my husband cou... with "❤️"
00:44:30 John Burmeister: is God the only one that can put a generation punishment/curse on someone, or can Satan also?
00:44:35 Anna: Reacted to Maybe my husband cou... with "🎉"
00:44:38 Anna: Reacted to Maybe my husband cou... with "👏"
00:44:44 Anna: Reacted to Maybe my husband cou... with "😎"
00:45:24 Angela Bellamy: I think the difficulty I have is not in seeing the value or virtue of a pious disposition, one who has the workings of God within them contain a great glory; but what is the value to hear of the awful and abusive effects that seem supernatural upon those who have sinned against them by slander, what should we glean from such a response when we see the effects with our own eyes of the people who slander us today. Surely they are so broken already inside that they felt to do such a thing. hurt people hurt people. Does this kind of create an "us" versus "them" atmosphere, when in reality we are all "us", we are all them? I'd guard against hope in vindication with such tales... What are your thoughts, Father?
00:46:56 Maureen Cunningham: I think judgement of another  many times open the door
00:49:37 Anna: Yes
00:52:21 Angela Bellamy: Replying to "I think the difficul..."
It seems by what you share that when we pity the one who slanders us, it is God's strength in us that helps us overcome the immediate offense?
00:55:50 Anna: Reacted to https://www.philokal... with "❤️"
00:59:22 Anna: What do you mean a virtue needs to be purified by God?
01:06:44 Angela Bellamy: When humility is replaced with pride, or vanity, then it also replaces the grace of God. Pride and vanity are very deceitful and must be guard against at all costs. It terrifying in a way.
01:13:41 Joan Chakonas: I am very gullible- extremely.  I just believe what I hear initially.  A moron in many ways
01:14:00 Catherine Opie: Replying to "I am very gullible- ..."
You are not alone in that.
01:15:29 Jonathan Grobler: We often see this in the real world though, a simple a a a accusation, is enough to turn the mob against someone.
Especially when it comes to sexual accusations. 
People are scandalized that scripture demands witnesses before someone can be prosecuted.
01:16:56 Catherine Opie: That is so profound that he would flee from praise and vindication or even a return of his reputation to avoid hubris.
01:20:23 Angela Bellamy: Praise and glory to God, what a wonderful class. Thank you, Father.
01:20:30 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Praise and glory to ..." with ❤️
01:20:35 Jessica McHale: Amen'
01:20:43 Joan Chakonas: The fastest hour of my day
01:21:12 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Praise and glory t..." with ❤️
01:21:28 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "The fastest hour of ..." with 😅
01:21:36 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "The fastest hour o..." with 😅
01:21:37 Janine: Thank you Father….
01:21:51 Angela Bellamy: Too accustomed to stillness?
01:21:51 Catherine Opie: Just what I need to hear as usual. Thank you. God bless.
01:22:34 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:22:35 Jessica McHale: thank you!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily VI, Part V

St. Isaac the Syrian is not offering speculation about the afterlife. He is unveiling the inner logic of existence itself, now and forever. He begins, characteristically, not with heaven, but with humility—because for him humility is not a moral ornament but the measure of reality. You do not know humility, he says, by what you think of yourself when you are alone. You know it only when your self-image is wounded. If accusation disturbs you, if injustice burns you inwardly, then humility has not yet reached the marrow. This is not condemnation but diagnosis. Humility, for Isaac, is not self-accusation performed in safety; it is the quiet endurance of being diminished without revolt. Only such a heart can bear God.
From this point, Isaac lifts the veil on Christ’s words about the “many mansions” of the Father’s house. He dismantles our spatial and competitive imagination. Heaven is not a collection of separate dwellings, not a hierarchy of visible comparisons. There is one dwelling, one place, one vision, one light. God is not divided. Beatitude is not parceled out. The diversity lies not in God’s gift but in our capacity to receive it.
Isaac reaches for images of profound simplicity. The sun shines equally upon all, yet each person receives its light according to the health of his eyes. A single lamp illumines an entire house, yet its light is experienced differently depending on where one stands. The source is undivided. The radiance is simple. What differs is the vessel. Heaven, then, is not the multiplication of rewards but the full revelation of what the soul has become capable of receiving.
This is where Isaac’s teaching becomes both consoling and terrifying. Consoling, because there is no envy in the Kingdom. No one with a lesser measure will see the greater measure of another. There will be no sorrow born of comparison, no awareness of loss, no inner accusation that another has been given more. Each soul will delight fully in what it has been made able to contain. God will not be experienced as deprivation by anyone who is in Him.
But it is terrifying because Isaac makes clear that this capacity is not arbitrary. It is formed. It is disciplined. It is shaped through humility, suffering, obedience, and purification of the heart. The same divine light that gives joy to one will reveal limitation to another. The difference is not external but interior. Heaven does not change us at the threshold; it unveils us.
Isaac goes further. He insists that the world to come will not operate by a different logic than this one. The structure of reality is already set. Knowledge beyond sense, perception beyond images, understanding beyond words—these already exist in seed form. Ignorance remains for a time, but it is not eternal. There is an appointed moment when ignorance is abolished and the mysteries that are now guarded by silence are revealed. Silence, here, is not absence but reverence. God is not fully disclosed to the undisciplined mind.
Finally, Isaac draws a stark boundary. There is no middle realm. A person belongs either wholly to the realm above or wholly to the realm below. Yet even within each realm, there are degrees. This is not contradiction but coherence. Union or separation is absolute; experience within each state is varied. One is either turned toward God or away from Him, but the depth of that turning—or that refusal—determines the quality of one’s existence.
What Isaac is pressing upon us is this: life is the slow formation of our capacity for God. Salvation is not merely forgiveness; it is vision. Judgment is not an external sentence; it is the unveiling of what the soul can bear. Humility is not preparation for heaven—it is already participation in its light. And the tragedy of sin is not punishment imposed from without, but the shrinking of the heart’s ability to receive the One who gives Himself entirely.
In St. Isaac’s vision, God remains eternally simple, undivided, and radiant. The question that decides everything is not how much God gives, but how much we have allowed ourselves to be healed, emptied, and enlarged to receive Him.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:04:59 susan: Hi I'm trying to transition from liturgy or hours on the phone to the 4 volume books.  Can anone tell me what week we are currently in?  tx
00:05:20 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Humility Real? - how heart reacts when another wounds usIs our understanding of the Kingdom and its light childish or rooted in mature faithDo we desire the kingdom or look for an in-between stateDo we teach others before we are healed?Enemy is subtle - vainglorious to focus on sin or temptation. Should focus on virtue.Resolve and labor tied togetherVirtue must be practiced otherwise we are like a fledgling without feathersHumility, fervor, tears can be lost through negligenceAffliction should ultimately give way to hope.Should not seek ways to avoid the crossBegin with courage.  Don’t divide the soul but trust God absolutely
00:17:12 David Swiderski, WI: https://www.usccb.org/resources/2026cal.pdf
00:18:49 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 172, # 11, first paragraph
00:40:28 Ben: Anna; It seems to me that since Charity isn't something that we lose in heaven, that the glory of each soul will somehow communicate it's self to each other soul in such a way that we will each delight in the glory of the other.
00:41:40 Elizabeth Richards: It is so hard to invest and trust fully when our experience human relationships always disappoint (for me). It was easier when I was younger!
00:42:40 Elizabeth Richards: It I can be hard not to be protective in my relationship with God
00:44:05 Elizabeth Richards: The paradox is that I need Christ's strength & grace to have a vulnerable relationship with Him!
00:47:26 David Swiderski, WI: Youth is a struggle of acquiring- knowledge, career, house, family and growing older sometimes is a struggle of learning to let go until there is nothing of us to cling to but God.. (A saying from my Grandfather)  He also said more concisely we come into this world and leave the same way no teeth, bald and in diapers.
00:50:26 Nypaver Clan: Father, Do you have a good, detailed examination of conscience from the Desert Fathers?
00:50:33 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Replying to "Youth is a struggle ..."
Do any of the Saints approach the circuitous routes of  the spiritual life and vocation with a holy sense of humor???
00:50:58 Maureen Cunningham: Sometimes it feels like That God is treating me the same as my adversary s
01:01:20 Angela Bellamy: Is the joy simultaneous with the sorrow entangled forever? or will the joy win?
01:01:59 Art: Going back to paragraph 12 where Isaac speaks of “each according to the clarity of his eyesight” this reminds me of something from the margin of the Roman missal.  It says, “They will receive grace [at Mass] in the measure of their faith and devotion, visible to God alone.”  So it’s as if at mass we are already experiencing this part of heaven.  There we are all in the same place, one abode, one place, one dwelling, yet each seeing “each according to the clarity of his eyesight” and absent any feelings of envy toward any other.
01:04:43 David Swiderski, WI: https://saintnicholas-oca.org/files/catechetical-resources/Self-Examination-before-Confession-From-Way-of-a-Pilgrim.pdf
01:19:47 Nypaver Clan: Father, you’re awesome!🥰
01:19:54 Tracey Fredman: Reacted to "Father, you’re aweso..." with ❤️
01:19:55 Elizabeth Richards: N Macedonia!
01:20:01 Angela Bellamy: Wonderful insights from Saint Isaac. Thank you for your class. sign me up!
01:20:02 Janine: I’m in!
01:20:03 Jesssica Imanaka: The Redwoods!
01:20:06 Bob Čihák, AZ: We've got Zoom already
01:20:08 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "Wonderful insights f..." with 😆
01:20:08 John ‘Jack’: In
01:20:43 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:20:43 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father may God bless you and your Mother.
01:20:45 Elizabeth Richards: Amen -Thank you Father
01:20:45 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:20:46 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You ,
01:21:06 Charmaine's iPad: Thank you
01:21:11 Gwen’s iPhone: Thank you.
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XLV, and XLVI, Part I

These texts from the Evergetinos unsettle us because they refuse to remain within the boundaries of what feels morally tidy or intellectually manageable. They do not ask us to refine our ethical reasoning. They ask us to relinquish it. Not because truth no longer matters, but because truth in Christ is no longer possessed or deployed by us. It is entered. It is suffered. It is entrusted to God.
Abba Alonios’ answer shocks precisely because it violates our instinct for clean distinctions. We want truth to be a weapon that guarantees justice. We want moral clarity to protect us from risk. Yet the elder places before us a situation in which telling the truth would mean cooperating with death. The choice is not between honesty and deceit as abstract values. It is between acting as judge and surrendering judgment to God. The lie he permits is not born of calculation or convenience but of restraint. It is a refusal to become the final arbiter over another human life.
Here the Gospel quietly overturns us. Christ does not save the world by insisting on correct procedure. He saves it by entering into its injustice and absorbing it without retaliation. He does not clarify situations from a distance. He descends into them and bears their weight. The elder’s answer does not sanctify falsehood. It exposes our illusion that we are capable of wielding truth without wounding when our hearts are still governed by fear and reactivity.
The second account presses even deeper. The Reader does not merely endure slander. He consents to it. He allows truth to be buried in order to spare the Church further scandal and to place his own vindication entirely in the hands of God. This is not passivity. It is not weakness. It is a terrifying freedom. He relinquishes reputation. He relinquishes status. He relinquishes even the right to be understood. He chooses to stand before God alone.
Here moral reasoning collapses. By every rational measure the Reader should defend himself. Justice demands it. Yet the Gospel reveals a different justice. One that does not rush to expose wrongdoing but waits for God to uncover what human judgment cannot heal. The Reader’s silence becomes prayer. His loss becomes intercession. His false condemnation becomes the means by which God exposes the deeper sickness of slander and restores the one who sinned.
What these texts reveal is that the Christian life cannot be lived from the center of our own discernment alone. The Gospel draws us past the point where we ask what is fair or reasonable and into the mystery of Christ who was condemned while innocent and silent before His accusers. These stories are not moral templates to be imitated mechanically. They are icons. They show us what love looks like when it no longer seeks to justify itself.
The Fathers knew how quickly our sense of virtue becomes self protection. How easily truth becomes an extension of our fear. The Gospel dismantles this illusion. It exposes how much of our judgment is driven by the need to control outcomes and secure our innocence. Christ does not ask us to abandon truth. He asks us to abandon ownership of it.
To enter this mystery is to accept that fidelity to Christ will sometimes look like loss. That obedience may cost us clarity. That love may require us to stand undefended. Not because injustice is holy but because God alone is capable of judging without destroying.
These writings do not give us answers we can apply. They draw us into a posture we must inhabit. One where restraint replaces reaction. Where prayer replaces accusation. Where truth is no longer something we speak over others but a life we entrust to God.
The Gospel does not refine our moral instincts. It crucifies them and raises something altogether new.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:00:41 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 343 G paragraph 2
00:06:59 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 343 G paragraph 2
00:07:17 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:08:34 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "Philokaliaministries..." with ❤️
00:08:46 Una’s iPhone: Laughter is the best medicine?
00:10:05 Una’s iPhone: I’m reading St Nicodemos Handbook of Spiritual Counsel
00:10:25 Una’s iPhone: Yes
00:10:38 Una’s iPhone: Guarding the senses
00:10:49 Anna: What's the book we're reading?
00:11:02 Anna: Thanks!
00:15:01 Angela Bellamy: Good evening Father. I've been looking forward to the class. Its lovely to see you doing well. :)
00:34:40 John ‘Jack’: In John 7; 1-10 where the disciples try to talk Jesus into going in to the feast of the tabernacles he tells them his time has not yet come, he then goes in without them in disguise, thus has always seemed to be he lied, or at least misled them, id love to hear your interpretation on that scripture.
00:41:09 John ‘Jack’: They are very good at showing us our own minuteness
00:43:04 Angela Bellamy: Excuse my interjection but Jesus explained that He couldn't go openly because He was being sought after to be murdered. That the people did not accept Him and that it wasn't time for His crucifixion.
00:44:45 John Burmeister: if i saw the murder, im not judgeing the person, im judging the act,
00:45:26 Julie: The importance of praying for discernment
00:45:42 John Burmeister: god will still have his judgement. it maybe gods providence for me to turn him in
00:54:41 Anthony: I don't think I would just take the judgement. I'd suppose having a good reputation is important for not just me, but my family and people who assume I did the grave evil.  For example how many true and false accusations against Catholic priests and others in USA was an excuse for people to leave faith in anger and grief?
00:54:44 Anna: Wow suffering is so powerful
00:55:37 John Burmeister: Replying to "I don't think I woul..."
or for money
00:57:32 jonathan: Isaiah 53:7 – “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” Mark 15:3–5 – When accused before Pilate, “The chief priests accused him of many things… But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.”
00:57:51 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "Isaiah 53:7 – “He wa..." with ❤️
01:01:54 Anthony: George Pell
01:03:27 Joan Chakonas: A example showing where you turn the other cheek to slander, and God takes care of you ultimately.
01:03:34 Joan Chakonas: Reacted to "Isaiah 53:7 – “He wa…" with ❤️
01:06:55 Rebecca Thérèse: Unfortunately, abusers often manipulate themselves into important positions and a network develops where they look out for each other. Then when an allegation arises against an innocent person they go after them to make it look like they're cracking down on abuse and corruption where really they're just deflecting scrutiny away from themselves. The allegations against Cardinal Pell were easy to disprove but the authorities weren't interested in the truth.
01:08:44 Angela Bellamy: Joseph was slandered and yet the Lord held him dear. Humility invites God into our situation. He is sovereign over all.
01:10:20 Forrest: The bishop in this story continued his evil ways stating that the prayers of the reader must be to afflict the woman. Would the reader have been praying that way?
01:17:44 Janine: Praying for you Father!
01:18:37 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:19:43 Bob Čihák, AZ: Bless your excitement and overexpressing the Truth, Father, You're not alone!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily VI, Part IV

St. Isaac is not describing admirable behaviors. He is naming a different kind of human being.
Mercy, humility, and almsgiving are not virtues added to an otherwise intact self. They are the outward signs that the old self has already begun to die. What St. Isaac exposes is not how difficult mercy is, but how incompatible it is with the identity most of us still inhabit.
To endure injustice patiently is not an act of moral endurance. It reveals where a person now lives. The one who still derives himself from possession, reputation, or control must be troubled by loss. He cannot help it. Injury threatens his very sense of being. But the one who has been reborn in Christ no longer draws life from what he owns or from what is said about him. His center has shifted. His life is hidden elsewhere. That is why St. Isaac speaks with such severity. If loss disturbs you inwardly or if you feel compelled to tell others what was taken from you, then mercy has not yet reached exactness. The self that requires vindication is still alive.
The same truth governs humility. St. Isaac does not describe humility as thinking poorly of oneself or rehearsing faults. He describes it as freedom from the need to be justified at all. The truly humble man does not argue with accusation. He does not rush to clarify himself. He does not try to persuade others that he has been misjudged. He accepts slander as truth not because the accusation is factual but because his identity no longer depends upon recognition in this age. He begs forgiveness not because he is guilty but because Christ has released him from the tyranny of innocence.
This is why the examples St. Isaac offers are so severe. They are meant to break our assumptions. These saints did not merely endure misunderstanding. They entered it. They allowed themselves to be named wrongly. They accepted reputations that contradicted their inner purity. Some even clothed themselves in madness so that virtue would remain hidden. They did this not out of self contempt but out of clarity. Praise had become dangerous to them. Visibility threatened to awaken a self they had already buried.
This is not spiritual theater. It is the logic of the Incarnation carried through to its end. Christ did not merely endure false accusation. He accepted it as the path of revelation. He did not correct the narrative. He did not defend Himself. He allowed Himself to be named wrongly so that His true identity would be revealed not by explanation but by self offering. Those who live this way are not imitating a moral example. They are sharing His life.
The figure of Elisha makes this unmistakable. Power and mercy dwell in the same man. Elisha had the authority to destroy his enemies and St. Isaac insists on this point. Mercy is not weakness. It is strength transfigured. The man who feeds his enemies instead of destroying them does so not because he lacks power but because power no longer rules him. Mercy reveals what kind of being he has become. He acts from God rather than from self preservation.
What is at stake here is identity. St. Isaac is asking a question that allows no evasion. From where do you live. From the need to be right. From the need to be seen correctly. From the hope that truth will be acknowledged and justice rendered in this age. Or from the hidden life of Christ where nothing must be defended because everything has already been given away.
These paragraphs do not invite balance or moderation. They announce a death and a birth. Either we remain the kind of people who must protect ourselves from injustice or we become the kind of people for whom injustice no longer defines reality. Either we still live as those who need our names preserved or we have become those whose true name is known only to God.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:35:09 Thomas: The Man of God movie on St. Nektarios is really good for this
00:35:45 Mia: Reacted to The Man of God movie... with "👍"
00:39:21 Eleana Urrego: Sounds like we have to expect to be confronted with false accusations?
00:40:30 Jesssica Imanaka: These teachings of Saint Isaac are amongst the hardest for me... not sure which vice gets in my way: maybe pride?
00:41:38 Catherine Opie: So does that mean that if one is being persecuted one can know that one is on the right path? Rather than being lauded ans a "success"?
00:42:53 Fr Martin, Arizona: "Not self-help writings" seems to be a good comment.
00:43:33 Maureen Cunningham: I think the evil one like to shoot the fiery dart. Our Lord spoke  to us we must forgive.
00:43:44 Fr Martin, Arizona: Instead of better self-made persons, rather partakers of the Divine nature.
00:44:44 Thomas: Is anger very closely tied to this, meaning that I might get angry if someone calls me out even if it’s true. Or even with saints putting forth the hard parts of the gospel that I might get angry because I see that I’m not what I think I am.
00:45:55 Fr Martin, Arizona: it seems we can offer thanksgiving for consolation and thanksgiving for purging.
00:47:35 Angela Bellamy: Is humility being the fruit which makes this experience (accusation) less bitter? Is it a gift of the Lord or is it the result of a practiced virtue?
00:52:16 Eleana Urrego: I used to think I was just being paranoid for wanting to stay faithful to the truth, especially while feeling pressured to conform to the dominant agenda at work and in my classes—and facing constant criticism and accusations 😅. But now I realize this is actually an opportunity to grow in sanctity and deepen my convictions, feels more like blessings then.
00:54:48 Ben: 's wife Anna; I understand the principle, but when faced with betrayal from close friends and faithful exemplary Catholics; it's really hard to put this principle into practice.  How can we actually DO this?
00:57:02 Eleana Urrego: Like in the movie he was betrayed by his clergy brothers more painful.
00:57:09 Joan Chakonas: God will help you in the moment to conform to this principle- this I believe and have experienced.
01:02:58 Angela Bellamy: Is it not a beautiful gift to be stripe of attachments so that our focus is on the Lord? It is painful. I ponder our Christ on the cross and I've asked Him so pitifully how could He find the vulnerability to forgive?
01:03:50 Laura: Reacted to "it seems we can offe..." with 👍🏼
01:05:42 Angela Bellamy: Is humility being the fruit which makes this experience (accusation) less bitter? Is it a gift of the Lord or is it the result of a practiced virtue?
01:07:25 Thomas: Is anger very closely tied to this, because I would get angry if somebody would dare question the image I have of myself
01:11:23 Joan Chakonas: Time goes by too fast on these calls
01:11:38 Angela Bellamy: Wonderfully thought provoking and I am thankful to the lesson. Thank you everyone.
01:11:38 jonathan: Reacted to "Time goes by too fas..." with 💯
01:11:38 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "Wonderfully thought ..." with ❤️
01:11:51 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Time goes by too fas..." with 💯
01:12:03 Janine: Thank you Father!
01:12:44 Maureen Cunningham: Blessing thank you  everyone  Farther much meditate on
01:13:07 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:13:10 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:13:38 Anna: What's the book

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XLV

The Fathers do not allow us to soften this teaching. They place truth at the very center of the ascetical life and they do so without apology. A truthful mouth a holy body and a pure heart stand or fall together. Where speech is corrupted everything else soon follows. Falsehood is not a minor fault or a social lubricant. It is death. Truth is not a virtue among others. It is the new man himself breathing through the tongue.
They are relentless because they know how easily we excuse ourselves. We lie not only to protect ourselves but to protect relationships. We lie to preserve peace. We lie to avoid discomfort. We lie because we fear that truth will finally sever what little love remains. And yet the Fathers insist that where truth is sacrificed love has already been lost. What we are trying to preserve is not communion but an arrangement held together by fear.
The early sayings leave no ambiguity. The mouth is sanctified only by Christ who is the Truth. The liar does not merely misspeak. He places his mouth under another father. Falsehood reshapes the soul. It expels the fear of God because it replaces trust in God with management of outcomes. We begin to believe that relationships survive by control rather than repentance.
Abba Isaiah exposes the root. Love of human glory gives birth to falsehood. We lie because we want to be seen as kind prudent wise or peacemaking. Humility cuts this root. The humble man can speak truth because he no longer needs to be admired or effective. He entrusts consequences to God. The tongue trained in the words of God no longer needs to improvise.
And then the Evergetinos unsettles us with its hardest stories. A brother lies gently to cover another’s weakness. Another brother lies cleverly to reconcile two elders. The lies work. No one is harmed. Peace is restored. We are tempted to breathe a sigh of relief. Surely love has justified the sacrifice of truth.
But the Fathers are not congratulating us. They are showing us something tragic.
In both stories the lie is necessary because love has already failed. In the first story murmuring has entered the community. Cold has become judgment. Weakness has become resentment. The brother lies to prevent further harm because the truth would now wound rather than heal. But this is not the triumph of love. It is damage control after love has broken down.
In the second story reconciliation does not happen through repentance confession or mutual humility. It happens through misdirection. The elders are not brought face to face with their grievance. They are gently bypassed. Peace is achieved but truth is avoided. The brother’s sagacity saves them from further hardening yet the cost is revealing. Love is so fragile that it cannot bear the truth.
The Fathers do not present this as a model to imitate casually. They present it as a warning. When truth must be bent to preserve peace something has already gone wrong in the heart. The need for the lie exposes the absence of repentance. It reveals relationships sustained by pride fear and avoidance rather than by shared humility before God.
This is why the earlier sayings are so severe. Truth is the root of good deeds. Without it even love becomes distorted. What we often call love is only the desire to avoid conflict. What we call prudence is often fear of exposure. What we call peace is sometimes nothing more than mutual silence around a wound no one will touch.
The Evergetinos does not resolve the tension for us. It leaves us uneasy on purpose. It forces us to see how easily we justify falsehood once communion has been damaged. It also forces us to admit how rarely we do the harder work of repentance that would make truth bearable again.
True love does not need lies. But when love has thinned and trust has collapsed lies become tempting because they seem merciful. The Fathers tolerate this in extremis but they never bless it. They keep pointing us back to the beginning. A truthful mouth. A pure heart. A body not divided. Where these are present truth heals rather than destroys.
The hard word remains. If truth feels too dangerous to speak the work is not to refine the lie but to repent until love is restored. Anything else may buy peace for a moment but it trains the heart to live without light.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:05:26 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 341
00:08:48 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 341
00:30:55 Anthony: Then it sounds to me we can't really assent to going to war, inasmuch as we are told we have to go to war because so-and-so did something dastardly....and we are asked to take that in faith. But, people lie
00:36:35 Forrest: Replying to "Then it sounds to me..."
I think this interpretation would be too great an extension of the text. What is special about declaration of war, Anthony, that we should withhold our assent? We trust the gospel of the resurrection, which we have not seen. Our Lord praised those who believe without seeing. We can assent to trustworthy declarations.
00:40:35 Joan Chakonas: I regard the harsh realities as set forth by the Fathers the kindest warnings of consequences  because the devil is on us everyday, all of the time.  Animals are gifted instincts- our free will  is aided by the desert fathers.  Every second of our life we make  decisions.  The desert fathers are such a help.
00:41:50 Myles Davidson: I was also thinking of politics while reading this Hypothesis and the staggering levels of deception we are expected to swallow these days. If ones looks closely at many of the pretexts for war in the last few decades, they are based on falsehoods to get the masses on board with a war they would never accept if they knew the real reasons for the desire for those in power to go to war
00:42:49 Forrest: Replying to "I was also thinking ..."
Yes, I agree. The text mentioned "glory of men" begets falsehood.
00:44:01 Angela Bellamy: I don't have any confidence in evaluating anything outside of myself when even within myself is so much in the way of deception. It may be folly to take our eyes from Jesus to analyze humanity.
00:46:38 Al Antoni: Ineffable folly
00:51:58 Lee Graham: This is not our home.
00:52:15 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "This is not our home..." with ❤️
00:53:51 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "This is not our ho..." with ❤️
00:54:16 Rebecca Thérèse: Reacted to "This is not our home..." with ❤️
00:54:37 Angela Bellamy: Daniel found himself in a strange place and he restricted his diet in order to remain pure in a foreign land. If we eat with our eyes and our ears, how do we alter our diet in order to maintain purity for the Lord?
01:05:04 Anthony: Ok, so "you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" is not about lying per se, but it is about lying for the purpose of harming another?  God is not demanding absolute truth but God demands love in speech?
01:08:40 jonathan: Is it true the church demands absolute truth? That lying, even in the case of saving someone's life, would still be considered a sin?
01:09:20 Kate Rose: Hate the sin, not the sinner
01:12:09 Joan Chakonas: Some questions you just don’t answer.  My life in corporate America.
01:14:46 Myles Davidson: Could it be said, that if telling the truth allows a greater sin (such as murder), then in that respect telling the truth becomes a sin
01:16:12 Forrest: ccc 2483 Lying is the most direct offense against the truth. To lie is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead into error someone who has the right to know the truth. By injuring man's relation to truth and to his neighbor, a lie offends against the fundamental relation of man and of his word to the Lord.
01:16:43 Forrest: If they have no right to the truth, then do not answer.
01:17:27 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Could it be said, th..."
That there is a hierarchy to sin as you said
01:17:31 jonathan: Reacted to "If they have no righ..." with 💯
01:18:44 Anna: No if lying it's not going to heal the situation as only truth heals. Love is not lying. Love is truth.
01:18:56 Forrest: I never practice therapeutic lying. I don't detract against people who do.
01:19:35 Forrest: Replying to "I never practice the..."
And my father had dementia and my step father does. It is tempting.
01:22:18 jonathan: I assume, its similar to moses allowing divorce, even though its against Gods will for man, its a concession, and not necessarily the perfect way.
01:24:00 Al Antoni: St Dionysios of Zakynthos is famous for hiding his brother's murderer (and hence lying), demonstrating immense Christian love and forgiveness.
01:25:29 Joan Chakonas: Reacted to "If they have no righ…" with ❤️
01:25:44 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You always so Blessed
01:26:00 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:26:13 Jessica McHale: Thank you! Many prayers!
01:26:15 Janine: Happy feast day!
01:26:18 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily VI, Part III

Here St. Isaac does not define virtues as behaviors but as states of being before God. He strips away external markers and leaves the soul alone with truth. What he offers is not a ladder of accomplishments but a geography of the heart.
A stranger, he says, is not one who has left a place, but one whose mind has been estranged from all things of life. This is the quiet violence of the Gospel: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (Jn 17:16). Estrangement here is not contempt for creation but freedom from possession. Abba Arsenius fled Rome, but what he truly fled was the tyranny of relevance. To become a stranger is to consent to being unnecessary. It is to let the world continue without you and discover that God remains.
The mourner is not a melancholic soul but a hungry one. He lives, Isaac says, in hunger and thirst for the sake of his hope in good things to come. This is the blessed mourning of the Beatitudes, the ache that refuses consolation because it has tasted something eternal. St. John Climacus calls mourning “a sorrow that is glad,” because it is oriented toward the Kingdom. It is grief baptized by hope. Such a soul does not despise joy; it waits for the only joy that cannot be taken away.
Then Isaac dares to say what a monk truly is. Not one who has taken vows, not one who wears a habit, but one who remains outside the world and is ever supplicating God to receive future blessings. The monk stands at the edge of time and begs. His posture is eschatological. He lives as though the promises are real. This is why the monk’s wealth is not visible. It is the comfort that comes of mourning and the joy that comes of faith, shining secretly in the mind’s hidden chambers. Christ Himself names this hiddenness when He says, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt 6:6). The true treasure does not announce itself. It warms quietly.
Mercy, too, is redefined. A merciful man is not one who performs selective kindness but one who has lost the ability to divide the world mentally into worthy and unworthy. This is the mercy of God Himself, who “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good” (Mt 5:45). St. Isaac elsewhere says that a merciful heart burns for all creation: for humans, animals, demons, even for the enemies of God. Such mercy is not sentimental. It is cruciform. It is the heart stretched until it resembles Christ’s own.
And then Isaac turns to chastity, and again he refuses reduction. Virginity is not merely bodily restraint but an interior reverence. One who feels shame before himself even when alone. This is a startling phrase. It speaks of a soul that lives before God even when no one is watching. Shame here is not self-loathing but awe. It is the trembling awareness that one’s thoughts are already prayers, or blasphemies, before the face of God.
Therefore Isaac is unsparing: chastity cannot survive without reading and prolonged prayer. Without immersion in the Word, the imagination becomes a wilderness of unguarded images. Without prayer, the heart has no shelter. Abba Evagrius taught that thoughts are not defeated by force but by replacement—by filling the mind with divine fire. The Jesus Prayer, Scripture read slowly, the psalms murmured in weakness, these do not merely resist impurity; they transfigure desire itself.
What unites all these sayings is this: St. Isaac is describing a soul that has accepted vulnerability. God has permitted the soul to be susceptible to accidents: not as punishment, but as mercy. Weakness becomes the doorway. Hunger becomes the guide. Shame becomes watchfulness. Mourning becomes wealth. Nothing here is safe, and nothing here is superficial.
This is not an ethic for the strong. It is a path for those who have consented to be poor before God.
In the end, St. Isaac is teaching us how to stand unarmed in the presence of the Kingdom; estranged from the world, aching for God, clothed in quiet prayer, and guarded not by our strength but by grace that shines unseen in the depths of the heart.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:04:33 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 170 paragraph 7 Homily Six
00:04:45 Angela Bellamy: What is the book titled please?
00:04:56 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "What is the book tit..." with 👍
00:08:11 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 170 paragraph 7 Homily Six
00:08:21 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php?cPath=75_105&products_id=635
00:11:18 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 170 paragraph 7 Homily Six
00:12:25 Angela Bellamy: We have another advisory as well.
00:14:38 Angela Bellamy: Is the Saturday group suitable for me to join as well?
00:15:31 Jesssica Imanaka: Replying to "Is the Saturday grou..."
They are sporadic. I didn't think there was a regular Saturday group.
00:16:05 Angela Bellamy: Replying to "Is the Saturday grou..."
Is it a kind of fellowship meeting or is it usually topic related?
00:16:12 Andrew Adams: Replying to "Is the Saturday grou..."
The Saturday groups are one-off topics. They have been on more broader topics/themes of Eastern Christin spirituality.
00:16:25 Angela Bellamy: Replying to "Is the Saturday grou..."
Wonderful! Thank you.
00:48:59 Myles Davidson: Some of my favourite times during a challenging night vigil where I am very tired and battling sleep and even the Jesus prayer is too much effort, is only having the ability to repeat the name of Jesus over and over. Being too tired for any other thought has a very liberating and tender quality to it
00:49:39 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Some of my favouri..." with ❤️
00:54:51 David Swiderski, WI: I found arrow prayers have helped me. A spiritual director told me to leave a breadcrumb trail throughout the day so the heart continues to return to God as much as possible. A picture of our mother in one's wallet, a rosary/prayer rope in one's pocket etc.Hourly Prayers of Saint John Chrysostom
00:55:16 Rebecca Thérèse: St John of the Cross says that it's beneficial for the intellect to sleep or be otherwise occupied to assist the communication of God with the soul. Contemplative prayer is the action of God in the soul, it's completely passive - it doesn't depend on our effort except to cooperate with the Holy Spirit by endeavouring to grow in virtue.
00:55:45 Fr Marty: Beautiful explanation. Thank you
00:57:37 Jessica McHale: Praying the Divine Office but also working an 8 hr day and tending to family etc can some times make the Office feel like something just to check off on the list of things to do and not prayer. It's a challenge. I love praying the Office but sometimes it does become one more thing to get done. Maybe it's the few moments within a long evening prayer or morning prayer that I do pray from my heart counts most.
00:57:59 Angela Bellamy: What is the hallmark difference between prayer rule, simple prayer, and contemplative prayer?
00:58:25 Fr Marty: Prayer and theosis is sometimes too wonderful to comprehend
00:59:10 Jesssica Imanaka: Reacted to "I found arrow prayer..." with ❤️
00:59:16 Angela Bellamy: Is it necessary to know or label the prayer?
00:59:22 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I found arrow pray..." with ❤️
01:06:14 Una’s iPhone: The Perfect Prayer Book by Father Frey is a Catholic breviary that covers the entire psalter in a week
01:07:40 Kimberley A: Faith is the reality of  the Presence of God deep in my heart. Almost like is an invisible Being who is ever with me and in me. Is this right?
01:07:43 Una’s iPhone: published by Confraternity of the Precious Blood in NY. An old and small book. $10 on Amazon. It’s been a lifesaver for me with my reduced physical energy
01:08:58 Kimberley A: My heart has become a humble "manger".
01:09:51 Joan Chakonas: I listen to the old podcasts (right now Ladder of Divine Ascent) when I can -when I’m driving or doing other solitary activity- and I find I am in communion with God listening to the words you read.  Every reading directs my mind toward things in my mind and life and its all so good.
01:17:06 Joan Chakonas: Agree the live group is epic!!
01:17:13 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Agree the live group..." with 👍
01:17:22 Ben: Reacted to "Agree the live group..." with 👍
01:17:31 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I listen to the ol..." with ❤️
01:17:40 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Agree the live gro..." with 👍
01:18:07 Ann’s iPad: Reacted to "Agree the live group…" with 👍
01:18:18 Kevin Burke: Thank You Father! Such a blessing to be in this group!
01:18:21 Angela Bellamy: Thank you Father.
01:18:32 Janine: The best! Thank you Father! No better way to spend Eve!
01:18:42 Joan Chakonas: Reacted to "The best! Thank you …" with ❤️
01:19:06 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you, happy new year everyone.☺️
01:19:11 Kimberley A: Blessed 🎊 new year
01:19:20 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father. May God bless you and your mother!
01:19:41 Jessica McHale: I absolutely LOVE your teaching and counsel. Praise God fo leading me to you and these groups this past yesr!  Many prayers!!!! Thank you!
01:19:49 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XLIII and XLIV

There is something terrifyingly honest in these stories because they do not allow us to hide behind good intentions or spiritual reputation. They expose how thin the veil is between holiness and destruction when the heart is not fully purified of anger and envy.
Florentius is not portrayed as weak or negligent. He is guileless. He prays. He fasts. He entrusts his life to God so completely that even a wild bear becomes obedient to the rhythm of his prayer. Creation itself recognizes innocence when the human heart is simple. The bear does not argue. It does not rebel. It returns at the sixth hour. It submits to fasting schedules. It becomes a brother. And then men who pray and chant psalms murder it out of envy.
The Evergetinos does not soften this. Envy is not a small flaw. It is demonic participation. The Devil enters precisely where comparison takes root. Their teacher does not work miracles. Another is becoming known. Something inside them twists. They do not attack Florentius directly. They kill what he loves. That is how envy works. It strikes sideways. It wounds through the innocent.
What follows should frighten anyone who thinks holiness gives permission to anger. Florentius prays for justice. He does not strike with his hands. He strikes with words. And heaven responds. The punishment is immediate. Public. Irreversible. And the most horrifying part is not the leprosy of the guilty monks but the lifelong repentance of the holy one whose prayer was answered.
Florentius spends the rest of his life calling himself a murderer.
That should stop us cold. God answers his prayer and Florentius is undone by it. He learns too late that the tongue can kill just as surely as a knife. Gregory is mercilessly clear. Revilers do not inherit the Kingdom. Not murderers. Not adulterers. Revilers. Those who curse. Those who wound with speech. Those who let anger become a prayer.
Then the Fathers press the knife deeper.
Makarios meets the same pagan twice. Once he is cursed and beaten almost to death. Once he blesses and converts a soul. The difference is not the pagan. The difference is the word. The disciple speaks truth without love and becomes an occasion of violence. The elder speaks love without flattery and becomes an occasion of resurrection. One word produces blood. Another produces monks.
An evil word makes even a good man evil. A good word makes even an evil man good. This is not poetry. It is spiritual law.
We want crosses without insults. We want asceticism without humiliation. We want holiness that never contradicts our self image. The Fathers laugh at this illusion. We behold the Cross and read about Christ’s sufferings and cannot endure a single insult without defending ourselves internally. Not even outwardly. In the heart. That is where the battle is lost.
Abba Isaiah is ruthless because he knows how fast anger multiplies. Do not argue. Do not justify. Make a prostration before your heart rehearses its case. Silence is not weakness here. It is warfare. If the insult is true repent. If it is false endure. Either way the soul is saved if the tongue is restrained.
The bear was obedient. The monks were not. The pagan ran in vain until he was greeted with mercy. Florentius learned that holiness without restraint of speech can still become an instrument of death. And the Fathers leave us with no escape. Words are not neutral. They either heal or rot the body of Christ.
This teaching burns because it strips us of our favorite refuge. We excuse anger as clarity. We baptize sharp speech as righteousness. We call curses discernment. The Evergetinos exposes this lie mercilessly. One word can unleash hell. One word can open the Kingdom.
The question is not whether we pray. The question is whether our words crucify or resurrect.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:05:16 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 336 Hypothesis XLIII
00:05:29 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:09:36 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 336 Hypothesis XLIII
00:09:55 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: http://Philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:11:58 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 336 Hypothesis XLIII Volume II
00:12:32 Angela Bellamy: What is the name of the book please?
00:12:45 Jessica McHale: Same here in Boston
00:13:06 Jerimy Spencer: Aloha Father, from a ‘chilly’ 78° O'ahu 😅
00:13:24 Jerimy Spencer: lol
00:14:26 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.ctosonline.org/patristic/EvCT.html
00:15:13 Angela Bellamy: I bought the Philokalia but the pages don't line up with your YouTube teaching.
00:23:13 Jerimy Spencer: Like the lion that helped dig and bury St Mary of Egypt ♥️☦️
00:24:34 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Like the lion that..." with 👍
00:37:27 Jessica McHale: In all honestly, should we just endure verbal abuse?
00:39:46 Joan Chakonas: The ability to forgive /avoid cursing others goes along with not despairing of God forgiving us of our own accursed actions
00:40:47 Jerimy Spencer: Two thoughts, I’ve often thought that when someone murders, they murder something of their humanity, they assault the image of God within themselves…
And you’ve reminded me of the redemption of the Ransom character’s imagination from C.S. Lewis’ Space trilogy, where he begins to see reality as the two humans who kidnapped him from afar, at first thinks they are oddly shaped, sees them as alien and ultimately as villain.
01:03:23 Joan Chakonas: I think it’s hard to be good because insults or affronts come upon us suddenly  and it takes us by surprise
01:05:26 Joan Chakonas: It takes a lot of prayer and practice and grace eventually arrests our quick responses
01:07:12 John Burmeister: Im 61 and have been angry with people and said some stuff that i should probably have not said over these years. you make we wonder, that a lot of these people i did not know, we really will not know if we caused harm until after our death.
01:07:57 Jessica McHale: It's easier to take the insults of strangers, but when the insults are from family and you have no one--you're alone--it's hard not to become despondent or even engage in self-pity. We can identlfy with Christ in it--to be in the Garden of Gethsemance with Him, but it is a challenge. The worst part is not even the insults, it's knowing that if this person/people were living as a Christian their lives would be so much more peaceful and whole. The insults wouldn't even occur. That's the hard part to come to terms with. Praying and putting it in God's hands is best I guess.
01:12:04 Angela Bellamy: https://www.orthodoxroad.com/bless-my-enemies-o-lord/
01:27:16 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "https://www.orthod..." with ❤️
01:27:29 Ann’s iPad: Reacted to "https://www.orthodox…" with ❤️
01:28:32 Kevin Burke: Thank you Father, this teaching is a great blessing in my life.
01:28:38 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:28:45 Jennifer Dantchev: Thank you!
01:28:49 Janine: Thank you Father
01:28:50 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you and bless you, Father.
01:28:53 Charmaine's iPad: Thank you
01:28:56 Andrew Adams: Merry Christmas everyone!
01:29:00 Jessica McHale: Bless you, Father--a thousand times! Merry Chistmas! Looking frward to Wednesday! Many prayers

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XLII, Part II

The Fathers do not flatter us here. They speak with a severity that at first wounds, then heals, if we allow it. They do not treat resentment as a minor flaw of temperament or a passing emotional reaction. They name it for what it is: a poison that slowly erodes the soul’s capacity to remember God.
Abba Makarios goes straight to the heart of the matter. To remember wrongs is not simply to remember events. It is to allow those events to take up residence within us, to become a lens through which everything is filtered. The tragedy is not primarily that we remain hurt. It is that the remembrance of God grows faint. The mind cannot hold both rancor and divine remembrance at the same time. One displaces the other. When resentment is cherished, prayer becomes difficult, then hollow, then distorted. The heart turns inward and begins to feed on its own injuries.
The Fathers are unsparing here because they know how subtle rancor is. Other sins shock us into repentance. A lie, a fall, a moment of weakness often leaves the soul groaning almost immediately. But rancor settles in quietly. It eats and sleeps with us. It walks beside us like a companion we no longer question. Abba Isaiah and the Elder of the Cells both know this danger. Resentment does not merely coexist with spiritual life; it corrodes it from within, like rust consuming iron. The soul grows hard while imagining itself justified.
And yet, alongside this severity, there is a startling tenderness. The Fathers do not say that healing comes through argument, vindication, or emotional catharsis. They prescribe something far more humbling and far more powerful: prayer for the one who has wounded us. Not a feeling of goodwill, not an internal resolution, but the concrete act of standing before God and interceding. Again and again the teaching is the same. Pray for him. Pray for her. Force yourself if you must. Obey even when the heart resists.
The story of the brother who obeyed the Elder and prayed is quietly miraculous. Nothing dramatic happens. There is no confrontation, no apology demanded, no psychological analysis. Within a week, the anger is gone. Not suppressed. Extinguished. Grace works where the will yields, even reluctantly. The healing is not self-generated. It is given.
The account of the two brothers under persecution reveals just how serious this is. One accepts reconciliation and is strengthened beyond his natural limits. The other clings to ill will and collapses under the same torments. The difference is not courage or endurance. It is love. Grace remains where love remains. When rancor is chosen, protection is withdrawn, not as punishment, but because the soul has closed itself to the very atmosphere in which grace operates.
St. Maximos names the interior mechanism with precision. Distress clings to the memory of the one who harmed us. The image of the person becomes fused with pain. Prayer loosens that bond. When we pray, distress is separated from memory. Slowly, the person is no longer experienced as an enemy but as a suffering human being in need of mercy. Compassion does not excuse the wrong. It dissolves its power.
What is perhaps most astonishing is the Fathers’ confidence that kindness can heal not only the one who was wounded, but the one who wounds. Be kind to the person who harbors resentment against you, St. Maximos says, and you may deliver him from his passion. This is not naïveté. It is spiritual realism. Demons feed on mutual hostility. They lose their dwelling place when humility and gentleness appear. Foxes flee when the ground is no longer hospitable.
St. Ephraim’s image is unforgettable. Rancor drives knowledge from the heart the way smoke drives away bees. The heart was made to gather sweetness. When bitterness fills the air, nothing can remain. Tears, prayer, and the offering of oneself like incense clear the space again.
This teaching is beautiful because it is honest. It does not minimize the pain of insult or harm. It is challenging because it leaves us without excuses. We cannot claim prayer while nursing grudges. We cannot claim suffering for Christ while secretly rejoicing at another’s downfall. The path offered is narrow and costly, but it is also liberating.
Resentment chains us to the past. Kindness loosens the chain. Prayer opens the hand. Grace does the rest.
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Text from chat during the group:
00:04:55 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 332 Section B Hypothesis XLII Volume II
00:11:28 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 332 Section B Hypothesis XLII Volume II
00:11:41 Janine: Yes, thank you Uncle Father!
00:11:57 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Reacted to "Yes, thank you Uncle..." with 😂
00:30:42 Jerimy Spencer: The way you described sharing bread with a demon reminded me of a passage from The Irish Life of Brigit, and after plates were placed for her at a devout lady’s house she stared intently at the plates, and she was asked what it was, and she said, “I see Satan sitting on the dish in front of me.” And it was a demon of sloth that had been ‘invited in’ for years….
00:38:35 Anthony: Rancid
00:47:13 Anthony: Rocky Balboa probably
00:47:16 Anthony: Paulie
00:47:39 Anthony: Yeah that's a good scene
00:48:40 John ‘Jack’: It’s only when I began to pray for a couple that spread false rumors about me fit years that I received the ability to TRULY forgive them, despite years of “being nice” to them to try to make a mend with them.
00:49:51 John ‘Jack’: It’s very difficult to hate those you actively pray for.
00:50:03 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "It’s very difficult ..." with 👍
00:56:31 John ‘Jack’: Lest we lead another into sin
01:00:54 Myles Davidson: I was unaware of how deeply I resented my father until I began to live with him again a few years ago. It’s taken years of confession, prayer and tears but it’s only been in the last few weeks where that anger and resentment has dissipated like a cloud. There’s no way in a million years I could have shifted it on my own and I consider it a miracle
01:01:24 Jerimy Spencer: Reacted to "I was unaware of how..." with ❤️
01:01:33 Jacqulyn Dudasko: Reacted to "I was unaware of how..." with ❤️
01:02:49 Kate : Myles makes a really good point.  I think sometimes we do not realize the interior resentment that we might be holding on to.
01:05:42 Jessica McHale: I do try to do good to those who try to harm me. It does help to limit resenentment or hate from forming. But I also think we have to exercse a bit of prudence when doing good to those who try to harm us. As a female, I can say there were tmes I knew that the loving thing to do was to walk away and not engage rather than to do good toward someone who tried to harm me.
01:05:55 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I was unaware of h..." with ❤️
01:13:45 Jerimy Spencer: So in a sense, wiping the dust, breaking any unhealthy attachments that may spring up in the moment or moments of offense?
01:19:14 Janine: Blessed Christmas Father!
01:19:50 Jerimy Spencer: Mele Kalikimaka 😃
01:19:56 Maureen Cunningham: Merry Christmas Thank You  Blessing to all
01:19:58 Jessica McHale: Many prayers for you and everyone here! May the Lord bless you abundantly as we close out Advent!!!!
01:19:58 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️Happy Christmas everyone🎄
01:20:07 Jennifer Dantchev: Thank you! Merry Christmas everyone!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily VI, Part II

What St Isaac exposes here is not a technique but a diagnosis. He is ruthless because the sickness is deep. The soul is meant to be good soil but soil is not neutral ground. It either receives the seed with vigilance or it becomes choked. Remembrance of God is not a poetic feeling but a sustained pressure on the heart a vigilance that does not sleep. When this remembrance is alive the soul becomes a place where God Himself shades and illumines. There is no romance here. Light appears inside darkness not because the darkness is denied but because the soul has chosen to stand watch within it.
St Isaac refuses to let us spiritualize our way around the body. The belly is not incidental. What enters the mouth reaches the heart. He speaks bluntly because self deception thrives in vagueness. Excess dulls perception. Pleasure thickens the air of the soul. Wisdom is not stolen from us by demons alone but smothered by our own indulgence. A full belly does not merely weaken resolve it fuels lust because the body has been trained to demand satisfaction. This is not moralism. It is anthropology. The knowledge of God does not coexist with a body that has been enthroned.
Here asceticism is revealed as truth telling. It strips away the lie that discipline is punishment. Labor is not opposed to grace. Labor is the ground where grace becomes intelligible. St Isaac compares it to labor pains because knowledge of God is not an idea grasped but a life brought forth. Without toil there is no birth only fantasy. Sloth does not simply delay holiness it gives birth to shame because the soul knows it has avoided the cost of truth.
This is where the inner disposition becomes decisive. Asceticism without remembrance hardens into pride. Asceticism without humility becomes violence against the self. But remembrance without discipline dissolves into sentimentality. St Isaac holds them together because life demands it. The question is not how much one fasts or how little one sleeps but whether the heart is consenting to be trained. Discipline embraced with resentment breeds bitterness. Discipline embraced with attention becomes wisdom.
In an age starved of living elders this teaching cuts even deeper. We are tempted either to abandon asceticism entirely or to turn it into a private project shaped by personality and preference. St Isaac offers neither comfort. He places responsibility back into the hands of the one who desires God. The absence of elders does not absolve us. It makes inner honesty more urgent. The body becomes the first elder. Hunger teaches restraint. Fatigue teaches humility. Failure teaches mercy. If these are ignored no amount of reading will save us.
Christ’s closeness to the mouth of the one who endures hardship is not sentimental reassurance. It is promise and warning. He draws near to the body that has consented to the Cross. Not to the body pampered under the language of balance or self care. The care Christ offers is not the removal of hardship but His presence within it. Asceticism then is not heroic excess but fidelity to reality. It is the refusal to live divided. Priceless indeed is labor wrought with wisdom because it produces not control but clarity. The soul begins to see. And once it sees it can no longer pretend.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:50 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 170 paragraph 5
00:06:54 susan: how is lori hatari?
00:14:30 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 170 paragraph 5
00:27:40 Eleana Urrego: the brain register emotional and physical pain in the same way.
00:29:59 Jessica McHale: A question about ascetic disciplines of the body: I discerned monastic life with an order of nuns that wouldn't let me fast.(3 times a week was all I was asking) and wouldn't allow me to exercise more than a contemplative walk (which is not exercise to me). I feel very much called to fast for spiritual reasons and called to bodily stewardship as well. It's very personal. I coudl never understand how monastic nuns could discourage this and encourage--in my opinion--indulging in food too much.
00:31:48 Una’s iPhone: Reacted to "A question about asc…" with 👍
00:50:26 Eleana Urrego: Virgen Mary said in Medjugorje every Wednesday and Friday except on solemnities days.
00:56:03 Myles Davidson: There is a resurgence of traditional fasting within the Church. I’m a member of a fellowship that does four lenten fasts a year (Great Lent, St. Michaels Lent, St. Martins Lent and the Apostles Fast) as well as fasting 2-3 x a week the rest of the year.
00:57:26 Una’s iPhone: Niall of the Nine Hostages! Una from Dublin here
00:57:40 Myles Davidson: Replying to "There is a resurgenc..."
The Fellowship of St. Nicholas if anyone wants to look it up
01:00:24 Art: Replying to "There is a resurgenc..."
Thank you.
01:00:36 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Thank you." with 🙏
01:01:52 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Thank you." with 🙏
01:02:15 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "The Fellowship of ..." with 👍
01:04:16 Anthony: I wonder if we think too hard about this? I'm not a religious, so why would I need to apprentice to a spiritual father, when I have a pastor? It sounds like a person who is a plumber seeking to apprentice to an electrician.
01:05:25 Ren Witter: I do want to offer a slightly different perspective on this. Sometimes, given the background we come from, or for some internal reason, we can feel the desire for a very strict, exacting spiritual father. Even to the point of feeling tempted to move on from a spiritual father who seems too kind, or gentle, or understanding. At some point, I think we need to follow our own conscience to the best of our ability, and, if we have a good and nourishing relationship, to trust in it and be at peace. It can be frightening to trust that God loves us, and that there are some things left to the conscience of the individual and to discernment, and because we are frightened or insecure we simply seek out the harshest, most difficult guidance.
01:06:31 Una’s iPhone: Reacted to "I do want to offer a…" with 👍
01:09:08 Ambrose Little: Stand in the company of the elders;stay close to whoever is wise.Be eager to hear every discourse;let no insightful saying escape you.If you see the intelligent, seek them out;let your feet wear away their doorsteps!Reflect on the law of the Most High,and let his commandments be your constant study.Then he will enlighten your mind,and make you wise as you desire.
Sirach 6:34-37
01:09:09 Maureen Cunningham: Reacted to "I do want to offer a…" with ❤️
01:09:17 Maureen Cunningham: Reacted to "Stand in the company…" with ❤️
01:10:23 Ambrose Little: Reacted to "I do want to offer a…" with ❤️
01:11:14 Joan Chakonas: I am going back to the first podcasts in 2013 and I am about seven or eight podcasts in.  This is my spiritual guidance, listening to you read and the discussions.   I thank God.
01:11:37 Una’s iPhone: At times I think we have to look to the books of the fathers and do the best we can with our modern spiritual directors. I agree with Ren
01:13:16 Joan Chakonas: I am reading the Ladder of Divine Ascent along with the podcasts which are indispensable for my understanding.  What s treasure trove
01:13:27 Ben: Replying to "I am going back to t..."
That's what I did before I ever sat in on a live group. But...I wish I'd jumped in earlier.
01:14:11 Ambrose Little: Give me St. Isaac over our contemporary writers any day.
01:14:18 Ben: Reacted to "Give me St. Isaac ov..." with 👍
01:14:32 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Give me St. Isaac ov..." with 👍
01:14:36 Art: Reacted to "Stand in the company..." with 👍
01:15:05 Wayne Mackenzie: In part what has happened to the Church became trapped in scholastics and became an intellectual pursuit.
01:15:32 Kevin Burke: Wonderful teaching Father, thank you!
01:17:02 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "Stand in the company..." with 👍🏼
01:18:24 Art: Wonderful teaching Father, thank you!Indeed!  Wonderful teaching tonight, Father.  Thank you.
01:19:50 Joan Chakonas: Reacted to "Give me St. Isaac ov…" with 👍
01:19:59 Eleana Urrego: I am catholic Roman and have two hermits priest from Spain studying the mistics, I believe the journey with Jesus for everyone is unique.
01:20:44 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I am going back to..." with ❤️
01:21:12 Ambrose Little: Beware those rose colored glasses tho. 😉
01:21:13 Joan Chakonas: Replying to "I am going back to t…"Can’t hear them enough
01:21:16 Kimberley A: Yes! So sad
01:22:01 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing To all beautiful chat information Blessing to REN and Her New Husband
01:22:04 Jessica McHale: Your words were so helpful tonight. YOU are creating saints! THANK YOU! Many, many prayers.
01:22:58 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father, may God bless you and your mother!
01:22:58 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:23:05 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Blessed Christmas!
01:23:05 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you and bless you, Father!
01:23:06 Janine: Thank you again father

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XLI, and XLII, Part I

The Fathers do not speak gently about what we like to call small sins. They expose them as seeds of death planted quietly in the heart. What appears minor in the mind becomes lethal in communion. A thought of irritation. A private judgment. A silent refusal to justify the other. These are not harmless interior movements. They are choices. They shape the heart long before they surface in words or actions. Abba Poimen cuts straight through our self deception. Hatred of evil does not begin with outrage at what is wrong in others. It begins with the hatred of my own sin and the justification of my brother. Until that happens everything else is theater. We think we hate evil when in fact we are protecting our ego. We think we are zealous for righteousness when we are only defending an image of ourselves that needs someone else to be wrong.
The Fathers are relentless because they know how the mind works. A God loving soul begins to feel anger not because it is pure but because it is awakening. As the heart starts to turn toward God the soul becomes sensitive to injustice. But this sensitivity is dangerous. It can become poison if it is not purified by love. What begins as a reaction to evil quickly becomes hatred of the person. The Fathers insist that this is where knowledge of God dies. Hatred and the knowledge of God cannot coexist in the same heart. The moment I consent to hatred I lose sight of God even if I continue to speak His name and defend His truth. This is not theoretical. It is experiential. The soul darkens. Prayer dries up. The heart becomes rigid. The neighbor becomes an object. God who now dwells in that neighbor is no longer seen.
Abba Isaac presses the knife deeper. Do not hate the sinner because you too are guilty. Hatred reveals that love has already departed. And where love is absent God is absent. This is not moralism. It is ontology. God is love. To lose love is to lose God. We imagine that our resentment is justified. We imagine that our anger is righteous. But the Fathers tell us to weep instead. Weep for the sinner. Pray for him. Not because his sin is small but because hatred destroys you faster than his sin destroys him. The devil mocks all of us. Why then do we join him in mocking our brother. Compassion is not weakness. It is participation in the way God bears the world.
The story of Nicephoros is terrifying because it shows where unrepented interior sins lead. A friendship shattered by something never healed. A priest who offers the Bloodless Sacrifice while harboring rancor. A refusal to forgive that hardens over time. Nothing dramatic at first. No public scandal. Just silence. Avoidance. The turning away of the eyes. But this silent sin grows until it devours everything. At the moment of martyrdom when crowns are already prepared rancor proves stronger than torture. The priest who endured the rack cannot endure humility. He would rather deny Christ than forgive his brother. This is the end of so called minor sins. They hollow out the heart until there is nothing left to stand on when the final test comes.
Nicephoros on the other hand does nothing extraordinary by worldly standards. He begs. He weeps. He humbles himself. He refuses to protect his pride. He places communion above justice as he understands it. And this love becomes his martyrdom. The Fathers make the conclusion unavoidable. It is not ascetic feats or heroic endurance that reconcile us to God but love of neighbor. Without it everything collapses. Prayer becomes noise. Zeal becomes violence. Faith becomes an empty confession.
The Evergetinos does not allow us to hide behind abstractions. God has taken up residence in the other. Every thought against my brother is a wound in my own heart. Every refusal to forgive is a refusal of communion. The tragedy is not that we fall but that we excuse what hardens us. The minor sins we tolerate in the mind become the walls that separate us from God. And the only way back is the way Nicephoros walked. Downward. Exposed. Unarmed. Choosing love even when it costs everything.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:04:15 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 326 Hypothesis XLI Volume II
00:12:33 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 326 Hypothesis XLI Volume II
00:14:43 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 326 Hypothesis XLI Volume II
00:15:42 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 326 Hypothesis XLI Volume II
00:17:13 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 326 section A
00:35:02 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 328 section A
00:40:21 Wayne: Would you not see the hatred develop when two people get divorced.
00:43:07 Jessica McHale: So once we recognize we are annoyed by someone, do we right then pray for that person and ourselves so that it doesn't grow into resentment or hatred?
00:45:02 Joan Chakonas: Its so much better to be hated than  to hate
00:45:29 Joan Chakonas: Hatred like this is awful, unacceptable
00:48:37 Jerimy Spencer: Reacted to "So once we recognize…" with 🙏
00:50:58 Jerimy Spencer: Replying to "So once we recognize…"I personally go straight to the Jesus prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” (sometimes three times with the sign of the cross), and then pray, “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on ________.”
00:51:34 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I personally go st..." with ❤️
00:51:50 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I personally go stra..." with 👍
00:52:21 Jerimy Spencer: Reacted to "I personally go stra…" with ❤️
01:06:47 Forrest: We are Saprikios, obstinate to Christ's pleading.
01:07:06 Jerimy Spencer: Aloha Father, do you think this story plays out something of “the unforgivable sin”?
01:08:55 Tracey Fredman: Reacted to "I personally go stra..." with ❤️
01:09:28 Maureen Cunningham: What about narcissistic people
01:10:10 Bob Čihák, AZ: What happened to the Priest Saprikios? or, what did he do after this?
01:11:39 Forrest: Νικηφόρος in Greek looks like two words: “Victory” and “Tribute paid to the state”. To me, this name is an allusion to Christ’s sacrifice under Pilate.
01:19:26 Jerimy Spencer: A few years ago I wrote in my journal “only the I Am” gets to make a true ‘I am’ statement, ie regards to the whole “I identify as. . .” insomuch as that to me seems to be an ‘I am’ statement.
01:20:45 Jessica McHale: God is the only person we can trust. For sure. It's not jaded; it's reality. No other person is eternal.
01:22:50 Janine: Amazing class..thank you Father
01:23:25 Maureen Cunningham: Blessing Thank you Father and everyone
01:23:38 Jessica McHale: Prayers for you alll!!!!
01:23:38 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:23:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you and bless you, Father.
01:24:05 Joan Chakonas: Loved this class
01:24:21 Kevin Burke: Thank you Father!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily VI, Part I

St Isaac begins Homily Six like one who will not let us hide from ourselves. He does not admire our efforts nor comfort our vanity. He forces us to look directly at what we are and at what we truly desire. A man who slips into accidental sins, he says, is not wicked but weak. And God allows this weakness to appear so that the conscience is pierced and the truth becomes unavoidable. God does not let the soul rise above these falls before its second birth because He wants us awake rather than respectable. Our failures become a kind of mercy. They expose the illusion that we are strong or self sufficient or spiritually advanced. They ask one question above all others. Do you desire God at all
It is a raw question. A frightening question. Yet every stumble presses it deeper into the heart. If we fall and tremble the heart is alive. If we fall and justify ourselves the heart is asleep. Isaac calls that shameless. He says that without fervent faith or fear or chastisement the soul will never truly draw near to the love of God. These are not punishments but the three torches that light the way toward Him. If I resist them I do not want God himself. I want an idol shaped like comfort or control or admiration.
Then Isaac turns to the roots beneath the roots. Turbulent thoughts come from gluttony. Ignorance and superficiality come from constant talk. Worry over worldly matters scatters the soul like chaff tossed into the wind. These are not merely moral observations. They are spiritual symptoms. They show us the condition of the heart. I can fast until my stomach twists and keep vigil until my knees ache yet if my thoughts are full of resentment or anxious grasping or the need to preserve my image then all my labors remain barren. The body strains while the passions settle deeper into the mind. Nothing changes because nothing inside has surrendered.
Isaac gives an image that cuts to the bone. The man who clings to anxiety or covetousness or the memory of wrongs is like one who sows seed into thorns. He works. He sweats. He prays. He begs God to respond. Yet when he lies on his bed he groans because he cannot reap a harvest. The soil itself has been sabotaged by his thoughts. He fasts and wonders why God does not see. He humbles himself outwardly yet inwardly still clings to his own desires. God answers through the prophet. In the very day of your fasts you do your own wills. You sacrifice your free will to your own idols when you should be offering it to Me. It is one of the most devastating revelations in Scripture. The greatest offering we possess is the free will. And we lay it not on the altar of God but before our own desires.
Here Isaac is not simply giving ascetical instruction. He is tearing open the heart to expose its truth. He is asking us to face the one question we spend our lives avoiding. Do you really want God or do you only want the appearance of holiness. Do you want the Kingdom or do you want the feeling of being spiritual. Do you want the fire of God or do you want to protect your own self created identity. Until we answer this honestly all asceticism remains external and fruitless.
The early lines of Homily Six are not gentle. They are surgical. They strip away excuses and self deception. They show us that the spiritual life is not perfected by effort alone but by the purification of desire. Not by striving but by surrender. Not by vigils and fasts but by a heart emptied of its own will. I will never know God until I want Him more than I want myself. And my accidental sins are the strange mercy that reveals how much I still cling to myself.
Isaac begins with our weakness so that we might finally seek the One who heals. He begins with our falls so that true longing may rise. He reveals our poverty so that desire for God might no longer be a sentence we say but a cry that burns within us.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:05:35 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 169 Homily 6
00:05:49 Janine: Father can you say the name of that book again?
00:06:58 Janine: Thank you..it sounds very good
00:10:39 Janine: I just bought it on Thrift books
00:11:57 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 169, # 1
00:13:55 Una’s iPhone: Review on Amazon: Great Byzantine mystic https://a.co/d/2pt0HfE
00:15:28 Una’s iPhone: Sorry, wrong link
00:15:58 Una’s iPhone: Can’t find your comment. It’s on the book. Here’s the book
00:16:03 Una’s iPhone: https://a.co/d/clx1Saz
00:16:13 Una’s iPhone: Sorry!
00:16:49 Ben: They got scared and scrubbed it!
00:17:23 Vanessa Nunez: Reacted to "They got scared and …" with 😂
00:18:25 Bob Čihák, AZ: What are “accidental sins”? I think of sins as requiring a conscious act of the will.
00:40:07 Erick Chastain: How do you avoid sensory things in the mind as he says you should?
00:44:20 Maureen Cunningham: Kingdom of God  id with in
00:49:11 Julie: I do Fr don’t know how to put my hand up…
00:49:29 Jesssica Imanaka: I worry about my own laziness... devoting a lot of time to prayer and spiritual reading can also carry the danger of acedia for me.
00:49:58 Jesssica Imanaka: As if the parasympathetic nervous system is getting overactivated...
00:51:29 John ‘Jack’: NYS just finally started disallowing cell phones schools; I thought they’re would be more kick back than there was. 
Children WANT structure, as do we. Obedience ultimately.
00:55:35 Anthony: The guilt of "jansenism" and the Calvinist work ethic of busyness and production are especially present in America and drives us to take these vices as virtues and drive out willfulness to get what we think is good.
00:57:16 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "The guilt of "jansen..." with 👍🏼
00:57:34 Jesssica Imanaka: The Divine Office app can help with ribbon placement in the Liturgy of Hours volumes.
00:58:41 Larry Ruggiero: Found a YouTube that entitled The Self-Phone Setup Guide
00:59:18 Larry Ruggiero: It says let us begin by making our phone…BORING
01:06:48 Una’s iPhone: Reacted to "The Divine Office ap…" with 👌
01:09:00 Una’s iPhone: Replying to "I do Fr don’t know h…"It’s under Reactions. It’s a heart icon in my iPhone
01:09:29 Una’s iPhone: Reacted to "The guilt of "jansen…" with 👌
01:12:29 Eleana Urrego: Thanks for the movie recomendation, My family love it.
01:13:05 Joan Chakonas: Lately I have come to realize that there really is no activity or minute in my day when I can’t ask God for help.  I am so vainglorious He is teaching me basically every idea I come up with on my own is vanity and I’m learning to experience peace.
01:14:06 Joan Chakonas: I LOVE the desert fathers
01:14:11 Thomas: It feels as though it would be simplest to be obedient to somebody, if you were to do bodily labors, because the it would be hard for it to be for your will or ego, but what should be done if you couldn’t be immediately obedient
01:16:53 Joan Chakonas: This hour goes too fast
01:17:08 Thomas: It feels as though I can’t trust anything I want to do even if it may technically be good, because I can’t trust what the reasons I give myself for doing these things
01:17:10 Joan Chakonas: Yrs
01:17:13 Joan Chakonas: Yes!!
01:17:33 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You always a Blessing
01:17:37 Jesssica Imanaka: I have to pick up my daughter from extended day care, otherwise another hour would be fine!
01:18:18 Janine: Thank you Father!
01:18:40 Kevin Burke: Thank You Father!
01:19:13 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father may God Bless you and your mother.
01:19:35 John ‘Jack’: Thanks Father

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XL, Part III

There is a remarkable clarity in these sayings and stories a piercing simplicity that both unsettles and consoles. The Evergetinos places before us the most difficult and necessary truth. The evil done to us is not a detour on the spiritual path but the path itself. Wickedness does not destroy wickedness. Resentment never cures resentment. Anger never frees us from anger. Only goodness that is unmerited and uncalculating has the power to unmake what evil intends to build. It is a truth we often admire in abstraction and dread in practice.
The Fathers do not theorize about forgiveness. They reveal what forgiveness becomes when enfleshed. A man betrayed unto martyrdom thanks his betrayer for delivering him to blessing. A brother who has been stealing bread from a starving elder receives not reproach but gratitude. The monk who finds his life endangered cries out to warn the very man who led him into danger and would have robbed him. These stories do not soften the challenge but intensify it. The gospel is not a philosophical proposition but a cruciform way of being. And the cross is never abstract. It always has a name and a face and a voice that has wounded us.
It is in the seventh story that the Fathers hand us the key for understanding the rest. The one who injures me is not merely an adversary but a physician. The one who slanders or ignores or mocks me reveals the wound of my vainglory. The one who takes what is mine uncovers my greed. The encounter that disturbs my peace does not create the sickness. It unmasks it. To resent the one who exposes it is to reject the medicine of Christ. It is to say to the Healer not this way not through this pain not at this cost. Yet without accepting what is bitter there can be no cure.
Such a word lands upon the heart with weight. It does not flatter our natural instincts or offer comforting sentiment. It is a summons to a death of self that cannot be faked and cannot be delayed without consequence. But if these stories demand much they give even more. The elder who kissed the hands of the thief died with the joy of one who knew the road to the Kingdom was paved by the mercy he showed to others. The patriarch who ransomed the man who robbed him knew the sweetness of compassion that does not remember wrongs. The elder who visited his accuser in prison tasted the freedom of one whose heart was no longer governed by injury.
There is joy here not the fleeting spark of vindication but the deep quiet illumination that comes when the soul sees that nothing done to us can keep us from the Kingdom if we allow grace to transfigure it. To forgive is not merely to release another. It is to be released. To bless those who curse us is to breathe a different air. To see those who injure us as agents of healing is to discover that the road into God is not guarded by our enemies but escorted by them.
The Evergetinos does not give us a map but it reveals the terrain of the heart. It shows that the spiritual life depends less on what happens to us than on how we respond. And in doing so it opens before us not just a path but a promise. Mercy is not only an obligation but a liberation. Love is not only commanded but possible. And the wounds we receive if we accept them in Christ become the very places where the Kingdom dawns.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:17 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 321
00:01:23 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Number 2
00:04:20 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:09:55 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 321 section E, # 2
00:12:45 Catherine Opie: Apologies for being late where are we?
00:12:53 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 321 section E, # 2
00:21:21 John Burmeister: are we talking money or a material item
00:25:16 Forrest: The Greek words in the passage for what to give is is μικρὰν εὐλογίαν, which is a literally "small good word."  that, is, a small good blessing.
00:25:49 Una’s iPhone: Simone Weil?
00:26:02 John Burmeister: Reacted to "The Greek words in t..." with 👍
00:26:14 Una’s iPhone: Reacted to "Edith Stein?" with 😁
00:29:18 Maureen Cunningham: Not speaking negative
00:34:51 Maureen Cunningham: The person who oppresses you can be the hammer and chisel to form you into Christ.
00:37:30 Maureen Cunningham: Hanna & Penna
00:38:59 Jerimy Spencer: “The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbour’s glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken.”-C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
00:38:59 Fr Martin, AZ 480-292-3381: This is a struggle, one of my struggles, to see an offense as Jesus shining a light on my weaknesses or illnesses that He wants me to confess before Him so that He can apply the appropriate medicine. Sometimes I have this insight, sometimes I'm defensive or offended. I remember St.
00:39:20 Fr Martin, AZ 480-292-3381: Anthony said, The truly blessed are the ones who can see their own sins.”
00:58:08 Catherine Opie: Dry bread
01:00:59 Forrest: Rusk (Παξιμάδι) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusk
01:04:19 Fr Martin, AZ 480-292-3381: It seems when people sin against us, they find themselves in a prison of shame, embarrassment, anger, and so on. Is that what we should do, to pray and strategize how to be as kind or dismissive as we can so that they can focus on their healing and not on how we are feeling about them?
01:05:36 John Burmeister: after coming to class for a couple of months and reading with, there seems to be a lot of thievery between monks.
01:06:15 Forrest: Replying to "after coming to clas..."
Well. they made the news, so to speak.
01:06:47 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "after coming to clas..." with 😅
01:08:19 Myles Davidson: Replying to "after coming to clas..."
It was not uncommon for people in those early days to enter monasticism to escape problems back home. Perhaps a criminal past
01:09:00 Myles Davidson: Replying to "after coming to clas..."
Not all had pure motives
01:09:04 Catherine Opie: Its not thievery its relieving their brothers of materialistic tendencies
01:09:49 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Its not thievery its..." with 😁
01:10:01 John Burmeister: Reacted to "Its not thievery its..." with 😂
01:11:18 Catherine Opie: This was really good for me to read since my mother just passed away and the covetousness is starting to creep in as we sort things out. I will remember to graciously allow a sibling to be first in line
01:11:33 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "This was really good..." with 👍
01:11:47 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing.
01:12:01 Jessica McHale: I love the novice conferences!
01:12:04 mstef: Reacted to "This was really good..." with 👍
01:12:06 Forrest: Reacted to "This was really good..." with 👍
01:12:32 Janine: Thank you Father!
01:12:38 Catherine Opie: We cannot hear background noise you end
01:13:17 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you and bless you, Father.
01:13:28 Catherine Opie: Thank you God bless
01:13:29 Joan Chakonas: Thank you !!
01:13:32 Jessica McHale: Many prayers!
01:13:40 Catherine Opie: 🙏🏻

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily V, Part VIII

St. Isaac speaks as one who knows the earthquake at the root of the soul where pride fractures us from God and humility alone builds a refuge strong enough to endure the storm. His words are not gentle suggestions for the religiously inclined. They are fire. They are rope flung into deep water. They are an indictment of every heart that waits for suffering to discover prayer for temptation to discover the need for mercy for collapse to remember God.
“Before the war begins, seek after your ally.”This is the secret. The humbled man begins today when there is no battle when the sea is calm and the sky soft. He builds his ark plank by plank small obediences simple prayers hidden acts of self abasement not because the flood is visible but because he knows it is certain. This is the wisdom of the saints: that peace is the time for labor not repose. The iniquitous drown because they mock preparation. They call upon God after pride has stripped them of confidence. Their throat is tight when they pray because they never bent it before in the dust.
Humility is the timber that keeps the soul afloat when the heavens split open.
St. Isaac dares to tell us that a good heart weeps with joy in prayer. Not from sentimentality not from sorrow alone but from the unbearable nearness of God. Tears become proof that the heart has softened enough to feel Him. A proud heart however disciplined outwardly prays like a clenched fist. It asks but it does not need. It petitions but does not depend. A humble heart begs like a man drowning and this is why God hears him.
“Voluntary and steadfast endurance of injustice purifies the heart.”Here the Saint wounds our sensibilities. He tells us that we cannot become like Christ unless we willingly stand beneath the blow and let it fall without retaliation without argument without self defense. Only those for whom the world has died can endure this with joy. For the world’s children honor is oxygen. To be slandered or forgotten is death. But when the world is already a corpse to us when reputation comfort applause identity have all been buried then injustice becomes not humiliation but purification. Not defeat but ascent.
This virtue is rare he says too rare to be found among one’s own people one’s familiar circles one’s comfortable life. To learn it often requires exile the stripping away of all natural support so that only God remains. He alone becomes the witness of one’s patience. He alone becomes consolation. He alone becomes vindication.
And then comes the heart of St. Isaac’s blow:
“As grace accompanies humility so do painful incidents accompany pride.”Humility is the magnet of mercy. Pride is the invitation to destruction. God Himself turns His face toward the humble not in pity but in delight. Their nothingness is spacious enough for Him to enter. He fills emptiness not fullness. He pours glory into the vessel that has shattered self importance. But when pride rises like a tower God sends winds against it not to annihilate us but to collapse what we build against Him.
The humble man does not seek honor for he knows what it costs the soul. He bows first greets first yields first. His greatness is hidden like an ember under ash but heaven sees it glowing. Divine honor chases him like a hound. It is the proud who chase praise and never catch it but the self emptying who flee honor and find it placed upon them by the hand of God.
“Be contemptible in your own eyes and you will see the glory of God in yourself.”Not self hatred but truth. Not despair but sobriety. Not rejection of one’s humanity but recognition that without God we have no light no love no breath. When we descend beneath ourselves God descends to meet us. When we stop defending our wounds He heals them. Humility is not psychological abasement but the unveiling of reality: only God is great and the one who knows this sees God everywhere even within his own nothingness.
Blessed truly blessed is the man who seems worthless to others yet shines with virtue like an unseen star. Blessed the one whose knowledge is deep but whose speech is soft whose life is radiant yet whose posture is bowed. Such a soul is the image of Christ unadorned unnoticed unassuming yet bearing the weight of heaven within.
The Saint concludes with a promise that burns like gold:
The man who hungers and thirsts for God God will make drunk with His good things.
Not the brilliant not the accomplished not the defended but the hungry. The emptied. The poor in spirit who have thrown themselves into the furnace of humility and come forth with nothing left to claim as their own.
This is the narrow way.This is the ark built in silence.
To bow lower is to rise.To lose all is to possess God.To become nothing is to become fire.
May we learn to bend before the storm begins.May we kneel while grace is still soft.May we lay plank upon plank obedience upon prayer meekness upon hidden sacrifice until the ark is finished and the floods come and we are held aloft by humility into the very heart of God.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:14:51 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 166, para 33, mid-page
00:15:33 Wayne: Avoid it
00:28:46 David Swiderski, WI: There is a quote by St. Augustine I don't fully understand but seems like pride in a virtue. - Often contempt of vainglory becomes a sources of even more vainglory, for it is not being scorned when the contempt is something one is proud of . - Is this the holier than thou type of attitude?
00:43:32 David Swiderski, WI: In this St. Teresa of Calcutta really changed how I saw the world with volunteering at St. Ben's a local homeless meal program. I began to see each person as a potential family member or myself and slowly Christ in each person no matter what they were challenged with addiction or trauma one sees suffering and seeks to heal with a simple smile or kindness but always wish we could do more. It is like my experience teaching the teacher often learns more about themselves and the world than the student by offering service.
00:43:37 Anthony: In my work, I almost constantly work with law breakers. Some feel deep shame. My experiences in Confession of kindness and healing has helped me relate to them and calm them. And it's sometimes led to conversations about other very human topics, like healing that they and all people need.
00:51:36 Erick Chastain: How do you heal when you are an unworthy recipient of that?
00:55:22 Una’s iPhone: When Isaac talks about kissing the head, etc, what might that look like today?
00:55:36 Kimberley A: Just got here .. what page are we on, please?
00:55:54 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Just got here .. wha..."
168 last para.
00:58:11 Joan Chakonas: The longer I live the more  I appreciate the immense privilege I experienced in my childhood with my excellent loving parents.  So many people didn’t have what I had and I think but for the grace of God.
01:01:24 Eleana Urrego: I went to the store and I was mean because of the delay, now I have to confess. =(
01:03:45 David Swiderski, WI: It is interesting I did M&A for a while with a multinational. Some of the best companies did not allow emails with "I" they had to use "we". It seems once there is us and them everything breakdown even in the world.
01:05:39 Kimberley A: What to do when we realize we are so far removed from being this way?
01:06:50 David Swiderski, WI: Reacted to "The longer I live th..." with ❤️
01:09:26 David Swiderski, WI: Mergers and adquistions
01:09:32 Joan Chakonas: Mergers and acquisitions
01:10:24 David Swiderski, WI: The early church talked of the way not the goal
01:12:34 David Swiderski, WI: I used to shoot archery and was delighted when I learned sin in Greek is aiming in archery. You keep your focus on the bullseye and just with effort and learning to narrow the aim
01:13:03 David Swiderski, WI: Sin=aim
01:13:45 David Swiderski, WI: Sin=missing the mark
01:15:12 David Swiderski, WI: I loved living in Latin America you kiss on the cheek who are close to you and it is a sign of caring. The French no not comfortable with that or the Russians ha ha
01:15:52 Art iPhone: I thought I was in the gay district when I was inTurkey
01:16:06 David Swiderski, WI: Strange the early church was known by a kiss
01:16:09 Ben: Reacted to "Strange the early ch..." with 😆
01:16:11 Eleana Nunez: Reacted to "I thought I was in t..." with 😂
01:16:25 Art iPhone: Reacted to "I thought I was in t…" with 😂
01:18:15 Janine: Thank you Father
01:18:20 Joan Chakonas: Thank you Father!!!
01:18:30 Gwen’s iPhone: Thank you
01:18:30 Art iPhone: Thank you Father!
01:18:30 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father and may God bless you and your mother

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XL, II

There is a single thread running through these lives and sayings, like a hidden vein of gold through rough stone. It is the fierce and terrifying command of Christ to love those who wrong us, to turn every injury into an open door to the Kingdom, and to see in every enemy the physician of our soul.
In Saint Longinos we see what it means when love has completely displaced fear. He receives the men sent to kill him as honored guests. He feeds them, questions them gently, and when he learns they are to be his executioners, his heart does not recoil. He does not expose them, does not flee, does not calculate how to save his life. He rejoices. He calls them bearers of good things. He sees their swords as the keys that will unlock the true homeland, the Jerusalem on high. The hospitality he offers them becomes the doorway to his martyrdom, and his martyrdom becomes the consummation of that hospitality. He has so fully handed his life to Christ that those who come to destroy him are welcomed as friends.
In Saint Theodora, there is a quieter, but no less burning, heroism. Those who envy her virtue set a trap for her and quietly send her into danger at night, hoping she will be devoured by beasts. God turns the malice back on itself. A wild animal guides her like a gentle servant and later nearly kills the doorkeeper, whom she then rescues, heals, and restores. When the superior asks who sent her into such danger, she protects her brothers and hides their sin. She will not expose them, even when the truth would justify her and reveal their cruelty. She bears their malice in silence and lets grace fall on those who had wished her dead. Her humility is as great a wonder as the miracle.
Abba Motios shows us what reconciliation looks like in a heart that has allowed grace to ripen over time. He has been opposed, wounded, and driven away. Yet when he hears that the very brother who grieved him has come, he does not hesitate. He breaks down the door of his own hermitage in his eagerness to meet him. He prostrates, embraces, entertains, and rejoices in the one who had been the cause of his exile. The one who injured him becomes the occasion of his elevation to the episcopacy. The doorway to deeper sanctity is opened not by separation, but by reconciliation freely embraced.
The conclusion is inescapable and sobering. To keep a grudge is to consent to spiritual death. To hold tightly to injury is to loosen our hold on Christ. Rancor darkens the mind, gives demons room to rest, and drives true spiritual knowledge away, like smoke driving out bees.
Yet the same stories also breathe hope. Every wrong remembered can be turned into prayer. Every face that stirs distress can become the face for whom I beg mercy. Every memory of injury can be transformed into an occasion for thanksgiving, if I accept it as medicine from the hand of Christ. The elders tell me to send a gift to the one who insults me, to pray fervently for the one who harms me, to keep my countenance joyful when meeting those who speak against me, to refuse even the secret delight when misfortune falls on someone who has hurt me.
This is not softness. It is crucifixion. It is the slow, deliberate choice to let Christ’s mind and heart take shape in me, until I can look at those who betray me and say with truth: you are the cause of blessings for me.
If I want to belong to Christ, then I must learn to see every enemy as a hidden benefactor, every wound as a gate, every slight as a purifying fire. The saints do not simply tell me to let go of resentment. They show me how far love can go, and how much is at stake. Between Longinos and those who killed him, between Theodora and her envious brothers, I am being asked to choose which heart will become my own.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:02:49 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Volume II Page 317 Section C
00:03:37 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:08:36 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Volume II Page 317 Section C
00:10:26 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Volume II Page 317 Section C
00:11:21 Myles Davidson: Pope Leo visiting St. Charbel’s tomb in Lebanon recently
00:11:29 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Pope Leo visiting St…" with 😇
00:11:40 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Screenshot 2025-12-02 at 8.35.12 AM.png" with ❤️‍🔥
00:11:49 Janine: The orthodox bible
00:12:20 Janine: Page 534
00:12:39 Janine: It’s the same as our Ukrainian church on weekdays
00:13:15 Janine: That’s tomorrow
00:13:27 Janine: Yes….sundays may be different
00:13:40 Janine: Look in appendix 2
00:16:36 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 317 section C
00:25:15 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 318 last paragraph, bottom of page
00:30:04 Anthony: But it gets worse! Pagans believed a divine punishment awaited people who broke the rules of hospitality.
00:30:40 Bob Čihák, AZ: Replying to "But it gets worse! P..."
Thanks.
00:35:20 Catherine Opie: His faith is such a strong witness to the passion and resurrection of Our Lord.
00:36:24 Maureen Cunningham: How many years was he a Christian
00:36:29 Bob Čihák, AZ: Replying to "His faith is such a ..."
Amen, amen. Thank you
00:36:36 John Burmeister: do we know how long after Jesus death that this took place
00:37:22 Myles Davidson: It must have been extraordinary to have been in the presence of these martyrs in the lead up to their death. No wonder the Church grew in their wake
00:38:18 Catherine Opie: It seems Pontious Pilate ruled from 26-36 AD
00:38:49 John Burmeister: how many of us would, whne our friend said come on over so we could be martyered
00:39:48 Bob Čihák, AZ: p. 320 section D
00:43:28 Maureen Cunningham: Demons had obey, the authority of Christ in her
01:03:43 Jerimy Spencer: Aloha father, I was two courses from getting ordained as an elder in the Nazarene Church but corruption and heresy here in Hawai'i stopped me in my already reluctant tracks. Now as a catechumen in the Greek Orthodox Church some ask me about priesthood, and I still feel air of holiness is too attractive to me. And while the ‘uniform’ is supposed to cause and evoke humility, I would be entirely too tempted to even think and feel it looked ‘cool.’
01:05:50 Anthony: I was thinking lately that maybe part of the scandal of priesthood was the laity expecting priests not to be sinners. But, priests are sinners...as are laymen who might use the scandal to vent feelings or sinful attitude they are keeping pent up. I say this as one who was scandalized and see now how I incorrectly processed the news of the scandal.  I see how scandal was used to prop up other people's longstanding grudges against the Church.  The scandalized helped contribute to the awful situation.
01:06:31 Jerimy Spencer: I can also see a flip side; like wearing an officer’s uniform causes one to stand upright, and likewise could be transformative, like an icon that keeps one looking in the right direction?
01:08:43 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I was thinking latel..." with 👍
01:09:10 Bob Čihák, AZ: A story in the news was about a man who wore four different disguises in public, one was as a priest. He was humbled, I would guess from the story, by the trusting response some people gave to him.
01:13:52 Catherine Opie: As a therapist for 30 years dealing with many people who had a background of child abuse or sexual abuse perpetrated upon them I can absolutely say that its definitely not just a Catholic priest problem, it is more prevalent in the secular world. I think that it was important to deal with it but the press about it was out of balance in that there are many politicians ets who are heinous pedophiles and there is no press about that. What about child trafficking rings like Epstein? Nothing to see there apparently.
01:16:12 Anthony: Replying to "As a therapist for 3..." 
 Exactly. It is "inconvenient" to really get to the root of the problem.
01:16:21 Catherine Opie: I salute the way the Catholic Church has dealth with this scandal. A friend of mine who was abused in foster care by Catholic priests here in NZ just received an apology and a payout of 100,000 NZD. It was well investigated and they took it very seriously
01:22:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: I'm not at all sorry you got stirred up!!
01:22:41 Janine: Thank you Father
01:22:52 Catherine Opie: Always Fr.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily V, Part VII

St. Isaac speaks as one who knows the earthquake at the root of the soul where pride fractures us from God and humility alone builds a refuge strong enough to endure the storm. His words are not gentle suggestions for the religiously inclined. They are fire. They are rope flung into deep water. They are an indictment of every heart that waits for suffering to discover prayer for temptation to discover the need for mercy for collapse to remember God.
“Before the war begins, seek after your ally.”This is the secret. The humbled man begins today when there is no battle when the sea is calm and the sky soft. He builds his ark plank by plank small obediences simple prayers hidden acts of self abasement not because the flood is visible but because he knows it is certain. This is the wisdom of the saints: that peace is the time for labor not repose. The iniquitous drown because they mock preparation. They call upon God after pride has stripped them of confidence. Their throat is tight when they pray because they never bent it before in the dust.
Humility is the timber that keeps the soul afloat when the heavens split open.
St. Isaac dares to tell us that a good heart weeps with joy in prayer. Not from sentimentality not from sorrow alone but from the unbearable nearness of God. Tears become proof that the heart has softened enough to feel Him. A proud heart however disciplined outwardly prays like a clenched fist. It asks but it does not need. It petitions but does not depend. A humble heart begs like a man drowning and this is why God hears him.
“Voluntary and steadfast endurance of injustice purifies the heart.”Here the Saint wounds our sensibilities. He tells us that we cannot become like Christ unless we willingly stand beneath the blow and let it fall without retaliation without argument without self defense. Only those for whom the world has died can endure this with joy. For the world’s children honor is oxygen. To be slandered or forgotten is death. But when the world is already a corpse to us when reputation comfort applause identity have all been buried then injustice becomes not humiliation but purification. Not defeat but ascent.
This virtue is rare he says too rare to be found among one’s own people one’s familiar circles one’s comfortable life. To learn it often requires exile the stripping away of all natural support so that only God remains. He alone becomes the witness of one’s patience. He alone becomes consolation. He alone becomes vindication.
And then comes the heart of St. Isaac’s blow:
“As grace accompanies humility so do painful incidents accompany pride.”Humility is the magnet of mercy. Pride is the invitation to destruction. God Himself turns His face toward the humble not in pity but in delight. Their nothingness is spacious enough for Him to enter. He fills emptiness not fullness. He pours glory into the vessel that has shattered self importance. But when pride rises like a tower God sends winds against it not to annihilate us but to collapse what we build against Him.
The humble man does not seek honor for he knows what it costs the soul. He bows first greets first yields first. His greatness is hidden like an ember under ash but heaven sees it glowing. Divine honor chases him like a hound. It is the proud who chase praise and never catch it but the self emptying who flee honor and find it placed upon them by the hand of God.
“Be contemptible in your own eyes and you will see the glory of God in yourself.”Not self hatred but truth. Not despair but sobriety. Not rejection of one’s humanity but recognition that without God we have no light no love no breath. When we descend beneath ourselves God descends to meet us. When we stop defending our wounds He heals them. Humility is not psychological abasement but the unveiling of reality: only God is great and the one who knows this sees God everywhere even within his own nothingness.
Blessed truly blessed is the man who seems worthless to others yet shines with virtue like an unseen star. Blessed the one whose knowledge is deep but whose speech is soft whose life is radiant yet whose posture is bowed. Such a soul is the image of Christ unadorned unnoticed unassuming yet bearing the weight of heaven within.
The Saint concludes with a promise that burns like gold:
The man who hungers and thirsts for God God will make drunk with His good things.
Not the brilliant not the accomplished not the defended but the hungry. The emptied. The poor in spirit who have thrown themselves into the furnace of humility and come forth with nothing left to claim as their own.
This is the narrow way.This is the ark built in silence.
To bow lower is to rise.To lose all is to possess God.To become nothing is to become fire.
May we learn to bend before the storm begins.May we kneel while grace is still soft.May we lay plank upon plank obedience upon prayer meekness upon hidden sacrifice until the ark is finished and the floods come and we are held aloft by humility into the very heart of God.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:02:30 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 164 paragraph 29
00:03:03 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: philokaliaministries.org
00:11:37 Ben: Re: Orthodox Saints...if you look you'll often find that many of them are already liturgically venerated by the Eastern Catholic churches - I've even heard that St. Seraphim is actually commemorated by Russian Catholics.
00:12:08 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 164, para 29, at bottom of page
00:12:09 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Re: Orthodox Saints.…" with ❤️
00:14:16 David Swiderski, WI: We get those random at my job. AI platforms are trying to take IP and data.
00:15:09 Sam: Greetings from Australia and wishing you a happy thanksgiving 🙏
00:15:18 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "Greetings from Austr..." with ❤️
00:27:19 Lilly: The new film 'Man Of God' shows the example of Saint Nektarios blessing all those who convicted him unjustly.
00:30:26 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Replying to "The new film 'Man Of..."
Where is this film available?
00:31:55 Andrew Adams: Replying to "The new film 'Man Of..."
Looks like it is included with Prime and can be bought wherever
00:32:04 Gwen’s iPhone: Replying to "The new film 'Man Of…"YouTube
00:32:07 Jesssica Imanaka: It's hard for me to apply this as a parent of a 5th grader seeing middle school dynamics emerge!
00:33:59 David Swiderski, WI: You Tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldUGahNlMRk
00:35:14 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "You Tube link: https..." with 👍
00:36:15 Ben: Reacted to "You Tube link: https..." with 👍
00:36:48 Elizabeth Richards: I work with dyslexic kids and true identity in Christ is the heartbeat behind my intervention. School is torture for so many of these kids & affects the trajectory of their life!
00:37:04 Maureen Cunningham: I watch a short film On Nigeria  Christian. They have a faith under such pain
00:37:13 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "I watch a short film..." with 🙏🏼
00:41:28 David Swiderski, WI: Is this a typo or error in translation? The gold of Ophir is referenced multiple times in the Bible, often associated with immense wealth and divine blessings. It was a place known for its unparalleled riches, supplying gold to King Solomon and other ancient rulers.Biblical descriptions imply that Ophir’s gold was exceptionally pure and highly prized. This aligns with historical records of ancient civilizations refining gold to a high degree. In fact, gold from South Arabia, India, and Africa was known to be of superior quality, often described as "untarnished."
00:46:40 Ben: Even hockey crowds in the late '60's were full of suits & ties.
00:50:52 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "Is this a typo or er..." with ❤️
00:55:52 Adam Paige: Re: “gold of Souphir”, the Septuagint has “Σουφιρ” at 1 Kings 10:11, it’s a variant rendering of Ophir in the LXX according to Wikipedia
00:57:23 David Swiderski, WI: This really echo's my experience. Arrogant, puffed up people in business are always selling themselves and gain a great reward often as in politics.  In doing good in my life I often have been punished but with both I think if it was not to be against what is of this world do I really have and show love. Ie. try to do the will of God.
00:58:17 Thomas: Would a humble person have any idea they were humble, it seems like they wouldn’t, also how do you deal with thoughts that tell you that you are being humble, is it simply to just revile yourself
00:59:10 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Is this a typo or er…" with ❤️
00:59:36 David Swiderski, WI: If always rewarded can we ever know we truly love and have values or seek the easy way and avoid the narrow path.
01:00:26 Elizabeth Richards: Replying to "Would a humble perso..."
It seems humility is to see self as Christ views me- worthy of his love, dependent on Him for EVERYTHING
01:04:14 Vanessa Nunez: Replying to "If always rewarded c…"I think we can still be rewarded but we can recognize that it is not through our own doing but by gods providence, the only thing that WE do is say yes to god.
01:04:42 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "I think we can still..." with ❤️
01:05:21 David Swiderski, WI: Reacted to "I think we can still..." with 👍
01:12:49 Jesssica Imanaka: Dostoyevsky was fascinated by the figure of the Holy Fool.
01:12:52 Elizabeth Richards: "Laurus" by Eugene Vodolazkin is a fantastic novel about a holy fool
01:13:15 David Swiderski, WI: Reacted to "Dostoyevsky was fasc..." with ❤️
01:13:40 Jesssica Imanaka: Reacted to ""Laurus" by Eugene V..." with ❤️
01:14:04 David Swiderski, WI: Faith but the saints let the light of the son enter into our lives like the saints in stained glass windows in churches
01:14:55 Elizabeth Richards: Happy Thanksgiving!
01:15:00 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:15:01 Jessica McHale: Many prayers for everyone! Happt THanksgiving!
01:15:10 Janine: Thank you Father! Happy thanksgiving!
01:15:13 Art: Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
01:15:14 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you father God bless you and your mother

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXIX, Part II and XL, I

The Evergetinos gathers these stories around a single, unsettling truth:those who endure injustice with gratitude and refuse to avenge themselves become truly rich, and God Himself becomes their defender.
Abba Mark says it simply and without comfort: “He who is wronged by someone, and does not seek redress, truly believes in Christ, and receives a hundredfold in this life and eternal life in the age to come.” The measure is not whether we suffer wrong, but what we do with it. Injustice is assumed. The question is whether we turn it into a weapon or an altar.
Gelasios endures theft and humiliation at the hands of Vacatos. He stands his ground about the monastic cell for God’s sake, but he does not pursue his abuser, does not drag him to court, does not stir up others to defend him. He lets God see. And God does see. Symeon unveils Vacatos’ hidden intent, and the man’s own journey to prosecute the “man of God” becomes the road of his judgment. The Elder does nothing, yet everything is revealed. His stillness becomes the place where the truth about both men is made manifest.
Pior works three years without wages. Each time he labors, each time he is sent away empty-handed, and each time he returns quietly to his monastery. His silence is not cowardice; it is poverty of spirit. The employer’s house, not Pior’s heart, collapses under injustice. Only when calamity has broken him does he go searching for the monk, wages in hand, begging forgiveness and confessing, “The Lord paid me back.” Pior will not even reclaim what is his. He allows it to be given to the Church, because his life is no longer measured by what he is owed. He has stepped out of the economy of recompense into the freedom of God.
The Elder whose cell is robbed twice endures in an even more piercing way. First he leaves a note: “Leave me half for my needs.” Then, when all is taken, he still does not accuse. Only when the thief lies dying, tortured in soul and unable to depart, does he confess and call for the Elder. As soon as the Elder prays, his soul is released. The one who was wronged becomes the priest at the threshold of death. The one who stole cannot die in peace until he passes under the mercy of the man he robbed. Here judgment is revealed as truth entering the heart, and God’s “avenging” consists in turning the wound of the innocent into medicine for the guilty.
In Menas, this same mystery ripens into martyrdom. Menas stands literally on bones, his flesh cut away, and chants, “My foot hath stood in uprightness.” His body is mutilated, but his praise is whole. The attempt to silence him only reveals where his life truly rests. In the end even his persecutor becomes a believer and shares his martyrdom. In Menas, injustice is not merely endured; it becomes the final gift by which God crowns His friends.
Peter’s discourse with Clement names the inner logic of all this. Those who wrong others, he says, actually wrong themselves most deeply, while those who are wronged, if they endure with love, gain purification and forgiveness. Possessions become occasions of sin; their unjust loss, when borne rightly, becomes the removal of sins. Enemies, for a brief time, maltreat those they hate—but in God’s providence they become the cause of their victims’ deliverance from eternal punishment. Seen this way, those who harm us are, in a hidden manner, our benefactors. Only the one who loves God greatly can bear to see this and respond with love instead of resentment.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:03:52 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 310 Volume II - Section B
00:08:56 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 310 Volume II - Section B
00:10:20 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:18:09 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 310 Volume II - Section B
00:18:15 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: http://Philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:21:46 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 310 section B
00:32:59 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 312 # 2
00:34:19 Anthony: Witholding wages is one of the few sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance.
00:36:12 Forrest: Perhaps in 3 years, God may have given the monk 100 fold already for those lost wages. So when wages were offered, the wages would have been due back to God, not the monk.
00:49:52 Anthony: I believe St Minas was a soldier, no? I think if yes that adds a layer of poetry to the story, he was an athlete greater than his former profession.
00:53:45 Anthony: Synaxarion?
00:55:37 Myles Davidson: Father, can you recommend a good bio of St Philip Neri?
01:06:40 Sheila Applegate: There is a fine line between Christian counsel and judgement of others.
01:09:44 Maureen Cunningham: Your enemy is hammer and chisel t form you to Christ
01:14:31 Erick Chastain: How can one benefit via Christ's medicine of edification those that persecute you if they do not know they are doing so, instead believing that they are doing the good?
01:16:30 Jerimy Spencer: Aloha Father, a Protestant author John Eldredge, described one of the spirits of this age as the age of the offended self, and I think there is something to this, whether solely cultural or also of diabolical, the temptations I find often is to take anything personal or be reminded of some offense and thereby be seduced by the passion of anger, instead of praying for them.
01:33:03 Jerimy Spencer: C.S. Lewis I think, uses the language of “the hammering process”
01:34:18 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you  Blessing to  all
01:34:19 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:34:35 Janine: Thank you Father

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily V, Part VI

St Isaac reveals a truth that is both luminous and frightening. He tells us plainly that nothing shapes the soul more profoundly than the afflictions God allows. In prosperity, the heart drifts. It forgets that it is a creature, and begins to imagine that the strength of its own hand has gained these things. In comfort, the soul becomes dull. In praise, it becomes intoxicated. And in success it begins, slowly, almost imperceptibly, to enthrone itself.
So God, in His mercy, disrupts this illusion.
He sends the tutors of grief and the teachers of fear. Not because He delights in suffering, but because He knows what the soul becomes without it. St Isaac speaks with severity because he has seen the madness of those who, having tasted power, wealth, or health, forgot the One who gave them breath and dared to call themselves gods. Nothing is more lethal to the spiritual life than a life free from the memory of God.
Thus God places the soul in the crucible of adversity so that remembrance might be rekindled. He stirs us with the fear of things hostile, not to crush us, but to drive us toward the gate of His mercy. And when He delivers us, His deliverance becomes a seed of love. When He comforts us, His comfort becomes a memory of His providence. When He saves us, His salvation becomes the ground of gratitude.
This is the strange and paradoxical path St Isaac sets before us:afflictions become the birthplace of divine sonship.Within their furnace the soul learns who God is, learns how He cares, learns how to love and to give thanks.
But St Isaac pushes further. Affliction alone is insufficient if the soul does not respond with remembrance. Forgetfulness is the true death, the soul’s quiet apostasy. Thus he commands:Seat yourself before the Lord continually.Do not let your heart wander into trivial anxieties lest, when the hour of trial comes, you find yourself unable to speak boldly before the One you barely remember. Intimacy with God is born of continual conversing with Him. Forgetting Him is not merely a lapse but a rupture in the bond of trust.
And then he reveals the fruit: from long abiding in this remembrance, the soul is drawn into wonder. The heart that seeks the Lord begins to rejoice. The condemned become strengthened. The repentant become purified by the brightness of His face.
Finally, St Isaac places before us the two paths, both simple and searching.The sinner who returns will not stumble over his sins; the Lord will not remember them.The righteous man who falls and persists in his sin cannot rely on his former virtues; he will die in the darkness he has chosen.
Everything depends on the present turning of the heart.
St Isaac’s words strike with the clarity of desert fire. Affliction is not the enemy but the womb of remembrance. Suffering is not punishment but invitation. Every grief becomes a gate. And the soul that accepts the discipline of remembrance, that seats itself continually before God, finds that even the darkest circumstances become a field where the seeds of divine love take root and flower.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:03:23 Sam: Hi Fr. Greetings from hot and humid oz. Could you please let me know your email address. I'll reach out and let you know of my schedule as keen to travel to Pittsburg. Thanks Sam
00:03:57 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: philokaliaministries@gmail.com
00:04:04 Sam: Thanks
00:12:07 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 162 paragraph 24
00:12:28 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:14:50 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:14:52 Thomas: Good
00:14:59 Thomas: In library for study tables so can’t talk
00:15:17 Thomas: Fall season is over but we’ve got lifts and conditions now
00:15:29 Thomas: Yeah it’s not great
00:16:05 Thomas: That has happened a couple times
00:16:42 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:16:43 susan: how is laurie recovering?
00:33:56 Maureen Cunningham: Brother Lawrence
00:36:59 Maureen Cunningham: What is the difference between affliction verse oppression
00:39:02 Vanessa Nunez: Every Friday I do my vigil adoration time and what you say is what I felt the Lord was saying last Friday in my time of silence and prayer. 
“For all the sufferings you’ve endured shall be made into glory and bare many fruit.”
00:40:29 David Swiderski, WI: A spiritual director I had living overseas mentioned God's voice is like a whisper on the wind and the devil an annoying scratching irritation. I am not sure if I do the breathing correctly but an orthodox friend mentioned to breath in and say Lord Jesus Christ son of God and exhale saying have mercy on me a sinner. Breathing in I constantly think of the whisper of the holy name as inhaling is always quieter like a whisper and exhaling is stronger and forceful in voice. And repetition calms the mind to hear better not only the quiet but the hope is clarity from God.
00:40:51 Vanessa Nunez: Reacted to "A spiritual director…" with ❤️
00:42:00 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "A spiritual director..." with ❤️
00:42:52 Ryan Ngeve: Father how does one keep that awareness of the grace of God and not reliance on one’s own strength
00:43:03 samuel: Reacted to Father how does one ... with "👏"
00:44:47 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Reacted to "A spiritual director..." with ❤️
00:54:48 David Swiderski, WI: Where you spend your time is where you find your treasure and your God. Still looking in laundry and chores but he is there somewhere.
00:57:13 Anthony: Catholic elementary school is a big reason I left the faith.
00:58:13 Anthony: But, that mistake was used for my benefit.
01:22:52 Eleana Urrego: I like it
01:24:22 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You
01:24:23 Elizabeth Richards: Grace can flow through the most surprising places <3
01:24:54 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:24:58 Jessica McHale: Many graces and blessings and prayers!
01:25:16 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you father God bless you and your mother (and dogs). :)
01:25:24 Jonathan Grobler: Thank you father, God bless ❤️
01:25:26 Janine: May God bless you Father!
01:25:43 Janine: Yes….will pray for Lori..

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXVIII, Part IV & XXXIX, Part I

There are moments when the Evergetinos confronts us with a vision so stark and so luminous that it seems almost uninhabitable. It is not a juridical vision of justice. It is not a measured discourse about the protection of innocents. It does not weigh competing moral claims or concerns about equity or rights. What it reveals is something else entirely. It opens before us the divine ethos, the mode of being that belongs to those who have been seized by God, transformed by grace, and re-shaped through hesychia into a likeness of Christ that defies all earthly logic. It is the unvarnished gospel in its rawest form.
When the philosophers insult the monk from the Libyan desert, and he rushes toward them with eagerness, offering his cheek to their hands, it is not a lesson in social ethics. It is not a prescription for how a parent is to protect a child or how a citizen must respond to injustice. It is a revelation of the interior world of a man who watches over his mind and hopes only in the grace of God. The philosophers fast. The philosophers keep vigil. They practice disciplines that appear nearly identical. What they cannot do—what they admit they cannot do—is guard the mind in purity and allow insults to pass through the heart without stirring anger. In this they recognize the divine in the monk. They bow to him because a man who can endure injustice without disturbance is living from a realm they cannot inhabit.
The Evergetinos offers no apologies for this. It does not soften its witness. When the elder watches his garden destroyed and asks only to keep a single root so he might cook for the one who has wrecked the rest, he is not giving us a moral theory. He is revealing what the human heart becomes when it rests in the Spirit. The elder who lights a lamp for thieves and joyfully hands them his last coins is not attempting to reform criminal behavior, nor is he calculating social consequences. His joy is not naivete. It is the fire of Christ’s own meekness living in him.
And yet we must be honest. These stories do not address the complexities of the world in which most people live. They do not speak directly to the father protecting his family, the mother guarding her children, the priest shepherding a wounded community, or the layperson navigating systems of injustice. The Evergetinos does not pause to balance competing goods. It does not acknowledge the dangers that arise when evil is left unchecked. It is not a handbook for civil society. It is something far more dangerous. It presents us with the highest vision of a human heart purified by grace, a life transfigured to such a degree that it can absorb wrongs as Christ absorbed them. The gospel is not diluted. In fact, it becomes unbearable in its purity.
The elder who prays for the grace to respond to thieves with joy receives exactly what he asks for. God answers him not with consolation but with thieves at his door. He lights a lamp, welcomes them, opens his coffers, and blesses them as they leave with everything he owns. He asks for nothing in return, not even their repentance. When asked whether they came back like the thieves in the story, he laughs and says he preferred that they did not. He was not following a legal principle. He was walking the path he had begged God to let him walk. The suffering he endured was not a loss. It was the fruit of a longing for likeness with Christ.
And then there are the stories of divine recompense, e.g., St. John the Merciful and the miraculous jars of honey that turn to gold, the injustices endured by monks which become occasions for God to act as avenger. These are not examples of magical thinking. They are testimonies that God sees everything, that the meek are not abandoned, that those who refuse to avenge themselves have placed their trust in the only One capable of true judgment. The elders are not naïve about injustice. They simply refuse to litigate their own wounds. They trust that God Himself will set things right in a manner beyond human calculation.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:01:57 Sam: Hi Fr Charbel. Greetings from Australia :-)
00:04:05 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Welcome Sam.  Good to have you here!
00:10:47 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 306 # 10
00:13:13 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/non-resistance-justice-and-the-peace-of-christ
00:20:08 Janine: Oh poor Bob…i will pray for you!
00:21:45 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/non-resistance-justice-and-the-peace-of-christ
00:21:59 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 306 # 10
00:25:46 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/non-resistance-justice-and-the-peace-of-christ
00:34:04 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 307 # 11
00:46:14 Joan Chakonas: these stories create mental standards and illustrate aspirational rewards for me, a grateful listener (with very little patience)- if I try to be better God will give me these rewards someday.  I live these stories
00:46:36 Joan Chakonas: Love these stories
00:57:13 Vanessa: My property was broken into twice the last 6 months. It made me paranoid and feeling unsafe for a long time. Checking and double-checking windows and doors. I totally get the coffee scenario!
00:57:59 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "My property was brok..." with 😮
00:58:37 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/non-resistance-justice-and-the-peace-of-christ
00:59:23 Forrest: Since the monks in these stories have vanquished the passion of anger and desire to resist, how do they not have any charitable desire (or even obligation) to attempt to converse with the thieves and start separating the robbers from the demons and passions which rule their lives?
00:59:28 Catherine: I guess that if we are so covetous of material things that we would attack someone else over possession of these we are no less covetous than the theif
01:02:24 Joan Chakonas: I figure God handles these thieves.
01:03:41 Forrest: Reacted to "I guess that if we a..." with 👍
01:04:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: Replying to "I figure God handles..."
Yes! In the next Hypothesis.
01:04:53 Vanessa: Reacted to "I figure God handles..." with 👍
01:05:35 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 309 section A
01:17:14 Maureen Cunningham: Maybe we do not see Him
01:23:00 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/non-resistance-justice-and-the-peace-of-christ
01:25:26 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Father
01:25:59 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:26:08 Forrest: Thank you!!
01:26:20 Jessica McHale: Thank you! Prayers for you!!!
01:26:24 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:26:29 Joan Chakonas: Thank you Father

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXVIII, Part III

The Evergetinos sets the bar of freedom in a surprising place: anger without cause is not when we flare up over trifles, but whenever we react to any ill-treatment aimed at us. Abba Poimen sharpens the point: even if a brother were to gouge out an eye or cut off a hand, anger would still be without cause—unless he were separating us from God. In other words, the only justified “anger” is zeal for communion with God; all other indignation binds us to the injury and darkens the nous.
From this first edge, the text moves to the Christ-likeness of suffering injustice. One who willingly bears wrongs and forgives becomes “like Jesus”; one who neither wrongs nor suffers wrong is merely “like Adam”; one who wrongs is “like the Devil.” The goal is not moral equilibrium but kenosis: to descend into the humility of Christ who “was reviled and did not revile in return.”
The Evergetinos then baptizes our imagination with stories. Abba Gelasios’ costly book is stolen; he neither exposes the thief nor reclaims it, but quietly commends the buyer to purchase it. His silence pricks the thief’s conscience more effectively than accusation; repentance follows, and the thief remains to be formed by the elder’s life. Abba Evprepios helps thieves carry his goods; noticing a robber’s staff left behind, he runs after them to return it. Abba John the Persian offers to wash the feet of intruders; shame breaks their hardness more swiftly than punishment. Abba Makarios not only helps a thief load a camel with his own belongings; when the animal refuses to rise, he adds the missing tool and blesses the thief’s going—only then does the camel sit again, until everything is returned. These vignettes train the heart to a habitual non-resistance that is anything but passivity; it is a deliberate, creative meekness that seeks the other’s salvation.
Not all the stories end with goods restored. Sometimes the elder simply rejoices to have been counted worthy to lose. One monk prays to be given the chance to imitate such forbearance; when thieves finally come, he lights a lamp, shows them everything, even discloses the hidden coins. He does not wish them to bring anything back. Here dispossession becomes doxology. “We brought nothing into the world” and “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” are not verses to be quoted at funerals only; they are the grammar of freedom in the face of loss.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:05:09 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 304 Letter E
00:05:25 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:10:42 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 304 Letter E
00:14:35 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:16:03 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 304, letter E, # 1
00:26:24 Forrest: I am really feeling a great challenge of these writings. Can you help integrate what is in the daily mass readings today: Luke 17:3 "Be on your guard!* If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him."  The paragraphs that we are reading here do not even counsel rebuke.
00:33:05 Kate : Would you say that this habitual non-resistance is necessary for the practice of repentance, the continual turning of the mind and heart to God?  That without this non-resistance, then our repentance is not yet where it needs to be.
00:34:04 Joan Chakonas: Its been my experience that suffering injustice is actually easier than attempting correction or pushing back.
00:34:34 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Its been my experien..." with ❤️
00:36:54 Joan Chakonas: My worst qualities arise when I engage in conflict or corrective confrontation.  I’m working on this
00:38:36 Joan Chakonas: I’m pretty old so I got this perspective from experience
00:39:00 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "I’m pretty old so I ..." with 😃
00:39:59 Forrest: Reacted to "I’m pretty old so I ..." with 👍
00:40:04 Anthony: I wish we had available St Francis relationship with his family after his traumatic break. There is an account of a story with his brother, but did they all ever reconcile?
00:46:46 Joan Chakonas: The thiefs repentance and sorrow was huge
00:47:28 Joan Chakonas: It came about by the mercy of the elder
01:09:23 Joan Chakonas: God permitted these crimes and the holy mens acceptance are illustrative of His great mercy- no psychic pain in their acceptance.  What great gifts
01:13:02 Forrest: Yes, I am comfortable getting angry at thieves. I have to do hard work to fix that.
01:13:23 Anthony: Your soliloquiy reminds me of St Rocco and St Joseph Laboure
01:16:39 Myles Davidson: St Damien of Molokai living and dying with lepers
01:19:33 Larry Ruggiero: Can you cover next week about someone breaking into your home and doing harm to your wife or children?
01:24:44 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:24:46 John Burmeister: thanks father
01:24:51 Janine: Thank you Father
01:24:55 Catherine Opie: Thank you god bless
01:25:01 Joan Chakonas: Goes too fast!!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily V, Part V

God has no need of anything, yet St. Isaac tells us that He rejoices whenever a man comforts His image and honors it for His sake. The divine joy is found not in what is given but in the mercy that reflects His own. When the poor come to us, it is not their need that is the test but our response to the image of God standing before us. To refuse them is to turn away grace itself, to pass by the honor of having been found worthy to console another. The poor will not be abandoned—God will provide for them—but the one who closes his heart has turned aside the gift of participating in God’s own generosity. When we give, we should bless God who has sent us the opportunity; when we have nothing to give, we should bless Him even more for allowing us to share in the poverty of Christ and the saints who walked this same path of want and trust.
Illness, too, is a visitation of mercy. God sends sickness for the healing of the soul, as a physician would apply bitter medicine to draw out hidden corruption. A monk who grows careless in his service, St. Isaac says, will be visited by temptation or affliction so that he may not sink deeper into idleness. God does not abandon those who love Him, but when He sees them drifting toward forgetfulness, He sends a trial to awaken them, to make them wise again. And though they may cry out to Him, He delays His response, waiting until they understand that their sufferings arise not from divine neglect but from their own sloth and negligence. His silence is not absence but instruction, a sign that He wishes the soul to seek Him with greater purity and perseverance.
Why, we might ask, does the merciful Lord not always answer those who pray with tears? St. Isaac, quoting the prophet, answers: “The Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, but our sins have separated us from Him.” It is not that God cannot hear, but that our hearts have become deafened by self-love. The remedy is remembrance—unceasing recollection of God in all things. When the heart remembers God, He remembers us in the hour of trouble, and what once seemed a wall of silence becomes the threshold of communion.
Temptations, St. Isaac says, are as near to us as our own eyelids. They arise not only from without but from within, springing up from the depths of our nature. Yet even this nearness is arranged by divine wisdom so that we might be compelled to knock at His door continually, that through fear and affliction the memory of God might be sown deep within us. The soul learns to pray, not to escape suffering, but to dwell in the presence of the One who alone delivers. Through long entreaty and endurance, we come to perceive that God Himself sustains and forms us, and that this world, with its griefs and trials, is a teacher preparing us for the world to come, our true home and inheritance.
God does not make us immune to what is grievous, for such immunity would lead to pride. If we were never wounded, we would imagine ourselves divine and fall into the same delusion as the adversary. It is the burden of the flesh, the uncertainty of our days, the constant approach of temptation, that keeps us humble and dependent upon mercy. Thus, for St. Isaac, every circumstance—whether abundance or lack, health or sickness, prayer answered or unanswered—is arranged by a wisdom beyond our knowing. The goal is always the same: that we might remember God, that our hearts might be softened, and that our lives might be drawn into the rhythm of His compassionate love.
The divine mercy, then, is not sentimental but purifying. It allows affliction so that grace may take deeper root. It permits delay so that desire for God might grow more ardent. To the one who endures with thanksgiving, every sorrow becomes a revelation: God, who fashioned and sustains us, is both our Chastiser and our Healer, our Teacher in this passing world and our Father who awaits us in the eternal one.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:01:20 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:01:49 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 160 paragraph 19
00:08:47 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 160 paragraph 19
00:30:28 Eleana: I think is good to clarify that poor are those who do not know God AKA Jesus. When I worked in crisis with suicidal kids, I went to "mansions" of families in despair because of the absent God. It was a pattern, the lack of God; Thus, lack of  joy, love, and peace.
00:34:57 jonathan: paustinia has been a God sent for getting off the computer, and also to show how addictive it is.
00:37:43 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 160, # 20, bottom paragraph on page
00:47:49 David Swiderski, WI: In Spanish and some Latin languages the English does not make sense. In Spanish it is -do not let us fall into temptation. -No nos deja caer en tentacIon I can understand why language can really affect understanding. No wonder so many misunderstandings in the Greek east and Latin West. From Spanish critics of the English I know the "lead" is what they have the main issue with.
00:56:39 Erick Chastain: He mentions "accidental occurences".... what does he mean by that?
00:56:44 Joan Chakonas: I know not to expect timely replies to prayers from God because 12 years ago my most beloved younger brother George passed away from vicious cancer.  I still don’t get it but I think of the pieta, the Mother of God with her Son, so I figure this sadness is what I have to work through in the way He sees fit.  I don’t complain to Him.
00:59:40 Eleana: Reacted to "I know not to expect..." with ❤️
01:00:23 Joan Chakonas: He is so good- faith is all we have
01:05:11 Vanessa Nunez: One of the things I prayed for constantly was learning to trust God, especially after a lot of sufferings I had to endure and was working on healing how to trust again. When I faced a great illness it forced me to trust in God and made me realize I can’t always be in control, and that my body and life is in Gods control. A prayer that helped me a lot during that time of suffering was “Lord let this cup pass from me if it is in your will, if not, give me the strength to drink from it.”
01:06:16 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "One of the things I ..." with 👍
01:06:17 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "One of the things I ..." with ❤️
01:07:55 Rebecca Thérèse: Are we not all co-redemptors with Christ.  "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church..."  Colossians 1:24
01:08:13 Eleana: Reacted to "Are we not all co-re..." with ❤️
01:08:47 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Are we not all co-re..." with ❤️
01:08:57 Vanessa Nunez: Reacted to "Are we not all co-re…" with ❤️
01:08:59 Joan Chakonas: Reacted to "Are we not all co-re…" with ❤️
01:10:47 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Are we not all co-re…" with ❤️
01:10:54 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "One of the things I …" with 👍
01:13:12 Anthony: It sounds like excessive grief over falling or failing is a visceral desire not to suffer.  The excessive grief may be due to a desire to be perfect (not lacking anything)
01:19:18 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you Father
01:20:01 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:20:03 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God!
01:20:07 Joan Chakonas: Thank you
01:20:07 Andrew Adams: Thank you, Father!
01:20:10 Janine: Thank you Father
01:20:10 jonathan: Thank you so much for these lessons, God bless you Fr.
01:20:11 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father may God bless you and your mother
01:20:22 Joan Chakonas: That ended too fast!!!!!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXVIII, Part II

The Evergetinos continues to unveil through the lives of the saints the beauty and power of a heart freed from anger and the desire for vengeance. In the story of Saint Spyridon and the deceitful shipowner we see how divine simplicity disarms deceit. The Saint entrusted his gold to another with pure confidence and without suspicion, and when that trust was betrayed he did not rage or demand justice. Instead he allowed truth to reveal itself in silence. The emptiness of the box became the mirror of the man’s soul, and the words of the Saint, spoken without bitterness, pierced him more deeply than any accusation. You are defrauding yourself, not me, he said. The gentleness of the holy man became the instrument of repentance. By leaving judgment to God and refusing anger, he brought a sinner back to truth and left a testimony of meekness that is stronger than any earthly power.
Saint Evthymios the New of Madytos embodied the same spirit. When thieves broke into his church and desecrated what was sacred, he prevented others from punishing them and instead took them into his home. He fed them, freed them, and sent them away forgiven. The wrath of men would have destroyed them, but his mercy broke their hearts and restored them to life. Later when he found other men stealing wheat during a famine he did not rebuke them but joined in their labor, taking the place of the accomplice who had fled. The thief, seeing later who had helped him, was overcome with fear and awe. For Evthymios, compassion was the only response to human need. His heart was so formed by divine love that he no longer regarded anything as his own. He had been freed from the possessiveness that feeds anger and from the blindness that makes us see others as enemies.
All these holy ones teach that freedom is born of meekness. Anger enslaves the heart to the one who offends it, while forgiveness releases the soul into the hands of God. To bear injustice without vengeance is not weakness but participation in the strength of Christ who on the cross asked forgiveness for His murderers. To the eyes of the world these men seem defeated, yet they are the victors in the only battle that matters, the struggle against the passions.
O Lord, grant me this peace of the saints. When I am wronged, let me remember Saint Spyridon’s quiet mercy, Saint Evthymios’ compassion, and the Elders’ serene acceptance. Let me not defend myself with anger or words but entrust all things to You who judge with truth. Let me see in every loss the chance to become poor in spirit, in every insult the seed of humility, in every theft the call to freedom. Teach me to bless those who wrong me and to keep my hope unshaken, for You alone are my refuge and my portion. May my only vengeance be love, my only wealth contentment, and my only victory the peace that comes from Your presence.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:03:12 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:03:34 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 301, # 3
00:05:35 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:07:52 iPhone (6): Just letting you know new participant Joan Chakonas has joined the group.
00:09:21 iPhone (6): I’ll try to figure out how to change my id from “iphone6” if you see what I see
00:11:21 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:13:09 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 301 section 3
00:16:13 Janine: Sensus fidelium has been around for a long time
00:16:26 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/blog
00:16:38 Janine: It started with FSSP priests
00:16:57 jonathan: Reacted to "https://www.philokal..." with ❤️
00:17:01 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "It started with FSSP..." with 👍
00:31:17 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 302,  D
00:55:19 Jerimy Spencer: Aloha Father, I’ve often wrestled with the idea of stewardship vs ownership as a multi-instrumentalist, I guard these gifts (and instruments) very carefully, but also feel when I can play, they belong to everyone
01:04:05 Sheila Applegate: It is interesting, because in my heart and intellectual mind, these words are truth and sensible and though challenging, make sense for people to follow. Yet following them can make me seem to others as naive and silly but I know these teachings are wise. The world does not see them the same way.
01:04:35 Sheila Applegate: I was made to feel foolish just today. :)
01:05:24 John Burmeister: I think i would have  a hard time with someone coming into my house and taking food that was for  my family or drive my car, because its a material good, like the saint, said its everyones. the evil in a lot of people today it would seem like they would just steal from me again, because there is no recourse for their actions. When they stand in front of me im just another person, not a Monk or regiolius in their eyes. easy prey.
01:05:53 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "I was made to feel f..." with ☺️
01:07:06 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "I think i would have..." with 👍
01:09:22 Sheila Applegate: Haha
01:09:40 Myles Davidson: The lack of fear and grace shown towards a thief would impact them no matter who one was, religious or layperson. Any thief with a conscience would be unlikely to come back
01:10:25 Janine: Reacted to "I think i would have…" with 👍
01:10:40 Sheila Applegate: Reacted to I think i would have... with "👍"
01:18:41 Janine: Yes…every night!
01:18:45 iPhone (6): Please do!
01:19:16 iPhone (6): Joan still here!
01:19:58 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:20:12 iPhone (6): ❤️
01:20:20 Lee Graham: Thank you!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily V, Part IV

St. Isaac writes with the clarity of one who has walked through the fire of trial and found the peace that follows surrender. His words do not flatter the soul or soften the edges of the truth. They are meant to awaken us to the living reality of divine love. He shows that what we call faith must be tested, and what we call trust must be purified, until both rest entirely in God.
He begins with the martyrs who endured every torment that flesh can bear. They suffered, he says, through a “secret strength” that came from God. Their pain did not prove divine absence but revealed divine nearness. The angels themselves appeared to them, not as symbols but as real presences sent to encourage and to shame the cruelty of their persecutors. The endurance of the martyrs becomes the measure of faith. Where human nature reaches its limit, divine power begins to act. Their calm in suffering, their peace under torture, proclaim that the providence of God surrounds those who love Him even when the world rages.
St. Isaac then turns to the ascetics and hermits who made the desert a dwelling place of angels. These men and women renounced the world not in bitterness but in longing. They exchanged earthly things for heavenly communion. The angels, seeing in them kindred souls, visited them continually. They taught them, guided them, strengthened them when hunger or sickness overcame their bodies. They brought them bread, healed their wounds, foretold their deaths. The desert became a city where heaven and earth met in silence. For those who abandoned the noise of the world, the unseen world became near and familiar.
This leads St. Isaac to the heart of his teaching. If we truly believe that God provides for us, why do we remain anxious? Anxiety is born of unbelief. To trust in ourselves is to live in misery, but to cast our care upon the Lord is to enter into peace. The one who has surrendered everything to God walks through life with a restful mind. He is not careless but free. His rest is not laziness but confidence born of faith.
Isaac describes the path to this inner freedom. The soul must learn non-possessiveness, for without it the mind is filled with turmoil. She must learn stillness of the senses, for without stillness there is no peace of heart. She must endure temptations, for without them there is no wisdom. She must read and meditate, for without this she gains no refinement of thought. She must experience the protection of God in struggle, for without that experience she cannot hope in Him with boldness. Only when she has tasted the sufferings of Christ consciously can she have communion with Him.
Finally, Isaac defines the true servant of God as one who has become poor for His sake and compassionate toward all. Such a person mortifies even natural desires so that nothing distracts from love. To give to the poor is to entrust one’s life to God’s care. To become poor for His sake is to discover inexhaustible treasure.
Here St. Isaac’s realism becomes luminous. He is not describing a harsh ideal but the hidden logic of divine love. God draws near to those who entrust themselves wholly to Him. Angels surround those who choose the path of surrender. The heart that abandons anxiety finds itself upheld by grace. This is the holy folly of trust. It is the wisdom of those who live as though God alone is enough and who discover in that surrender a peace that cannot be taken away.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:04:28 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 158 paragraph 12
00:07:21 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:08:29 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 158 paragraph 12
00:09:17 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: http://Philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:12:11 Janine: Congrats and best wishes! REN and Max
00:13:46 Janine: Yes… would love to see the pictures!
00:13:53 Thomas: This may be a strange questions, but Is Natalia Tapsak (formally Wohar) sound familiar
00:14:30 Thomas: She was my Sunday school teacher and changed at my church for a few years until she got married
00:14:52 Thomas: We were at her wedding and stayed at her church for a few nights when I was up there for baseball
00:16:02 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 158, paragraph # 12, first on page
00:31:46 Jessica McHale: Living alone, l do get lonely at times, and when I do, I ask my guardian angel to pray to the Lord with me. It's always consoling.
00:36:52 David Swiderski, WI: St. Jose Escriva used to greet the guardian angels of others first then the person. Once I heard this I find myself thinking of it sometimes with difficult people. The other thing he said is don't say this person bothers me but he sanctifies me. I have found a lot of sanctification in companies over the years. I used to joke about it but now I believe it to be true.
00:37:35 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "St. Jose Escriva u..." with ❤️
00:39:41 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 159, # 16, second full paragraph on page
00:44:34 Anthony: Take a person like George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life). He had a lifetime of failing expectations and then acute disappointment.  A person can really be driven to distraction and become blinded to God's Providence.
00:45:53 Thomas: What does this look like in the world, not taking pains to provide for yourself separately, because in the prayer it says “ bless us o Lord and these Thy gifts” clearly to a hermit what they find and are given are the gifts of God but how can we know when we have exceeded what God has given us and are now taking pains to provide for ourselves
01:06:51 Erick Chastain: Is there a paradox of less tiredness after vigils, even?
01:09:59 Rick Visser: In the night "Rouse yourself and cry out! Holy, Holy, Holy are You O God."
01:11:37 Thomas: It feels like if we are able to remember death when we would think that we don’t have time to sleep so we should pray before we die
01:15:17 Thomas: Wouldn’t the story of Lazarus and the rich man come into play here
01:19:43 Vanessa Nunez: I can really relate to what we are talking about 😂😂 I’m trying to decide between pursuing social work or psychology. After facing some health challenges, I’ve felt this sudden urge to make the most of life and not waste any time with the blessing of healing God has given me. Because of that, I’ve been overcompensating taking on two jobs and volunteering to give back as much as I can but it’s left me feeling unsettled, like I’m constantly moving without real direction.I keep praying and asking God to show me His will, because I truly want to follow His path instead of my own. I spend time in prayer and vigil adoration, trying to listen for His guidance, but even with all of that, I still feel lost. I know He has a plan for me, but it’s hard to understand when it’s my will vs his.
01:24:54 Art iPhone: Thank you Father.  Send pics Ren and congrats to you both!!
01:24:55 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you ☺️
01:24:57 Rick Visser: Thank you, Father. I will pray for you as I know you pray for us.
01:24:59 Elizabeth Richards: Amen
01:25:21 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you father, God bless you and your mother.
01:25:25 Jessica McHale: Many prayers for you all!  Thank you!!!!
01:25:31 Deiren: Thank you Father
01:25:50 Rebecca Thérèse: It's an hour later in the UK next week
01:25:53 Janine: Prayers for you

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXVIII, Part I

The stories from the Evergetinos draw us into a vision of holiness that reaches far beyond passive endurance. The saints do not simply bear injustice with patience; they transform it by the power of divine love. Their silence is not weakness, nor their gentleness naivety. It is the strength of souls utterly freed from the tyranny of self, who see in those who wrong them not enemies but brothers blinded by ignorance or fear.
Saint Libertinus, robbed and humiliated, offers even the whip that might strike the animal taken from him. His response reveals the freedom of one who has already renounced everything. Possession and loss have become meaningless to him in the light of Christ. His forbearance becomes the instrument through which God corrects the offenders, not by wrath but by wonder. The earth itself bears witness, as the frightened horses refuse to cross the river until restitution is made. The entire creation responds to the humility of a righteous man.
Saint Marcian allows himself to be defrauded repeatedly, not because he is unaware, but because his heart sees deeper than the transaction. The fraud of the banker becomes a moment of salvation. The silent goodness of the saint pierces the conscience of the wrongdoer far more deeply than accusation could have done. His hidden act of mercy becomes a living sermon, spoken not with words but with grace. When the banker’s eyes are opened, the saint’s only concern is to avoid vainglory, not to claim vindication. He would rather lose money than lose humility.
Saint Spyridon, guileless and compassionate, meets deceit and theft not with censure but with patient truth. His words to the dishonest buyer, “Perhaps you forgot to pay for it,” reveal the tenderness of one who seeks not to shame but to heal. Even to thieves caught in the act, he offers kindness, releasing them from invisible bonds and sending them away with a gift. He teaches by generosity, not severity. The thief’s heart is not crushed but awakened.
These lives reveal that true correction flows not from moral superiority but from love purified by humility. The saints’ compassion does not end with forgiveness; it embraces those who harm them, holding them within the prayer of mercy. They see the image of God even in the one who steals or lies. They refuse to reduce a sinner to his sin.
For us, these examples uncover how easily we mistake indignation for righteousness. We defend ourselves with words, cling to our sense of justice, and separate ourselves from those whose actions wound us. The Fathers remind us that this self-defense closes the heart. The saint’s freedom lies in entrusting all judgment to God. To suffer wrong with love is not resignation but participation in the meekness of Christ. It is the hidden victory of grace over pride.
The Evergetinos teaches that one good deed done in silence can awaken repentance more surely than a thousand admonitions. The holy do not impose virtue; they unveil it through gentleness. They correct not by exposing others’ shame but by bearing their wrongs with dignity. Such love, born of prayer, makes the conscience tremble and the heart turn toward the light.
May we learn from them the art of divine tenderness.May we bear injury without bitterness,speak truth without anger,and hold every soul, even the one who wrongs us,in the compassion of Christ who forgave from the Cross.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:08:19 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:09:09 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 297
00:13:16 Sheila Applegate: It was the most perfect homily!
00:14:26 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 297, A
00:25:34 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 298, B
00:34:37 Fr Martin, AZ 480-292-3381: These passages seems authentic and fruitful. The common practice I encounter in our culture of defending one's rights seems to disturb people's way of being and thinking, maybe even making their thinking obtuse in regard to their theosis or healing. I have difficulty in knowing how to gently communicate to even fellow Christians, how to be vigilant of their interior or nous, and that this is more valuable to their peace, joy, and spiritual as well as emotional well-being than defending their rights. Forgiveness and humility seem to be divine attributes that can fill our hearts amd mind with a sense of God's love. Like you said, not only for our sake, but it can impact others.
00:43:06 Jerimy Spencer: Aloha from Hawai'i, I have often had to reflect a lot on the reality that arrogance is not the only opposite of humility, but also self-hatred too. Mahalo Father, peace and Aloha of Christ be with you 🤙🏼🙏☦️
00:47:05 Anthony: It's the job of the Holy Spirit to convince one of sin. It's not your job to convince you if your sin
00:48:18 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 299, C
00:50:26 Rick Visser: Saint Spyridon Orthodox Church
00:52:45 Jerimy Spencer: Reacted to "It's the job of the …" with ❤️
01:01:11 Rick Visser: Offer to drive them to their destination
01:02:58 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Offer to drive them ..."
That may expose them in a lie which may be uncharitable?
01:03:04 Jessica McHale: When things like fraud happen to me, which they have a few times, as it happening, I usually hear a line from Scripture in my head ("turn the other cheek" or "walk two mile" etc) and that's when I know to let go of the material loss and let God work on the person.
01:04:38 Anthony: Listen to them, aid them, AND refer them to the unemployment office, with all encouragement, and coach them in thinking of their job skills
01:06:36 Anthony: I work for a state unemployment office. We are there to help
01:07:23 Fr Martin, AZ 480-292-3381: I began a practice more out of my desperation a few years back of asking panhandlers I gave money to, to pray for my son who was in dire straits. I was pleasantly surprise to see their humanity engage, and almost everyone agreed, many praying heartfelt prayers for my son in the moment. So homeless throughout the US have prayed for my son. I look forward to panhandlers now rather than the cringe I used to feel at seeing them. Even when I didn't have money, many panhandlers still graciously prayed.
01:08:01 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I began a practice..." with ❤️
01:08:01 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I began a practice m..." with 🙏
01:08:21 shang yang: Reacted to "I began a practice m..." with ❤️
01:10:19 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "I began a practice m..." with ❤️
01:11:51 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "I began a practice m..." with ❤️
01:12:31 Ambrose Little: St. Maximos the Confessor: “He who gives alms in imitation of God does not discriminate between the wicked and the virtuous, the just and the unjust, when providing for men’s bodily needs.”
01:12:58 Myles Davidson: As someone who spent some time as an addict and homeless when I was younger, I can say that any act of kindness, no matter how small, can make such a persons day
01:13:08 Jacqulyn Dudasko: Reacted to "St. Maximos the Conf..." with ❤️
01:13:10 Rick Visser: Reacted to "As someone who spent..." with ❤️
01:13:22 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "As someone who spe..." with ❤️
01:14:14 Rick Visser: Reacted to "St. Maximos the Conf..." with ❤️
01:14:35 Ambrose Little: Reacted to "As someone who spent…" with ❤️
01:15:31 Jerimy Spencer: Reacted to "St. Maximos the Conf…" with ❤️
01:15:47 Janine: Wow..great class
01:16:14 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You
01:16:26 Jessica McHale: Many prayers for you all!!!
01:16:27 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily V, Part III

In this section of Homily Five, St. Isaac draws deeply from the ancient well of ascetical wisdom, weaving together the practical counsel of St. Ephraim with his own luminous vision of divine providence. His teaching moves with precision from the diagnosis of sin to the healing of the soul, from the vigilance of self-knowledge to the vision of God’s mercy revealed through trial.
St. Ephraim’s words set the tone: every spiritual illness must be treated by its proper remedy. One cannot overcome a vice through random struggle or general good intentions, but only by applying a medicine suited to the disease. Just as heat is not fought with more heat, so envy, pride, and wrath are not healed through self-will or argument, but through the contrary virtues: humility, patience, and mercy. For St. Isaac, this is the beginning of ascetic discernment. The wise man learns to recognize the first stirrings of passion, and “plucks it up while it is still small,” knowing that what begins as a passing thought can quickly become a tyrant ruling the soul. Negligence is the mother of bondage.
From this root teaching springs one of St. Isaac’s central themes: the blessedness of patient endurance. The one who can suffer wrong with joy, though he has the means to defend himself, has entered into the mystery of the Cross. To bear insult without resentment, to be accused unjustly and respond with humility—these, he says, are the highest forms of virtue, admired even by the angels. Such endurance is not weakness but divine strength, the quiet radiance of faith proven by trial. Here we find the echo of the Beatitudes and of the Apostle’s words, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
St. Isaac then warns against a subtler danger: self-confidence. “Do not believe yourself to be strong until you are tempted and find yourself superior to change.” Virtue untested is unproven. To imagine oneself firm before temptation is to invite a fall, for pride blinds the soul to its own frailty. True strength is born only from humility, the knowledge of one’s dependence upon God. Likewise, knowledge itself can become a snare when it is not rooted in meekness. A “meek tongue” and “sweet lips” reveal a heart governed by peace rather than pride. Those who do not boast of their struggles or their gifts are preserved from shame, while those who glory in their works are permitted to stumble, that humility may be learned through experience.
The culmination of this passage is the vision of divine providence, which St. Isaac presents not as an abstract doctrine but as an experience granted to the purified heart. God’s care, he says, surrounds all, yet it is seen only by those who have cleansed themselves of sin and fixed their gaze upon Him. In times of trial, when the soul stands for the truth, this providence becomes radiant and tangible—as though seen with bodily eyes. God reveals Himself most clearly in suffering, granting His servants courage and consolation. As He strengthened Jacob, Joshua, the Three Youths, and Peter, so too He anoints all who endure affliction for His sake.
In these paragraphs, St. Isaac sketches the entire map of the ascetical path. The soul begins with vigilance, pulling up the roots of passion before they grow. It advances through endurance, learning the joy hidden in unjust suffering. It is tested in humility, discovering that self-reliance is the greatest enemy. And finally, it arrives at the vision of providence, seeing that all things—even trials and delays—are instruments of divine love.
The warfare is inward, but the victory is divine. The heart that ceases to rely on itself learns to rest in God, and the eyes once blinded by passion come to behold His mercy shining through every storm. This is the medicine of the soul and the peace of those who have learned the wisdom of the Cross.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:25 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: www.philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:02:00 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 156, last line on page, # 8
00:08:00 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: http://www.philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:10:33 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 156, last line on page, # 8
00:14:57 jonathan: Would it be fine to just print out a picture of an Icon? Want to make a prayer corner back home.
00:15:23 Jessica McHale: Father, I love this line from your blog post today: “The night is not absence but mystery, not an ending but the quiet preparation for dawn.”  These words help to bring holiness to my rest and to the sometimes challenging night vigils. Thank you!
00:15:42 Adam Paige: Replying to "Would it be fine to …"Bless the printer with holy water first 😉
00:17:38 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 156, last line on page, # 8
00:22:21 Ryan Ngeve: Father does that mean we should completely ignore other passions and focus on the most important one until it is uprooted and then move to the next?
00:24:44 Eleana: Father how to be certain that is not scruples?
00:26:58 Adam Paige: Replying to "Father does that mea…"Saint Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain: “The virtues must be acquired one by one in order, and not all of them together, so that they do not become burdensome and difficult, but easy and light, as St. Isaac said. The virtues must be acquired one by one, for the sake of being helpful and harmless. St. Isaac said, "Each virtue is the mother of the next one. But if you leave the mother who gives birth to each virtue and you seek after the daughters before you acquire their mother, those virtues will prove to be vipers in your soul. And if you do not put them away from yourself, you will surely die." (Handbook of Spiritual Counsel p. 183 “The Virtues Must Be Acquired in Order”)
00:27:59 Eleana: Replying to "Father does that mea..."
Tx.
00:30:10 David Swiderski, WI: I am not sure this is wise counsel but a spiritual director I had in Spain mentioned. How much time to do spend praying to God and how much time do you think about things that lead to vice. First focus on leveling the field to allow grace to enter and second tackle one by one the thoughts that lead you away from focusing on God. Now that I read the fathers I think quite a bit about this .
00:31:41 Vanessa Nunez: How can you reduce anxiety of letting go of control and trust in the lord to be in control of one’s life.
00:33:32 Lilly: Novena of surrender
00:33:42 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Novena of surrender" with ❤️
00:36:21 David Swiderski, WI: Jesus I trust in you, please teach me your ways today. That is an arrow prayer that helped me. The other is the complete serenity prayer by Reinhod I find amazing but most only know the beginning. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking, as He did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that He will make all things right, If I surrender to His will, That I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
00:37:04 Vanessa Nunez: Reacted to "Novena of surrender" with ❤️
00:37:09 Vanessa Nunez: Reacted to "Jesus I trust in you…" with ❤️
00:37:17 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Jesus I trust in y..." with ❤️
00:46:31 Lilly: What is Meekness?
00:48:09 Rick Visser: Is it boasting to rejoice in what small progress we find in ourselves?
00:50:03 Elijah Majak: Father, is there ever an appropriate time or situation to defend ourselves/speak up or should we just be silent against all  unfair treatment ?
00:51:16 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Saint Nicodemos of t…" with ❤️
00:51:35 Ryan Ngeve: Replying to "Father does that mea…"Thanks Adam
00:58:40 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 157, last full paragraph, # 11
01:03:51 Ryan Ngeve: Father what does Abba Isaac mean by “acquire sweet lips”
01:04:18 David Swiderski, WI: I have been thinking a lot about what you said about Abba Isaac the strong. Each night I feel lacking seeing the sun set in the west but each morning I look to the east and see the saints and angels.
01:06:21 David Swiderski, WI: Moses yes
01:06:24 David Swiderski, WI: Sorry
01:06:40 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I have been thinki..." with ❤️
01:06:52 jonathan: I always struggled with the idea of always being soft with people. The Apostles could have a very sharp tongue at times, especially Paul.  Even Christ at times would call people vipers and fools. So how do we balance gentleness, with firmness.
01:09:00 Gwen’s iPhone: Gotta love Peter
01:12:49 Larry Ruggiero: Meekness is the pre emergent to the crab grass
01:15:04 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 158, first paragraph, # 12
01:15:28 Julie: Thankyou God bless Father
01:16:11 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:16:15 Jessica McHale: Thank you! Many prayers!   Prayers for you all!
01:16:22 cameron: Thank you Fr
01:16:22 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you father. Always praying for you the steroids and your mom!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXVII, Part V

This section of The Evergetinos is among the most luminous and convicting in its entire corpus. It speaks with the voice of a Father who has entered deeply into the mind of Christ; where justice is transfigured by mercy, where the love of neighbor becomes inseparable from the love of God, and where even material loss becomes a gate to eternal life.
The Elder’s teaching exposes the great inversion of values that defines our time. In an age obsessed with self-preservation, power, and vengeance, the Christian is called not simply to resist these tendencies, but to live from an entirely different center. His measure of life is no longer self-interest or fear, but the eternal horizon of the Kingdom.
The Elder begins with a piercing truth: God’s commandments are light. It is only our attachment to self-will that makes them seem heavy. In modern terms, we could say that the weight we feel in forgiving enemies, in relinquishing possessions, or in enduring wrongs, comes not from the Gospel itself, but from our clinging to the illusion of control and possession. The commandment of Christ is light because it is love; and love is only heavy to one still bound by pride.
The parable of the gem-engraver is a mirror for us. The man, faced with imminent danger, discards all his treasure to preserve a fleeting life. We, knowing the eternal stakes, cannot part with even trifles to save our souls. The Elder’s irony cuts deeply: a worldly merchant becomes a philosopher in action, while we who claim the Kingdom behave as fools. Has the Christian fallen below the moral and spiritual clarity of the pagans who could endure insult or misfortune with composure? The Elder’s words imply as much, for true wisdom is to value what endures, and to let go of all that perishes.
We live amid a civilization that sanctifies vengeance, calls anger justice, and worships material gain. The Christian, if he is truly of Christ, stands as a contradiction to this world. His meekness will appear as weakness; his patience as passivity. Yet the Elder shows that it is precisely this self-emptying love that manifests divine power. To endure injury without resentment is to share in the Cross. To pray for the one who wrongs us is to participate in the compassion of the Crucified.
The image of the Body, so carefully developed by the Elder, destroys the illusion of separateness that fuels violence. To harm my brother is to wound Christ Himself; to harbor anger is to cut myself off from the Body’s life. The Christian is thus called to a supernatural realism: to perceive the unity of all in Christ and to respond to injury with the same tenderness one shows a diseased limb of one’s own body. One does not amputate a member in anger; one tends it with healing concern. So must we treat the sinner who has harmed us.
In the closing examples, the Elder incarnates this teaching. The monk who relinquishes his books rather than quarrel over them, the ascetic who frees the brigands who attacked him — these are not tales of naiveté but of divine wisdom. They show that peace of heart and fidelity to Christ outweigh any claim to justice or property. The true betrayal, as Abba Poimen tells the frightened hermit, is not the crime of the brigands but the monk’s own fear and loss of faith. The victory of Christ is not in punishing evil but in overcoming fear through love.
St. Ephraim’s brief counsel at the end grounds this lofty teaching in ordinary charity. Justice begins in the smallest acts; in returning what is borrowed, in honesty, in remembering that we “owe no man anything, but to love one another.” The ascetical heroism of forgiveness begins with these humble fidelities.
In an age of terror, noise, and material excess, the distinctive mark of the Christian is not moral superiority or rhetorical witness, but peace that disarms the world. The Evergetinos reminds us that the Gospel’s revolution lies in meekness; in the refusal to let hatred dictate our actions or possessions define our worth. If we have not yet attained even the calm of the pagan sage or the detachment of the shipwrecked merchant, then our first step is repentance: to rediscover the lightness of the commandments and to trust that the Cross, embraced without vengeance, is still the truest power in the world.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:02:23 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 291, G
00:08:34 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: www.philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:10:48 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 291 G 2
00:10:57 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: http://www.philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:19:21 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 292, # 2, 2nd paragraph
00:21:44 Rick Visser: We think we can have both, temporal and eternal.
00:24:02 Anthony: Prosperity gospel also came from sectarians reading the Hebrew Scriptures in a carnal manner.
00:27:45 Janine: Blessed are you poor
00:28:00 Adam Paige: Happy Are You Poor: the simple life and spiritual freedom (Thomas Dubay)
00:28:27 Rick Visser: All of us here in the class are in the top 10% of the wealthiest people in the world.
00:36:26 Jessica McHale: I got rid of just about everything. I have two boxes, one clothes, one religious items. I have never felt free-er.
00:36:44 Rick Visser: Reacted to "I got rid of just ab..." with ❤️
00:37:56 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I got rid of just ab..." with 👍
00:43:18 Anthony: Didn't God make beautiful raw materials partly so we can be co-creators?
00:49:51 Maureen Cunningham: Jesus had 12 your halfway there
00:53:22 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 294, first paragraph
00:53:27 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "P. 294, first paragr..." with 👍
01:01:39 Catherine Opie: 🤯 We are silly things for sure
01:06:34 Anthony: And I try to apply this reasoning to public policy .... And how I talk about policy. It's really difficult.
01:12:13 Catherine Opie: St Catherine of Siena even gave away the belongings of the other members of her family as well as her own, much to their annoyance.
01:12:37 Rick Visser: Even Socrates on his death bed asked if there was anything he owed anyone--yes there was: a rooster. So, he made sure it was taken care of before taking the hemlock.
01:13:01 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "St Catherine of Si..." with ❤️
01:13:05 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Even Socrates on h..." with ❤️
01:15:03 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:15:31 Jessica McHale: Thank YOU! Prayers for you all!
01:15:33 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:15:46 Bob Čihák, AZ: Bless you, Father.
01:15:46 Catherine Opie: 🙏🏻
01:15:49 Rick Visser: I pray for you.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily V, Part II

St. Isaac speaks with a stark honesty that strips away every illusion about the spiritual life. To choose the good is to summon the battle. Every true beginning draws the adversary’s attention. God allows this not to crush the soul but to test its resolve and to purify its love. Without that fire, virtue remains unproven and fragile.
The one who doubts that God is his helper collapses under his own shadow. Fear itself becomes the enemy. Such a person starves amid plenty and drowns in calm waters, undone not by external trials but by the absence of trust. St. Isaac’s words expose this inner poverty: faith without endurance is only sentiment. The steadfast heart, confident in God, is revealed in trial and shines before friend and foe alike.
The commandments are not burdens but treasures. They conceal the presence of the Lord Himself. The one who carries them within finds God as chamberlain, waking and sleeping. Fear of sin becomes illumination, and even darkness turns transparent. The soul that trembles at evil walks with light before and within, guided by mercy that steadies every faltering step.
St. Isaac ends with a fierce precision. There is no substitution in repentance. What is lost must be restored by the same means through which it was forfeited. God will not take a pearl for a penny, nor alms in place of purity. Greed is uprooted only by mercy, not by any other virtue. He will not be deceived by offerings that leave corruption untouched.
This is the hard edge of Isaac’s wisdom: grace demands truth. The path to God is not through sentiment or display but through the narrow way where every false comfort is stripped away, and only the tested heart endures.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:05:26 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Homily 5 paragraph 4 page 155
00:05:41 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:07:39 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Homily 5 paragraph 4 page 155
00:13:14 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 155, last paragraph, 4
00:14:30 Una: Nice!
00:17:20 Una: I like the way Anthony puts it: be prepared to be knocked around
00:17:20 Una: I like the way Anthony puts it: be prepared to be knocked around
00:17:33 Anthony: Reacted to I like the way Antho... with "❤️"
00:17:47 Anthony: Replying to "I like the way Antho..." 
 Thanks :)
00:25:07 Rick Visser: My despondency becomes so great that I cannot move. What am I to do?
00:25:38 Maureen Cunningham: how would you explain the difference between Grace  & Mercy.
00:26:27 Maureen Cunningham: When I have despondency . I put on Bach
00:29:24 Jessica McHale: There is a very short but tremendously helpful book called "Trustful surrender to divine providence: the secret of peace and happiness" (it's so short more like a pamphlet) but it helps so greatly with despondency. I read it every time I feel this struggle with trusting in God in every single tiny thing.
00:30:34 Barbara: The Church/grace is the spiritual hospital.
00:32:19 Anthony: It might be that our passion is the pride of scrupulosity that is revealed by falling to another passion and masked by that passion (a red herring).
00:33:48 Eleana: St. Claude La Colombière, Fr. Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure
00:34:00 Jessica McHale: yes, by Father Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure (the author of the book I mentioned)
00:35:52 Anthony: This is a remedy for the terror of mortal sin.
00:40:23 Ryan Ngeve: Father to what degree is engaging in thoughts that lead to despondency harmful to someone. And if it is how are we supposed to avoid engaging in such thoughts
00:45:55 David Swiderski, WI: I find this prayer helpful in challenging times. At one point in my life I felt great despondency having lost everything I had, living in a country I did not want to live in and largely being alone barely surviving. After a time I realized I only had belief and needed to work on actual faith.
00:46:41 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Mobile-Litany-of-T..." with ❤️
00:47:10 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 156, first paragraph, #5
00:50:31 Jessica McHale: Psalm 119 -- i love it
00:53:29 Maureen Cunningham: Kind of like bad acting verse when a person capture the character of the person he playing
01:00:12 Myles Davidson: Lead Kindly Light by Cardinal Newmanhttps://spiritualdirection.com/2012/04/01/lead-kindly-light
01:01:08 Anthony: Here is a Tolkein digression: Frodo is given a gift to light him in the darkness (which I think is Marian "grace,") but it's such a generous gift that even his friend Sam can wield it in need.  The gift of Mary is a kind of kindly light when all is dark.
01:01:29 Ben: Reacted to "Here is a Tolkein di..." with 👍
01:02:53 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Here is a Tolkein ..." with ❤️
01:03:33 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Lead Kindly Light ..." with 👍
01:09:09 Nypaver Clan: My dad used to always tell us, “Give until it hurts.”
01:09:24 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "My dad used to alw..." with ❤️
01:12:23 Myles Davidson: I came across a book years ago (can’t remember the name) filled with stories of people who went through the Great Depression who said they were the best years of their life, due to the strong community spirit and acts of charity that bonded people
01:15:44 Lee Graham: Awesome group. Thank you.
01:15:50 Catherine Opie: Perfect for me as I am a complete beginner 🙏🏻
01:15:55 Jessica McHale: Thank YOU!!!
01:16:34 Jessica McHale: Prayers for you all!!!
01:16:36 Christopher Berry: Thank you, Father!
01:16:38 Art iPhone: Thank you Father! Good night all.
01:16:39 Elizabeth Richards: And with your spirit
01:16:40 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:16:40 Bob Čihák, AZ: Bless you, Father.
01:16:50 Catherine Opie: God bless
01:16:52 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father may God bless you and your mother
01:17:00 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXVII, Part IV

The teaching of the Fathers on vengeance and anger does not allow us to linger in the comfortable ambiguities of human justice. It tears at the fabric of self-justification. Their words bring us face to face with the scandal of divine love—the Cross as the only standard by which we are to measure our dealings with others. The heart that desires retribution, or even to “set things right,” cannot bear the full light of that Cross without trembling.
St. Diadochus unmasks the subtle ways we clothe self-interest in piety. We say we fear becoming “a cause of sin” for those who wrong us, but in truth we simply wish to protect our possessions, our security, our image of control. Once we let go of blessing and guarding the heart, we begin to move toward the vestibules of the law courts; our concern for righteousness becomes indistinguishable from the world’s hunger for vindication. To stand before such courts is already to have abandoned the tribunal of mercy. The law of God cannot be kept by means of the laws of men, because mercy does not seek the restoration of things but of persons. The one who endures injustice praying for his oppressor becomes an image of the Crucified, who desired not the return of what was taken from Him but the return of those who took it.
Abba Isaac pushes the wound even deeper: to fight over what gives comfort after renouncing the world is blindness. The one for whom the world has died accepts insults with joy, not because they are pleasant, but because they reveal how little of the old self remains to defend. It is not the act of being wronged that kills the soul, but the refusal to see in it a call to die before death. Only those who have lost every hope of worldly consolation can bear this pain without resentment. Such poverty of spirit is rare, but in it the mind shines with tranquil radiance.
The Gerontikon illustrates the same wisdom through living examples. Blessed Zosimas warns the generous Dionysia that zeal to avenge an insult can destroy every virtue she possesses. Her almsgiving, though abundant, is nothing if it is not shaped by meekness. To lose composure over a trifling thing is to become a slave of that thing; even a needle or a book can master the heart that has not been freed. The true servant of God has one Master alone.
All these sayings converge on the Cross. There, vengeance dies and love is revealed in its purest form. Christ prays for His murderers, not from sentiment but from truth; He alone sees that their real torment is not what they do to Him, but what they do to themselves. The disciple who bears wrongs without retaliation participates in this same divine sight. He no longer divides the world into victims and oppressors, but into the healed and the unhealed. To forgive is to choose the side of healing.
To live by this ethos is to live cruciformly. It is to judge nothing and no one, to accept every wound as a summons to prayer, and to see in every thief a brother whose salvation God has entrusted to our mercy. The Cross does not destroy reason; it stretches it until it becomes translucent with grace. In that light, vengeance appears not only impossible but absurd. Only love remains—terrible, meek, and eternal.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:02:23 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:10:43 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 289 Hypothesis XXXVII
00:11:44 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:14:16 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
00:18:17 Anthony: THEY SHOULD TEACH THIS IN LAW SCHOOL.
00:18:40 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "THEY SHOULD TEACH TH..." with 😁00:26:43 Rick Visser: So there a positive way of stopping others in order to reduce their sin and move toward repentence.
00:27:55 Anthony: Orthodox canon law, such as it is, is a collection called The Rudder, so I'm told.
00:28:47 Rick Visser: So there is a positive way of stopping others in order to reduce their sin and move toward repentence.
00:34:55 Rick Visser: How about agitation and grief for the state of our world today?
00:35:36 Jessica McHale: I love that line, but it is hard to do.
00:36:15 Rick Visser: How about agitation and grief for the state of our world today? Perhaps these are  a function of compassion.
00:40:26 Anthony: In the last few days, I read a Psalm that said multiple times words to the effect: "do not fret over evil." I took it as not ignoring evil, but recognizing it and referring it to God.
00:43:06 Anthony: Psalm 37
00:46:40 Sharon: There is much division within families, sometimes, over inheritance. When these troubles arise, it seems like the response should be passivity. Turning to God and allow the person desiring everything for oneself to take it, to have it?
00:50:07 Jessica McHale: I've experienced in a few different capacities. I have given what others wanted, without question, thnking "if your brother asks you to walk a mile, walk two" in a way. But some people call me a door mat for it. Is there a balance?
00:53:06 Jessica McHale: that gives me great peace, thank you
00:55:02 Rick Visser: Reacted to "that gives me great ..." with ❤️
00:57:20 Rick Visser: Supernatural virtue.
01:01:22 Jessica McHale: that IS beautiful!
01:03:44 Rick Visser: Christ's doormat is right below the cross.
01:03:58 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Christ's doormat i..." with ❤️
01:13:23 Jessica McHale: It might be worse with women, lol!
01:14:28 Rick Visser: Humility is the reservoir of all the virtues.
01:14:28 Catherine Opie: I had somethinghappen to me. My father gave me a piece of land we used to camp on during holidays which I love and was planning to share with one of my brothers who lives overseas as a holiday retreat place. He became very jealous and demanded my father also give it to him even though he had never been there before and had no attachment to it. I decided I did not want to fight with my brother over this land and told my Dad  to let my brother have it and I would not. Eventually my brother decided that actually he did not want it and my Dad contacted me again to see if I did. So now it is mine to look after anyway. And I have not fallen out with my brother over it. This took over a decade to play out. It made me realise we do not know what gifts will be given upon letting go.
01:15:41 Rick Visser: Reacted to "I had somethinghappe..." with ❤️
01:15:43 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I had somethinghap..." with ❤️
01:15:44 carolnypaver: Reacted to "I had somethinghappe..." with ❤️
01:15:54 Sharon: Reacted to "I had somethinghappe..." with ❤️
01:16:52 Rick Visser: My prayers are with you everyday.
01:16:58 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
01:17:40 carolnypaver: It works!
01:17:48 Catherine Opie: 🙏🏻
01:18:20 Jessica McHale: Many prayers for you!  ...and thank you again!
01:18:27 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:18:36 Janine: Praying for you Father..thank you
01:18:40 cameron: Great. Thank you.
01:18:42 Sharon: Thank you! So nice to be here again
01:18:46 Julie: God bless

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part XI and Homily V, Part I

St. Isaac’s words reveal that communion with God requires remoteness from distraction and a renunciation of whatever disquiets the heart. This is not something reserved for monks alone, though they live it most radically, but it is a law of the Christian life as a whole. For Isaac, the fruits of renunciation are not abstract but very real: tears, compunction, a fountain of sweetness welling up from the heart, light dawning within. These are given not to the distracted soul but to the one who bows like a convict before the Cross, empty-handed and intent upon nothing else. Renunciation is not simply turning away from sin but from every movement that agitates the mind. He calls it a kind of death, both of the outer man in worldly deeds and occupations, and of the inner man in thoughts, passions, and self-will. It is this dying that makes room for the Spirit to raise one into true life.
For the monk, this call is lived in visible and total form: silence, enclosure, vigils, fasting, the cutting away of unnecessary speech and activity. Leaving behind the noise of the world, the monk learns to dwell continually before God. For them Isaac’s words are direct and literal, for one cannot hold onto worldly cares and at the same time enter into the madness of divine love. Stillness is the path by which grace rushes into the heart.
For those living in the world, this teaching does not mean the rejection of responsibilities, but rather the careful discernment of what is indispensable and what is merely disquieting. Isaac himself acknowledges that not all can practice stillness in its fullness, but warns that one should not abandon the path altogether. Instead, there are ways of living the same spirit in daily life: simplicity, which renounces excess possessions, amusements, and chatter that scatter the heart; sobriety of senses, which guards against overindulgence and constant stimulation; interior watchfulness, which makes room for compunction and prayer in the ordinary rhythms of the day; trust in God’s providence, which loosens the grip of anxiety over outcomes. For the layperson, renunciation looks like choosing silence over noise, prayer over distraction, mercy over greed, humility over self-exaltation. In these small dyings the heart is opened to the same fountain of sweetness, even if not in the same intensity as in the solitary monk.
Isaac reminds us that whoever does not voluntarily withdraw from the causes of the passions will be carried away by them in the end. Whether monk or layperson, if the heart is constantly fed on the world’s noise, possessions, and anxieties, it will inevitably be drawn off course. But if one begins to renounce even in small ways, the Spirit quickly comes to give aid, comforting the soul and granting grace. The lesson is clear: every Christian is called to some measure of renunciation, not as loss, but as the doorway to joy and divine consolation. The monk may live it to the depths, but each person in Christ is summoned to taste it in their own measure.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:14:30 jonathan: started trying practising paustinia every Wednesday and Friday. Its been far harder trying to abstain from all forms of entertainment than it is from food. Like fr said, the noon day demon feels heavy.00:16:55 Catherine Opie: Ave Maria> What page are we on?
00:17:10 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Ave Maria> What page..."
P. 152, last full paragraph on page
00:18:27 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "P. 152, last full pa..." with 🙏🏻
00:31:13 Janine: Rick. Thank you for that!
00:31:22 carolnypaver: Reacted to "Rick. Thank you for ..." with ❤️
00:31:23 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Rick. Thank you for ..." with 🙏
00:31:37 paul g.: I believe that.  Thank you Rick!
00:32:10 carolnypaver: Love that perspective, Rick.  Thank you for sharing!
00:32:14 Rick Visser: I go to bed early--7-8 pm. I make way for it.
00:32:21 Bob Čihák, AZ: Reacted to "Rick. Thank you for ..." with 🙏
00:33:19 Rick Visser: It is the highest form of human expression
00:33:21 Jessica McHale: As a 46 year old widow, I also find prayer much easier as I am alone and vigils are something I look forward to--all I want is God. :)
00:33:41 Myles Davidson: Waking naturally in the night rather than setting an alarm is the way to go.
00:34:22 David Swiderski, WI: My grandfather mentioned aging helped him let go of the last bits of pride and vanity. Enlarged prostate also led to more vigils. ha ha
00:34:38 Julie: Midnight office
00:35:17 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Midnight office" with 👍
00:35:26 Mark South: Reacted to "Midnight office" with 👍
00:35:36 paul g.: Reacted to "Midnight office" with 👍
00:35:37 Myles Davidson: Matins
00:49:53 Vanessa: I really did like your X account though Father. It said a lot of beautiful spritual things on it. I checked it everyday.
00:50:09 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "As a 46 year old wid..." with ❤️
00:50:17 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Waking naturally in ..." with 👍🏻
00:50:53 Rick Visser: Better to pray everyday for the time one was spending on social media.
00:52:45 Catherine Opie: Replying to "I really did like yo..."
You could perhaps repost things from FR or the desert fathers on your account to fill that gap?
00:53:14 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Better to pray every..." with 👍🏻
00:54:17 Lawrence Ruggiero: I hear your message! I was enjoying your daily post but I found it hard to reject all the junk I did not want waste my time.
00:58:03 David Swiderski, WI: My grandfather was in the merchant marine on the great lakes. He taught me Orion and how to find the north star. He always talked about instruments fail, winds blow but without focus on your north star one can be blow in every direction. It was only reading Issac that I now understand he was not talking about boating.
00:59:37 David Swiderski, WI: We see christ through the light that shines through grandparents or elders. We only need the eyes to see.
01:03:44 David Swiderski, WI: Or boating
01:07:57 Thomas: I have heard that we shouldn’t worry about renouncing the world, because if we live as Christians then the world will renounce us. Is this a correct way of looking at it, or is the only way to live a Christian life to renounce the world and be crucified?
01:11:27 Catherine Opie: https://stmaryhillsboroughnj.org/files/Prayer/BeginningPrayersPrayerToSanticyTheHours.pdf
01:12:35 Myles Davidson: Replying to "https://stmaryhillsb..."
👆The Rule of St. Pachomius
01:12:50 Jessica McHale: ..."and be crucified"...it's the hardest part because it's real. When family, friends, colleagues, aquaintances, even strangers shun you becuase of your faith, it hurts. But with the Cross before us (and His agony in Gethsemane), there's a drop of consolation.
01:12:58 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "..."and be crucified..." with 👍
01:13:14 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "👆The Rule of St. Pa..." with 👍
01:15:14 Lawrence Ruggiero: Always remember your weakness, "spoke to me". the second part: if your do remember your weakness, you will never over step the boundry of vigilance. Being aware that there is a way of escape encourages me to have this humble awareness.
01:16:31 David Swiderski, WI: I have journals from my youth perhaps for Thomas I think the best advice is to be patient, pray and ask for the gift of discernment and have your hand outreached. Some have vocations to be monks, some parish priest or nuns, but many of us are to have children, love families and hopefully be grandfathers like I was lucky to have who changed everyone he touched. I wished as a young person I would have had the fathers, tools of vigils and fasting and people that would have kept me from the secular academic world which often created confusion from what in my heart was true.
01:17:46 Rick Visser: Reacted to "I have journals from..." with 👍
01:17:51 carolnypaver: Reacted to "I have journals from..." with ❤️
01:18:10 Catherine Opie: I definitely agree with the need for God. I suffered from anxiety and depression, and tried all sorts of therapy, self help stuff. I think there is nothing that comes near confession, communion, penance and prayer focusing on God. I do not suffer from these any more since my conversion.
01:18:31 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I definitely agree..." with 👍
01:18:31 carolnypaver: Reacted to "I definitely agree w..." with ❤️
01:18:36 paul g.: Reacted to "I definitely agree w…" with 👍
01:18:38 Rick Visser: Reacted to "I definitely agree w..." with ❤️
01:18:50 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I definitely agree w..." with 🙏
01:19:25 David Swiderski, WI: Reacted to "I definitely agree w..." with ❤️
01:19:36 paul g.: Replying to "I have heard that we…"You're on the right path !  Stay on it
01:20:06 Elijah Majak: Reacted to "I have journals from…" with ❤️
01:20:22 Elijah Majak: Reacted to "I definitely agree w…" with ❤️
01:20:24 Ben: Where is that blog again?
01:20:29 Jessica McHale: thank you!
01:20:33 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https:/www.philokaliaministries.blogspot.com
01:21:16 Catherine Opie: Thank you again Fr. God bless✝️
01:21:23 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:21:34 Thomas: Thank you
01:21:35 Janine: Thank you Father!
01:21:37 Gail Santy: Thank you!
01:21:49 Una: God bless everyone!
01:21:51 jonathan: Thank you Father! Love you lots, have a great day,
01:21:59 Catherine Opie: Replying to "https:/www.philokali..."
Your site is being flagged as insecure in my browser, perhaps make sure SSL certificates are up to date
01:22:00 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you so much father. I am glad you and your mom are better. May God bless you and care for you both you are a light to the world.

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXVII, Part III

Abba Mark’s teaching pierces the heart because it strips away our worldly sense of “justice” and places us before the wisdom of the Cross. The lawyer’s questions are not unlike our own: What do we do when wronged? What about fairness? What about the law? But the Elder directs him beyond human reasoning toward the spiritual law of Christ.
For the world, the offense is external, and the “solution” is measured by punishment and recompense. For the ascetic, the wound of injustice exposes what is hidden in the heart. If resentment rises, then the wrong is ours as much as the other’s. To forgive is not indulgence or naiveté—it is participation in the very judgment of God, who alone knows how to weigh every soul. Vengeance, on the other hand, is a kind of blasphemy: it accuses God of judging wrongly, and so it becomes a heavier sin than the original injury.
Here the Evergetinos reveals the paradox of the Gospel: to suffer wrong with gratitude is not weakness but true knowledge. To pray for those who wrong us confounds the demons and makes us sons of the Crucified. The magistrate may punish, but the monk endures; the court may balance debts, but love “endures all things.”
The Elder’s words burn away excuses. To forgive is not optional—it is the very condition of our own forgiveness. To harbor vengeance is to live in fantasy, enslaved to illusions of fairness. But to embrace affliction as one’s own and to entrust judgment to God is to step into the reality of mercy, where the only true justice is love.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:06:42 Adam Paige: Philokalia combined volume 1 to 5 by Nun Christina is indeed 825 pages long
00:06:54 Anna: I'm looking for The Philokalia St. Peter of Damascus
00:07:57 Bob Čihák, AZ: One of our current books is “The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian, revised 2nd Edition” 2011, published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery, https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/635 . This hard-covered book is on the expensive side but of very high quality.
00:09:53 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 287, D
00:17:59 jonathan: st nick
00:18:02 Adam Paige: Jolly ol St Nick
00:18:30 Una: Santa Clause!
00:25:56 Nina and Sparky: It is a hard teaching, but it matches 1 Cor 6:7 Now indeed [then] it is, in any case, a failure on your part that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated?
00:26:19 Nina and Sparky: Sorry, It is Forrest!
00:31:35 Rick Visser: Should we not protest injustice?
00:37:44 Anthony: The decision of the Opus Dei Priest in the movie There Be Dragons has been one of my examples
00:38:21 Maureen Cunningham: What happens if you do not like them . How can you love them ??
00:41:08 Bob Čihák, AZ: Yet Christ threw over the tables of the money changers in the Temple, and maybe did even more?
00:43:35 Maureen Cunningham: Nelson Mandela  when went prisons. They were so hateful
00:44:57 Catherine Opie: I used to be an avid protestor and activist until one day at an anti nuclear protest outside the French Embassy in London I realised I was getting angry with people and pointing the finger at others when I lacked a great deal myself and am far from perfect. So who am I to rage at others?  After my conversion to Catholicism I have realised its not up to me, I certainly am not to participate in evil or condone it and can stand firm in my principles and do positive things to help others. But that it is simply necessary to pray for those who commit evil and injustice to others just as I would pray for those suffering injustice. I find I am less angry and wound up when I know I can offer these things up to God and that its way above my job description to save the world. Activism is such a distraction. And we can be manipulated by the agendas of man through our emotions.
00:46:10 Rick Visser: Simone Weil said: "The greatest and most efficacious vehicle for social and political change is sacrificial love."
00:46:22 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Simone Weil said: "T..." with ❤️
00:47:18 jonathan: A Priest once told me, once you have the heart of Christ, then you can go flip tables, until then, be quite, be gentle and be peaceful. Blessed are those persecuted for my sake. Blessed are the meek, and poor in spirit.
00:47:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: Reacted to "A Priest once told m..." with 👍
00:48:03 Jacqulyn: Reacted to "Simone Weil said: "T..." with ❤️
00:49:14 Rick Visser: Her view was that sacrificial love is the very structure of divine reality and the only path to justice.
00:52:51 Anthony: The message of Peace after 9/11 from Pope St John Paul 2 and Bishop Michael of the Romanian Catholics helped bring me back to the Church.
01:08:18 Maureen Cunningham: Many women have died by staying with an abuser. God would never want that
01:09:47 Larry Ruggiero: The landowner gave from his abundance and in doing so he secured workers for tomorrow.
01:09:59 Rick Visser: Radical
01:11:33 Janine: Thank you Father!
01:12:10 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:12:30 Catherine Opie: God bless

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Chapter XXXVII, Part II

The Gospel Without Varnish
The Desert Fathers present the Gospel in its rawest form. Their words strike the heart not because they soften Christ’s commands but because they echo them without compromise: do not resist the one who is evil, forgive seventy times seven, love your enemies, bless those who curse you. To modern ears, this sounds offensive—even impossible. How can one not seek justice, especially when faced with cruelty, violence, or grave injustice?
Yet the Fathers insist: freedom in Christ means clinging to nothing but His love as the one thing necessary. When we are wronged, our sorrow should not be for what has been taken from us, but for the soul of the one who has inflicted harm. Their sin is their true wound. Our calling is not to avenge but to forgive, not to condemn but to pray.
Hypothesis XXXVII presses this home with piercing clarity. A struggler carrying a corpse is told: “Bear the living instead.” To shoulder the weakness of our neighbor, to endure his sins and insults, is the harder burden—but also the one that unites us to Christ.
The examples unfold like a mirror before us. The elder who restrains himself when boys blaspheme outside his cell reminds his heart: If I cannot bear this small vexation, how will I endure a greater trial? Another, who endures the disobedience of his companion without protest, embraces a hidden martyrdom. Still another teaches: To put up with your neighbor in a difficult moment is equal to the martyrdom of the Three Youths in the furnace.
The lesson is relentless: daily forbearance is our Golgotha. To return angry words, to demand repayment, to run to courts for vindication—these reveal hearts still bound to the world. But to endure injustice with patience, to forgive without condition, to pray for those who wrong us—this is to share in Christ’s meekness on the Cross.
Abba Isaiah pierces deeper: how can we beg God’s mercy for our sins while refusing mercy to our neighbor? To repay evil for evil is to declare, in effect, that God does not judge rightly. The Fathers show us how far we fall short: Christ bore poverty, betrayal, insult, and death without retaliation—yet we cannot endure even a word of offense without bitterness.
Modern sensibilities stumble here. We demand rights, recompense, recognition. But the Fathers summon us to something purer and more terrifyingly beautiful: to love as Christ loves, even when it crucifies us. When wronged, our grief must be for our brother’s soul, not our own loss. His sin wounds him unto death; our response must be prayer for his healing.
This is no easy path. It is a crucifixion of the will, a death to self. It cannot be done without grace. Yet in enduring wrong with gentleness, in forgiving when wounded, in praying for those who hurt us, we enter the very marrow of the Gospel.
The Desert Fathers offer no compromise. The way of Christ is the way of the Cross. To bear wrongs patiently is to drink His chalice. To forgive without measure is to wear His likeness. And to weep not for what we have lost but for the one who has harmed us—this is the freedom of those who live only in His love.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:15:19 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 284 number five: forbearing those who offend us and not taking vengeance
00:15:29 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 284, 5
00:21:21 Rick Visser: Has this any bearing on social media? A million small vexations......which we very often feel compelled to tell them off?
00:49:55 Catherine Opie: What does one say to someone who justifies anger by pointing to the righteous anger of Jesus driving people out of the temple? This is a common thing that I hear from people who wish to justify their own anger, including myself here.
00:55:34 Anthony: Jesus had already proved Himself to be Lord of the Sabbath, correct?  He demonstrated authority.  Plus they Knew Him from the prophecy of His birth and the disputation in the Temple at age 12/13
01:01:59 Rick Visser: What is the best book on the life of each of the saints?
01:03:24 Adam Paige: Replying to "What is the best boo…"The Golden Legend, the Roman Martyrology
01:04:19 Rick Visser: Replying to "What is the best boo..."
👍
01:09:22 John Burmeister: nowhere in the scriptures does it say Jesus was angry. It just says he drove them out. We just assume that he is angry. my Dad wasn't angry with me when he spanked me, he was correcting me and disciplining me
01:11:47 Rick Visser: Mark 3:1-6
01:12:09 Myles Davidson: Mark 3:5: "He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored."
01:12:47 John Burmeister: i stand corrected then. thanks
01:13:03 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "i stand corrected th..." with 🙏
01:14:23 Forrest Cavalier: This was a topic of a recent homily that I heard. The occurrence in Mark 3:5 was the only place where Jesus was angry. The Strong's concordance is at  https://biblehub.com/greek/strongs_3709.htm
01:15:44 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Everyone Blessing
01:15:56 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:16:00 Catherine Opie: god bless
01:16:12 Elizabeth - VT: Thanks!🙏🏻

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part X

St. Isaac does not flatter us with easy consolations. He sets before the monk the radical alternative: almsgiving is like the rearing of children, but stillness is the summit of perfection. One can pour out possessions, but if one’s senses remain open to the world, unbarred gates, then the enemy will always find a way in. It is not enough to scatter coins if the mind is still scattered; the true work is to gather the heart into stillness, where God alone becomes its horizon.
Isaac shows us the two wars. The first is fought outside: through sight and hearing, through eating and speech, through the ceaseless tangle of affairs. This “exterior warfare” is exhausting and subtle, for it draws the soul outward, dispersing its strength. But there is another war, fought within. Only when the gates of the senses are shut can one turn inward to confront the deeper enemy: thoughts, passions, memories, and the hidden demons that assault the heart. To reach the “rest in God,” the monk must first cease from unnecessary noise without, in order to learn serenity within.
The blessedness of stillness, Isaac tells us, is to translate all one’s activity into the work of prayer. A man who can remain in his cell, moving from divine service to divine service with nothing added, will never lack for what is necessary, because he has made God his sole concern. Even manual work, though permitted, is an accommodation for the weak. The more perfect path is prayer and compunction; prostrations before the Cross, like a convict bound, crying out for mercy without ceasing.It is this interior life and the divine rest the comes through it that St. Isaac will describe for us next week.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:05:45 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 151 mid paragraph 3000:23:40 Rebecca Thérèse: Once the robber knows he has everything, he won't be back to bother you again. There's nothing else to steal and he has no further means of threatening or manipulating you.
00:29:31 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 151, paragraph 31 at bottom of page
00:30:15 Julie: Reacted to "P. 151, paragraph 31…" with 🙏
00:32:53 Anthony: Father, for me I don't think it's exactly a linear progression. Some people might have the external and internal awareness overlap.
00:40:42 Jessica Imanaka: I worry about acedia/sloth... not so much because of praying offices, but from slipping into endless meditations on spiritual readings to the potential neglect of my schoolwork and housework. It's hard to discern given that my career/life gives me some leeway in what to focus on and when.
00:45:10 Kathryn Rose: We should turn these mundane necessary tasks into types of prayers
00:45:40 Elizabeth Richards: Like Brother Lawrence 🙂
00:45:52 carolnypaver: Reacted to "We should turn these..." with ❤️
00:46:30 carolnypaver: Replying to "We should turn these..."
St. Josemaria Escriva taught this.
00:46:42 Kathryn Rose: Reacted to "St. Josemaria Escriv…" with ❤️
00:47:38 Diana Cleveland: I have found this to be so true. For years I have wanted to renovate my house, but never had the money. Over the last 20 years or so, as I have watched trends come and go that I could never participate in, the cutting back has served to cultivated an abundance mindset vs scarcity. I always thought the cutting back would make me crave more, but actually cutting back has produced satisfaction in simplicity of life.
00:49:23 Art: Reacted to "We should turn these..." with 👍
00:50:35 Art: This little excerpt has helped me a lot of late.  “Fix your heart on God.  For the time being, you cannot, I admit, apply yourself to prayer or to other exercises of piety: but, with my confidence founded on Christ, I will give you a rule which will enable you to pray without ceasing: He prays always who lives well.  Animate yourself with faith, I beg you; keep yourself in the presence of God in all your actions.”  St. Paul of the Cross
00:52:43 Anthony: Oh I learned by experience not to multiply devotion....burnout and legalism and a lack of desire to do anything.....
00:52:59 carolnypaver: Reacted to "Oh I learned by expe..." with 👍
00:54:34 Jacqulyn: Reacted to "Oh I learned by expe..." with 👍
00:54:43 Kathryn Rose: The exterior tasks like cleaning, going to jobs, driving, things we all have to do don’t have to be distractions, they can be symbols of doing the work on tending our interior castles
00:57:03 Catherine Opie: realised when I had my first child that my spiritual practice had to be staying in a heart centred space as much as possible and making all my work an act of love. Now I am Catholic I have learnt to dedicate these things to God, saying a prayer before work for example. I used to chant a mantra while doing tasks, but now I can say the Jesus prayer the Pater Noster or the Ave Maria instead which is bringing my mind to God and is of course the right focus to have. If prayer is simple it can be done at all times.  This is what I love about what I am learning here. Having said that I am really enjoying attending vespers on Sunday.
00:58:18 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "We should turn these..." with ❤️
00:59:58 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "The exterior tasks l..." with ❤️
01:01:52 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "This little excerpt ..." with ❤️
01:02:05 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "This little excerpt ..." with ❤️
01:03:26 Myles Davidson: Free PDF of Flowers Of The Passion: Thoughts Of St. Paul Of The Cross https://archive.org/details/FlowersOfThePassionThoughts
01:03:48 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "Free PDF of Flowers ..." with ❤️
01:04:29 Art: Reacted to "Free PDF of Flowers ..." with 👍
01:05:12 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to " realised when I had..." with ❤️
01:07:09 Julie: Reacted to "Free PDF of Flowers …" with 🙏
01:07:24 Anthony: Ok that's me, I claim the weakness
01:11:59 carolnypaver: Reacted to "Free PDF of Flowers ..." with ❤️
01:14:16 Julie: 🙏
01:14:34 Jessica Imanaka: It's all good.
01:14:39 Janine: Great stuff tonight! Amen
01:15:14 David Swiderski, WI: Take away- The secret eater monk
01:15:15 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:15:17 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:15:30 Catherine Opie: 🙏🏻
01:15:31 David Swiderski, WI: God bless Father and your mother
01:15:42 Elizabeth Richards: Thx Father!
01:15:48 Catherine Opie: 👏🏻
01:16:28 Diana Cleveland: Thank you!
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Part XXXVI, Part II and XXXVII, Part I

The Fathers in the Evergetinos remind us that the measure of our discipleship is often revealed in how we respond to insult and injury. The world teaches us to defend ourselves, to demand justice, to take vengeance so as not to appear weak. But the Gospel calls us to something altogether different, something that cuts against every instinct of pride: to bear wrongs patiently, to forgive from the heart, and to entrust judgment to God.
Abba Cassian tells us that meekness is not merely restraining the tongue, but cleansing the heart itself from the remembrance of wrongs. Outward silence while inwardly replaying offenses is no victory. Unless the root of anger is excised, hatred and envy grow unseen. I know this in myself — how quickly I replay words spoken against me, how easily I justify my resentment. Yet God sees these thoughts, hidden to others, as clearly as if they were deeds.
The elders of the desert show us another way. Abba Sisoes shocks a brother out of his thirst for revenge by praying that, since the man insists on avenging himself, God need no longer care for him. Abba Silouan alters the Lord’s Prayer to expose the truth of the brother’s heart: “forgive us not our debts, as we forgive not our debtors.” Their teaching is sharp, but it leaves no room for illusion. If I ask God for mercy, I must extend mercy to my brother, or else my prayer condemns me.
The Fathers press us to look at Christ Himself. He endured insult without anger, was silent under reviling, forgave those who crucified Him, and laid down His life for those who sinned against Him. When I see how easily I take offense, how quickly I lash out or withdraw, I realize how little I resemble Him. And yet the call is clear: to follow Christ is to walk His path of forbearance, not simply to admire it from a distance.
This is where the path of the Fathers collides with the way of the world. To the secular mind, insult must be answered, wrong must be repaid, and forgiveness is weakness. But in Christ’s kingdom, insult becomes an opportunity to share in His meekness, wrongs become the occasion to enter His patience, and forgiveness becomes our share in His Cross.
And so I am left with a choice, not abstract but daily, often in small things: Will I bear insult with humility, or will I cling to pride? Will I entrust myself to God’s justice, or will I grasp for my own? The Fathers tell me plainly: if I cannot endure the smallest slights, how will I endure greater trials? If I cannot forgive the neighbor who wounds me in words, how can I hope to be known by Christ, who forgave even His executioners?
The divine ethos is stark. To love those who hate me. To pray for those who grieve me. To forbear without resentment. To entrust vengeance to God. This is not optional; it is the very mark of one who has died and risen with Christ.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:12:59 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 281 B
00:14:30 Forrest Cavalier: https://biblehub.com/greek/3954.htm  Translated as Familiarity in Hypothesis 34 book 2, p266
00:19:11 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 281 B
00:40:05 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 283 A
00:50:41 Andrew Zakhari: It is amazing how what we would say to each other changes dramatically when we consider directing those same words to God. Prayer exposes our sin and converts us.
01:04:55 Kate : Would the Fathers take a pacifist position?  And would they not accept the Catholic just-war theory?
01:06:37 Catherine Opie: I am always amazed at how apt these readings are. I always get exactly what I need for whatever the inner struggle or circumstance is that is current for me or around me generally as a societal or news event. I have been attacked physically and, to my surprise, my instinct was to fight back like a wild animal. How do we learn to obstruct that survival instinct we have?
01:15:00 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you Blessing
01:15:19 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:15:21 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:15:27 Jennifer Dantchev: Thank you!
01:15:35 Catherine Opie: God bless

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part IX

St. Isaac speaks with the voice of one who has tasted what he teaches. His words carry both severity and sweetness, and at their heart lies a single call: to love God with such singleness that all else is left behind, and to find rest in Him alone.
He begins by speaking of reading. For the one who prays, reading is no small companion. Instead of being filled with scattered memories and impressions of the world, the soul, when nourished by Scripture, finds within itself a treasury for prayer. The words of God become recollections that rise up during stillness, offering the mind holy material with which to converse with God. Sometimes these recollections themselves are so sweet, so overwhelming, that they silence the heart entirely and leave the soul motionless before God. Reading thus becomes a doorway into the mysteries of prayer—not as an exercise of intellect alone, but as communion, as a sacrament of remembrance that enlightens the heart.
But to enter such prayer, St. Isaac reminds us, requires renunciation. A heart weighted with possessions or concerns is like wet wood that cannot be set aflame. Divine fervor does not ignite in a soul that loves ease. The words are stark, even offensive, but they uncover the truth: we cannot serve two masters. Only the one purified of worldly entanglements will be able to bear witness to the sweetness of God’s mysteries, for true knowledge is born only of experience, not of hearsay.
Yet this renunciation is not negation alone. It must take flesh in mercy. St. Isaac turns us to almsgiving, the act that draws the heart most near to God. To give freely, without discrimination between worthy and unworthy, without expectation of return, is to love as God Himself loves. Poverty chosen for Christ becomes a higher wealth, freeing the mind for serenity and boldness in prayer. Still, even here he warns us of subtle temptations: one may come to love possessions “for the sake of almsgiving,” and thus re-enter turmoil. Almsgiving is holy, but stillness is higher, for in stillness the soul communes with God directly, free of all care.
This is St. Isaac’s vision—severe, yes, but radiant: to become all flame with the love of God, to renounce all so that one might rest in Him, and in that rest, to discover the joy of unceasing prayer and the inexhaustible fountain of His mercy. Here, and here alone, the soul finds the rest of love.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:10:46 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 149, last sentence on page
00:22:51 Diana Cleveland: I have found that is to be really true. It is easy to get hyper fixed on self instead of meditating on God.
00:24:14 Diana Cleveland: *hyperfixated
00:32:01 Lou Judd: Question: Father, if we are suffering or are distracted or angered by the situation of the Church, what leaders are doing… and that is distracting and upsetting you … what do you do?
00:39:44 David Swiderski, WI: I remember something from Chesterton who mentioned when someone stole his umbrella at a catholic church he knew it as the right place for him a sinner. Sometimes our pride can get in the way. I learned a long time ago to stop listening to a largely anti catholic media and read what actually is written by the church or Vatican. I prefer a more traditional mass but will go anywhere and in any language where the eucharist is present.
00:40:25 Diana Cleveland: I think of the lamentations of the minor prophets at times of anger.
00:41:03 Catherine: Reacted to I remember something... with "😂"
00:41:22 Lou Judd: You’re absolutely right, Father. But it’s so hard to hear. I don’t know how.
00:42:54 Anthony: Anger over injustice is an ingrained feeling in a "Republic" in which everyone is made to feel responsible for the actions of our leaders and society.
00:43:39 Lilly: The crucifixion itself made the Apostles scatter. Let us stay close to Our Lady in times of disturbances
00:44:40 Jessica Imanaka: Would that process be akin to Cassian's recommendations in the Institutes to meditate on certain scripture passages to drive out the passions?
00:46:39 Jessica Imanaka: It frustrates me when I find myself caught in the grip of some dark passion like anger just hours after having a really great prayer. It always feels like the prayer should have a more stable effect on my day.
00:49:10 susan: so timely  Charlie Kirk  shot and killed today  so much anger tears sad  some people laughing,so upsetting
00:49:38 David Swiderski, WI: "Talking back" by Evagius has scripture for every one of the evil thoughts. I thought this little book was helpful for me . The arrow prayers when practiced seem to change the day.
00:49:50 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to ""Talking back" by Ev..." with 👍
00:50:08 carolnypaver: Reacted to ""Talking back" by Ev..." with ❤️
00:50:26 Jessica Imanaka: So if we can't memorize the relevant scriptures, default to the Jesus Prayer?
00:50:33 Jessica Imanaka: scripture passages
00:54:29 Lou Judd: https://mothersforpriests.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/jumbo-prayers-of-st-john-chrysostom01.pdf
00:54:29 David Swiderski, WI: jumbo-prayers-of-st-john-chrysostom01.pdf
00:55:07 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "https://mothersforpr..." with ❤️
00:55:26 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "jumbo-prayers-of-st-..." with ❤️
00:56:10 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 150, #29, last full paragraph on page
01:05:44 Ryan Ngeve: Father what does St Isaac mean by “The rank of love is more initiated than the rank of labor for God”
01:07:55 Gwen’s iPhone: and we are easily confused.
01:14:42 Anthony: Credo ut intelligam becomes more understandable when I / we probe solely by way of reason and then find we've almost lost something valuable
01:17:29 Jonathan Grobler: Christ seems to prefer sheep over goats.
01:17:48 Lou Judd: In some of your emails this week it kind of sounded like you might want to stop these, Father. Please don’t. Also has something changed in your personal situation? I don’t quite understand everything that has happened to you. God bless you and thank you
01:19:30 Elizabeth Richards: I find it helpful & rich 🙂
01:19:36 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "I find it helpful & ..." with 👍
01:20:03 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you Father may God bless you and your mother
01:20:15 Maureen Cunningham: Blessing ThankYou
01:20:18 Janine: Thank you Father!
01:20:54 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:20:58 Diana Cleveland: Thank you!
01:20:59 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you and bless you, Father.
01:21:00 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:22:06 Janine: Yes Father …I think that makes sense….
01:22:50 Art iPhone: Thank you Father!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Part XXXV, Part V and XXXVI, Part I

The Evergetinos gives us stories that cut to the heart of Christian life: how do we respond when insulted, wronged, or treated unjustly? The world would have us defend our honor, insist on our rights, repay injury with injury. But the Fathers reveal another way — the way of Christ — in which anger is cut out at the root, vengeance rejected, and the heart freed from the tyranny of retaliation.
The Example of St. Pachomios
When insulted by his own brother, St. Pachomios felt the sting of anger rise within him. Yet instead of defending himself, he went into the night to weep before God. He confessed not his brother’s fault, but his own weakness. This is the paradox: the saint sees not an occasion to justify himself but to deepen his repentance. The world teaches us to stand tall when wronged; Pachomios bowed low, stretching out his hands like Christ crucified, begging mercy and was healed.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:08:19 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 278, #7
00:13:45 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 278, #7
00:14:28 Lilly: I have it too
00:21:51 Myles Davidson: I heard someone describe a debate between a Catholic and Orthodox recently as a “blood sport”
00:38:38 Lilly: A response could be “I'll pray for you.”
00:48:40 Andrew Zakhari: I find that in counseling when there is over eagerness on my part to try to help, it almost creates a controlling temperament and often leads to frustration for me and the counselee.
00:58:36 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 280, A
01:00:47 Bob Čihák, AZ: or Book by P G Wodehouse, "Aunts Aren't Gentlemen"
01:14:58 Kate : I have often heard that it is not sinful to feel anger so long as we do not act on that anger.  But St. Pachomios is weeping because he even feels anger.
01:16:00 Quinn Larnach-Jones: Thank you, Fr.!
01:16:02 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:16:09 Catherine Opie: Many thanks once again for a thought provoking talk.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part VIII

St. Isaac’s words fall like a plough upon the heart. He does not speak of religion as ornament, nor of spiritual life as a gentle addition to human comforts. His vision pierces through to the marrow: the Kingdom of God is hidden within, yet it is veiled from us by attachments, by the clamor of outward concerns, by the fog of our restless desires. To find God we do not roam heaven and earth, chasing visions or “phantasms.” We are told simply to purify the soul, to drive away cares foreign to our nature, to cultivate humility and chastity of heart. In that stillness, the mysteries of God shine forth.
Renunciation, for St. Isaac, is not a dour rejection of creation but a necessary loosening of chains. The soul addicted to “ease,” to possessions, to the endless commerce of sights and sounds, is like wet wood; it cannot ignite with the fire of divine love. Only when stripped, when made poor and simple, can it burn. Poverty, humility, stillness; these are not negations but preparations, making space for the light that transforms. It is a paradox: what seems like loss is the doorway into inexhaustible gain.
Isaac teaches us that prayer and reading are not separate paths but one movement of the soul. Reading feeds prayer; prayer clarifies the mind and makes reading luminous. When a man stands in prayer, Scripture rises up within him like fresh springs. It silences distractions, fills the heart with recollection of God, and sometimes overwhelms prayer itself with the sweetness of divine astonishment. Such moments are not learned from books, not borrowed secondhand, they must be tasted. Without the labor of vigilance, no one will know them. Without knocking with persistence, the door remains closed.
Yet the fruit of such striving is nothing less than transfiguration. The soul that bows before the Cross in vigil and compunction finds fountains of sweetness rising from within; unexpected, uncaused by effort alone. Joy surges, the body itself trembles with divine consolation, and prayer ceases to be labor and becomes gift. This is the hidden fire of the Kingdom, the mystery known only to those who hunger and thirst for God above all else.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:06:25 susan: what page?
00:11:46 Fr. Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: No I don’t. I stole it from you
00:37:47 Ryan Ngeve: Father this seems to imply that external converse has a great effect on the internal internal self. How does this relates to the role of the thought as the source of all temptation
00:38:09 Jonathan Grobler: After decades of severe addiction to digital entertainment, silence has become an exceptionally difficult thing to achieve.
It is truly a difficult thing to break away from.
00:44:22 Thomas: Will intellectually accepting something eventually lead to belief of that thing in the heart
00:44:40 John Burmeister: Reacted to "After decades of sev..." with 👍
00:50:37 Rachel: I find it hard to come across a confessor that understands I'm trying to expose my thoughts. Roman rite frequently requests obvious sins only.  How would I check my thoughts on my own to God?  I think I'd just be thinking about thinking and will lack simplicity.
00:57:18 susan: yoke mercy to prayer...be kind to yourself trust Jesus will shepherd and guide  forgive yourself trust into the heart of Jesus
01:03:41 Rick Visser: Question:  what is "say your rule of prayer..." In the first line of this para.
01:05:33 Rick Visser: A transcendent "to do" list
01:05:42 Erick Chastain: What kind of reading of scripture has the effects he talks about here?
01:08:16 Maureen Cunningham: What version of the Bible do you think is the closest. I find the Orthodox read much different then other version to include the Eastern  version
01:08:28 Rachel: Do you have a suggestion for the best Bible translation?
01:15:44 Rick Visser: How about D B Hart's New Testament?
01:15:57 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "How about D B Hart's..." with 👍
01:15:59 Ben: Ignatius finally released the full Old & New Testament single-volume.
01:16:10 David: CATENA AUREA BY SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS
01:16:41 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you Blessing
01:16:59 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:17:05 Francisco Ingham: Thank you father!
01:17:10 David: Thank you father God bless you and your mother!
01:17:10 Diana Cleveland: Thank you!
01:17:15 Gail: Thank you!
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Part XXXV, Part IV

The Fathers teach that anger is a form of idolatry. Just as the pagans once bowed before false gods, so too does the man who gives himself to wrath bow before the idol of rage, making himself a slave rather than a disciple of Christ. To renounce anger is to trample down idols and become a bloodless martyr, confessing Christ not with words but with meekness.
 
The first step in overcoming anger is silence — not speaking when provoked. From this small beginning, grace can bring the soul to tranquility. Abba Moses, once insulted, at first bore it in silence, and later even welcomed humiliation, reproaching himself instead of others. Anger, the elders say, is like a fire that lives on fuel: self-will, pride, contention, the need to be right. If these causes are cut off, the fire goes out; if they are fed, it consumes the heart with remembrance of wrongs and bitterness until the soul is destroyed.
 
The devil seizes every chance to inflame anger — sometimes over trifles, sometimes under the guise of justice. Yet the one who follows Christ must become a stranger to wrath. The Fathers themselves struggled long: some spent years begging God for freedom from this passion, knowing that controlling the tongue is the doorway to purifying the heart. Outward restraint is not enough; even hidden hatred makes a man a murderer before God. For the Lord searches not only deeds but thoughts, and will judge the secrets of the heart.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:04:58 Catherine Opie: Good evening/morning what page are we currently on?
00:07:04 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 276, G
00:07:46 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "P 276, G" with ❤️
00:09:28 Anna: He participated in Byzantine Liturgy. In the records there's details on it.
00:10:39 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Evergetinos Volume II page 276
00:11:09 Anna: My daughter is doing a college paper on consecrated life that will bring in desert fathers thanks to these meetings.
00:12:28 Catherine Opie: NZ
00:12:42 Anna: Starting with historical aspects initially which brings in desert fathers and ending in women consecrated life because she feels called to Byzantine monasticism
00:26:48 Anthony: The demons say "what have you to do with us" as if Jesus is the interloper. But they are the outsiders and usurpers.
00:29:44 Maureen Cunningham: Thinking of Saint Padre Pio
00:31:03 Fr. C Mase: There is something to be said for keeping ones mind fixed on ones own repentance. I think that is what Abba-Moses did here. He could have focused on the hurt inflicted on Him but rather focuses on God and on His own repentance. Often it is easy to, when we are wronged, focus on the evil another has done to us. We can especially nowadays with so much evil in the world spend all our time railing about others and turning our eye away from our own vocation. Repentance.
00:32:33 Julie: Reacted to "There is something t…" with 🙏
00:32:44 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "There is something t..." with 🙏
00:33:02 wayne: Reacted to "There is something t..." with 🙏
00:33:08 Janine: Reacted to "There is something t…" with 🙏
00:37:50 Rick Visser: "the causes of anger are giving and taking." I don't understand. What is "giving and taking?"
00:42:17 Anthony: What are the causes due to the passions that if we give them, they go away?
00:44:33 Anthony: So we see it , recognize it and there is no sin if we desire to cut it off?
00:45:42 Forrest Cavalier: The literal greek for "their due" is προῖκα = dowry.
00:53:37 Anthony: Am I correct I can loathe ideas but at the same time wish goodness for people who lived out those ideas?
00:57:52 Maureen Cunningham: Divine Mercy Saint
01:15:54 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:16:09 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father! Great discussion tonight!
01:16:14 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:16:18 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. This was so perfect for me today. God bless. See you Thursday
01:16:22 Jonathan Grobler: Thank you father, love you lots ! Bye
01:16:26 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father
01:16:37 Janine: Thank you  Father
01:16:50 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you & bless you

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part VII

St. Isaac the Syrian leads us into a subtle yet decisive truth about the spiritual life: to taste of God rightly, one must be weaned from the world—not only from its visible distractions and passions, but also from the premature grasping of spiritual visions and insights. Renunciation, for Isaac, is not merely the abandonment of external goods; it is the letting go of everything that agitates, excites, or exceeds the soul’s present capacity.
Like a child given honey before it can digest it, the soul that seeks lofty knowledge or noetic vision without purification risks sickness and collapse. This is why Isaac insists that silence and stillness are the true companions of renunciation. The soul must be emptied and simplified, freed from the clutter of worldly images, memories, and concerns. Only then can she begin to perceive, not in phantasy, but in the true theoria that God bestows upon the humble and pure of heart.
Silence, for Isaac, is the protection of this delicate work. It guards the soul from shameless curiosity about mysteries that surpass her strength, and it teaches her to receive revelation with reverence, not presumption. Stillness, likewise, is the arena where renunciation becomes fruitful. By cutting off the “exterior war” of the senses—sight, hearing, chatter, possessions—the soul is fortified against the subtler inner warfare of thoughts. In this solitude, prayer and Scripture reading form the new conversation of the heart, replacing worldly recollections with the remembrance of God.
Thus renunciation is not negative but deeply positive: it creates space for mercy, for purity, for true prayer, and for the divine astonishment that halts the soul in stillness before the mysteries of God. Isaac reminds us that almsgiving and voluntary poverty open the heart to boldness before God, but stillness is the summit—where the soul is no longer divided, tossed about, or burdened, but rests in the radiant quiet of God’s presence.
Renunciation, then, is not escape but transfiguration. It severs us from the false sweetness of the world and teaches us to taste, in measure, the true sweetness of God. It bids us to be content with what is given, to wait in silence for the moment when grace itself will lift us beyond our measure, and to remain always in the humility by which mysteries are revealed.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:05:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: Our current book is “The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian, revised 2nd Edition” 2011, published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery, https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/635 . This hard-covered book is on the expensive side but of very high quality.
00:12:38 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 147, halfway down page
00:26:41 carolnypaver: Page # ?
00:26:51 Andrew Adams: 148
00:26:59 carolnypaver: Reacted to "148" with 👍
00:28:34 Myles Davidson: I love these mystical passages of Isaac. No-one gets closest to being able to express the inexpressible as he is able.
00:28:46 Ben: Reacted to "I love these mystica..." with 👍
00:28:49 Bob Čihák, AZ: Reacted to "I love these mystica..." with 👍
00:30:22 Joshua Sander: Feel free to simply say, "He'll get to that," if Isaac expounds upon this later, but what, in Isaac's view, is the place of intellect in this way of going about the spiritual life? How can the intellect serve as an aid to this rather than, as it often has in the West, as a barrier to it?
00:32:12 Gwen’s iPhone: Didn’t St. Francis worry about that.
00:35:03 Myles Davidson: Someone has done an audiobook of Orthodox Psychotherapy on YouTube if anyone is interested
00:35:59 Eleana: Reacted to "Someone has done an ..." with 👍
00:36:07 Russ’s iPhone: How does Isaac integrate the emotions into the spiritual life and their impact on contemplation, our intellect, nous and our ability to discern our experience of God. Is his approach to the spiritual life highly intellectual?
00:36:14 David: What happened to Evargius Pontus did pride later take hold of him I find it strange he had so much insight but is not a Saint and from what I read apparently deviated in the end of his life.
00:36:14 Lee Graham: Reacted to "Someone has done an …" with 👍
00:36:25 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Someone has done an ..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoDG3c_p7-U
00:38:01 David: I have read most of what Evarigus wrote and Talking Back is amazing.
00:38:13 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Someone has done an …" with 👍
00:40:03 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Someone has done an …" with 👍
00:42:14 Bob Čihák, AZ: Reminds me of Lossky: "All theology is mystical theology" in his book "Mystical Rtheology."
00:42:41 Bob Čihák, AZ: Theology
00:43:33 Gwen’s iPhone: It just hit me that Francis was concerned about intellectual that it would take him away from following Christ. He let others like Bonaventure to be more intellectual.
00:44:33 Mary 🕊️: What should we do if we find it very difficult to identify our sin?
00:44:45 Erick Chastain: The kephalia gnostika by evagrius is said to have problematic passages. See the timios pro dromos commentary on the evagrian ascetical system for details.
00:46:25 Eleana: The sorrowful mother to revel the heart's mysteries as Simon said during the presentation of Christ her pierced heart.
00:47:24 Anna: I find minimal weekly confession and if necessary more, makes one more sensitive to see our sins with clarity. It's like unpeeling an onion.
00:49:07 Zack Morgan: Even St. Poemen turned his own mother away which made her happy with an attitude of "would you rather see me now or not distract me from my prayer and fasting so that you can more assuredly see me in heaven".
00:50:20 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "I find minimal weekl..." with 👍🏻
00:51:01 carolnypaver: Reacted to "I find minimal weekl..." with ❤️
00:51:57 carolnypaver: Reacted to "Even St. Poemen turn..." with 😮
00:53:38 Adam Paige: Reacted to "I have read most of …" with ☦️
00:54:46 Catherine Opie: Fr. does the saying of "for these and any other sins..." during the act of contrition at confession cover this aspect of ourselves not being able to perceive or remember every single sin? If we are truly repentant and contrite?
00:55:38 Mary 🕊️: Two more questions....What does a purified heart look like? How do we recognize if our heart is becoming purified?
00:57:35 Una: Who wrote the book The Ascetical Art? Is that the correct title?
00:57:49 carolnypaver: Replying to "Who wrote the book T..."
Heart
00:58:01 carolnypaver: Replying to "Who wrote the book T..."
Not art
01:02:08 Una: Oh, thank you! I can't find any book with the title The Ascetical Art
01:03:33 Adam Paige: Replying to "Oh, thank you! I can…"Maybe you could write it ! ☺️ https://open.substack.com/pub/frcharbelabernethy/p/ascetic-heart-reflections-on-the-db0?r=26c6hk&utm_medium=ios
01:04:15 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Maybe you could writ..." with 🙏
01:07:38 Eleana: Replying to "Oh, thank you! I can..."
I print them and meditated them during my work day.
01:08:01 Una: I guess it's not a book tthen? At least, not ye
01:08:05 Una: yet
01:13:09 Naina: Thank you Father 🙏✝️
01:13:14 Anna: Can you explain about Saturday
01:13:32 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you Lords Blessing to all Prayers for Father
01:13:38 Una: He gives extra talks on some Saturdays, Anna
01:13:54 Una: evenings, around  7 pm
01:13:55 Anna: How do I sign up
01:14:01 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:14:01 Una: You'll get an email
01:14:02 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:14:06 Catherine Opie: Thank you so much Fr. God bless! have a blessed weekend. I always include you in my prayers.
01:14:09 David: Thank you Father and God bless you and your mother

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Part XXXV, Part III

The fathers speak with one voice concerning the passion of anger: it blinds the eyes of the soul and expels the grace of the Spirit. St. Cassian tells us that even a “just cause” for anger blinds no less than an unjust one; whether gold or lead is pressed over the eyes, sight is equally obstructed. So too when anger burns, whether cloaked in righteousness or openly irrational, the light of the Sun of Righteousness is veiled from us.
The words cut to the quick: we are not to excuse or harbor even a trace of anger. For Christ Himself declared that “whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of judgment” (Mt. 5:22). St. John Chrysostom tells us that scribes added the phrase “without a cause” to soften the command, but the Lord’s intention was uncompromising: to root out the seed entirely, lest it grow into the frenzy that enslaves the heart.
For the hesychast this teaching is clear: isolation is no refuge from anger. Cassian admits to raging at sticks of wood or the stubbornness of flint that would not spark quickly enough. The desert does not strip away anger; rather, it exposes it. If we think that by fleeing from brothers we escape the trial of forbearance, we deceive ourselves. Without the correction of life in common, passions grow unchecked, and even inanimate things can draw forth our wrath. Thus, for both monk and layman, anger must be confronted at its root.
What, then, of those living in the world, immersed in the irritations and burdens of ordinary life? The fathers offer no easier path for them. Anger in the household, in work, in traffic, in all the frictions of daily existence—these, too, are occasions for forbearance, the training ground of meekness. The same Christ who commands the desert hermit commands also the parent, the spouse, the worker: “Be angry, and sin not” (Ps. 4:4). Turn anger not against neighbor or circumstance, but against the thoughts that seek to enslave.
St. Maximos is clear: fasting and vigils restrain bodily desires, but anger is cured only by kindness, charity, love, and mercy. This is the practical labor of every Christian, monk or lay: to return insult with silence, to meet disturbance with meekness, to smother wrath with prayer. 
The fathers remind us soberly that chastity, poverty, vigils, and every hardship will avail nothing if anger reigns in the soul on the Day of Judgment. For anger drives out the Spirit; where wrath abides, peace cannot dwell. And he who is without peace is also without joy. 
Thus the path is narrow. Anger is a pit, and blessed is he who jumps over it, pulling the gentle yoke of Christ to the end with meekness. This is no less true for those in the city than for those in the desert. Whether at the dinner table, in the workplace, or in the monastery, each moment of provocation is an invitation to humility, to accuse oneself rather than another, to seize the opportunity for compunction rather than resentment.
If we endure, grace will come. What seems at first an impossible command—to eradicate anger entirely—becomes, by the Spirit, an easy yoke. For the fathers remind us: all things are possible to the one who bends low in humility, entrusting his passions to Christ who alone can heal the soul.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:13:39 Tracey Fredman: I miss seeing Lori. I hope she's doing well.
00:16:52 Adam Paige: It’s Greek, he writes in Greek
00:18:54 Adam Paige: Some of his books are available digitally, but not Flying over the Abyss
00:19:41 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 272 St. John Cassian
00:20:30 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 272 E
00:44:26 Jacqulyn: Living on a ranch, I totally understand that feeling!
00:45:02 Erick Chastain: Is the worsening of the logismoi in the wilderness as opposed to when you are out in the world dependent on whether one is an introvert/extrovert?
00:45:13 Jacqulyn: Yes, I do! But the sheep keep me focused!
00:45:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: I get angry at myself, but not for long.
00:52:17 Anthony: Lately I've been encouraged by St Francis, who instead of getting wrathful with himself called his erring self "Brother Ass."
00:56:35 Hey Oh! : Augustine said that  anger is like an unwanted guest. Once we let it in we don’t know how long it will stay or what it will do in our home (hearts).
00:57:39 Rick Visser: It seems that in contemporary psychology there is a strong tendency not to deny the anger that exists in us. We must allow it, not repress it.
00:58:12 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "It seems that in con..." with 😢
00:59:14 Anthony: Perhaps, then, a sense of false or overbearing shame is a form of anger directed against the self, even, when we remember things we did wrong and have repented of.
01:08:28 Myles Davidson: That was super insightful from St Maximos
01:09:25 Catherine Opie: What are your thoughts on using intense physical exercise like, running for example, to get rid of anger? Or should we simply develop the self control to not even become angry to that level?
01:11:35 Myles Davidson: Replying to "That was super insig..."
Both the result of anger and the cure
01:12:01 Julie: Reacted to "That was super insig…" with 🙏
01:14:24 Catherine Opie: So probably genuflections with prayer then...
01:16:38 Catherine Opie: Perfect subject for me this week. Thank you Fr. God bless.
01:16:43 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:16:48 Maureen Cunningham: Blessing thank you
01:16:51 Janine: Thank you Father

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part VI

Synopsis of Tonight’s Group on The Ascetical Homilies of St Isaac the Syrian Homily 4 paragraphs 23 and following:
St. Isaac teaches us that true spiritual perception, when granted by grace, is marked not by outward signs of exaltation, but by tears, peace of the senses, and the silence of the body before the living God. Such tears are not emotional outbursts, but a baptism of compunction — torrents flowing from eyes opened to behold reality as it is in God. They cleanse the heart, heal the passions, and usher the soul into a stillness that surpasses every worldly delight.
His counsel guards us against curiosity and presumption in the spiritual life. Just as honey, if consumed in excess, becomes harmful, so too the pursuit of visions, lofty speculations, or knowledge beyond our measure can damage the soul. Instead, we are called to humility, patience, and silence. The mysteries of God are not seized by force of intellect but revealed to the pure of heart, to those who patiently endure the rugged way of purification.
The ascetical life, then, is not about chasing extraordinary experiences but about purifying the heart through prayer, watchfulness, solitude, merciful love, and immersion in the Scriptures. Reading and prayer become companions, one feeding the other, until the mind is illumined and prayer flows with clarity. In such a state, the soul is lifted, yet simultaneously learns timidity — a holy shame at daring to draw near to what surpasses her nature. This shame, however, is itself a sign of humility, a safeguard against delusion.
Thus, St. Isaac reminds us that the authentic path of prayer and spiritual knowledge is marked by sobriety, contrition, silence, humility, and charity. Tears are the sign of divine visitation; restraint and reverent stillness are its guardians. In this, the spiritual life becomes less about grasping after what is beyond us and more about receiving with wonder what God grants to the lowly.
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Text of chat during the group:
 
00:10:06 Tracey Fredman: https://www.pemptousia.tv/view/b/category/Programs/subCategory/saint_paisios_from_farasa_to_the_heavens__bbFSg/id/saint_paisios_from_farasa_to_the_heavens_episode_9_o69MH/lang/el_GR
00:11:23 Thomas: https://ancientfaith.us/media1
00:13:19 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 147, top of page
00:31:10 David: There is so much that delights the mind in the fathers and often heroic thoughts of doing more vigils, fasting, reading ahead come to mind. I often only am left with a superficial understanding I can't remember. I think one needs to digest slowly like food
00:32:39 David: On the negative side I watch my son's dog everytime she eats grass I find myself making the sign of the cross
00:33:02 Diana Cleveland: Fr. Can you say more what you mean by crisis of faith? Do you mean the kind of crisis that makes you question God or the kind that makes you not want to walk with God?
00:35:33 Anthony: Sometimes I want to lash out at "God" but then realize that is a false image, a mask I've imposed on God.  And then, I realize....it'll all be Ok, the false image is not the God Who loves me.
00:40:37 David: Each night I read from the psalter of St. Ephraim it seems to ground me thinking this saint speaks to my struggles. Sometimes with Climatus and Issac it seems like they have it all figured out and have unabtainum.
00:41:12 David: Mythical not obtainable
00:41:17 David: Used in business for products
00:45:29 Julie: How do you know which tears are for God and someone like me who can cry so easily reading lives of the saints and someone’s sorrows etc.
00:51:16 David: I read somewhere the west seeks to capture the understanding by the intellect and the east seeks to have it revealed by grace to the nous.
00:55:02 Francisco Ingham: I’ve heard say that the west is the mind of the Church and the east is her heart 
We need to be deeply acquainted with both spiritual traditions
00:57:26 David: The first book published in the Americas was The Ladder of Devine Ascent. I often wonder if the fruits of the west (much better at evangelical efforts) might have been they also were still breathing with "both lungs" as St. John Paul mentioned.
00:57:40 David: Sorry type Divine Ascent
00:58:27 Kathleen: Describe in your words discursive and non-discursive relative to tonight’s teaching.  I know the definition but want to grasp it further. Perhaps you can provide further insight.
01:02:20 Francisco Ingham: Such a blessing to hear your thoughts on this topic. Truly edifying. Thank you Father
01:11:39 Maureen Cunningham: As
01:11:54 Maureen Cunningham: AA
01:14:17 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you
01:14:50 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:15:00 Diana Cleveland: Thank you!
01:15:02 David: Thank you father God bless you and your mother
01:15:17 David: As we continue to prayer for you
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Part XXXV, Part II

The Fathers are unyielding in their teaching: anger must never be given room in the heart. It is a passion rooted in pride, and when indulged, it blinds the soul, drives away the Holy Spirit, and turns one into a worshipper of rage as if it were an idol. Abba Poimen reminds us that it is not enough to endure the turmoil anger creates—we must learn to drive it out entirely. Left unchecked, anger deceives us with excuses and pretexts, but humility demolishes the very foundation of its power.
Abba Isaiah gives us the chief remedy: to keep ever before our eyes the humility of Christ—He who endured dishonor, insults, scourging, and even the Cross without anger. When we recall His long-suffering love, the pride that fuels our own wrath is dissolved, and our hearts are humbled into contrition. Later, St. Cassian will also warn us that even a “just cause” cannot justify anger, for once the heart is disturbed, its vision of God is darkened. Instead, we must redirect the sharpness of anger toward our own sinful thoughts, never toward our brothers.
In our life in the world, anger manifests daily—in families, at work, in traffic, in countless irritations. But here, too, the Fathers’ counsel applies: anger is overcome not by isolation but by forbearance, meekness, kindness, and mercy. The remembrance of death, too, helps us put aside wrath, for what profit is there in clinging to resentment when eternity presses upon us? Anger makes us idolaters; love makes us free. To conquer anger is to begin living even now in the peace of the Kingdom.
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Text of chat during the group: 
00:15:22 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 270, A, 6
00:37:25 Anthony: Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered is the fundamental approach. We want order. But let us keep in mind the Spanish Civil War, illustrated in the movie There Be Dragons to show the destruction done in the name of righteousness by mankind based on anger.
00:46:52 Julie: Is it the Jesus prayer the cuts through those thoughts
00:53:10 Hey Oh! : The idea that when we are calm we are better able to perceive what the mind is experiencing makes it so that we have a chance not to be reactive and instead can take in God’s goodness in the moment. This is Andrew. My friend from NJ changed my name title and I can’t fix it…
00:53:51 carolnypaver: Reacted to "The idea that when w..." with 😂
00:54:18 Jeff U: Reacted to "The idea that when w..." with 😂
00:55:17 Una: Who are you, Hey Oh!?
00:59:22 Anthony: When I want to pray, even before meals, I often have terrible thoughts 2. Are these opportunities to exercise humility, and so gifts, not sins on our part?
01:02:29 Julie: Sometimes the thoughts are so many that I find I need to keep active. Like gardening or helping someone to diffuse them
01:05:22 Myles Davidson: I’ve found praying the Jesus Prayer for a decent length of time (say half an hour to an hour at a time) can be effective at slowing down the thoughts. Particularly if done regularly
01:05:54 Bob Čihák, AZ: Replying to "Sometimes the though..."
Thanks, Myles.
01:09:52 Anthony: The devil's, I suppose, encourage us to be gnostic, which is contrary to our crested and transfigured nature
01:19:32 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:19:38 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing to everyone
01:19:40 Hey Oh! : Thank you! God bless!
01:19:49 Jeff U: Thank you! God Bless

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part V

St. Isaac’s counsel confronts the modern temptation toward self-promotion, verbal dominance, and the illusion of expertise. In a time when our culture prizes quick answers, visible influence, and a polished public persona, his words cut against the grain. He reminds us that the deepest authority is not rooted in rhetoric or clever disputation, but in the quiet radiance of a virtuous life. Humility, expressed in meek speech, modest bearing, restraint in judgment, and continual learning, guards the soul from the injury of familiarity and the snares of pride.
For those in the spiritual life today, this means resisting the lure of proving ourselves in debates, curating our image for approval, or speaking beyond what we have truly lived. It is an invitation to clothe our knowledge in tears and fasting, to let the wisdom of the Church shape our vision, and to guard our minds from curiosities that puff up rather than purify. Such a way seems “small” in the eyes of the world, yet it opens the heart to the grace of God, the only true teacher.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:10:58 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 145. Paragraph 20
00:12:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 145, mid-page # 20 2nd paragraph on page
00:13:11 Zack Morgan: no
00:24:51 Anthony: This goes so much against the grain of the Classical Greek world: being a public person and a public corrector after the manner of Socrates
00:40:14 Anthony: I found the spirit of blasphemy is contagious from people who proclaim they are righteous but take delight in showing the faults of others. I wish I could shake it off.
00:40:25 Una: Any practical suggestions for those of us whose knees are shot and can't do prostrations anymore?
00:45:55 Ben: I think St. Seraphim of Sarov said something about continual prayer supplying for the inability to fast. Could one hope that the same could be said about an inability to perform other ascetical works, like prostrations?
00:54:02 Ren Witter: How does one discern when one’s conscience differs from widely held beliefs in the Church because it is malformed, and when it differs but is in fact formed well? I am thinking of immediate, small things obviously, but also St. John Chrysostom, who experienced exile from the institutional Church, and who had such confidence in his own conscience that he could say “they have the churches, but we have the truth” ?
00:55:18 Anthony: Replying to "Any practical sugges..." 
 There's something about prayer being the highest ascetical work. Maybe in Evergetinos.
00:59:28 Mary 🕊️: The Truth stands invioable whether any human being gives voice to it or not.
00:59:32 Anthony: The sort us "me against the church" and delighting in it, cavorting in it, seems to me a spirit of blasphemy.
01:01:16 Rick Visser: I may be wrong but I think it was Saint Thomas Aquinas who said that even if our conscience is wrong we must follow it.
01:01:20 Ren Witter: If I may ask a potentially fraught question: as someone who reads a lot of Orthodox writers, and who considers the Orthodox Church a kind of estranged twin to the Catholic Church, I have come across a couple of teachings on morals in which my mind and heart agree with the Orthodox teaching more than the Catholic teaching. What do I do with this? Humbly follow the Catholic teaching against my conscience, or follow the more Orthodox way and trust that the Lord will be pleased with that?
01:01:45 Catherine Opie: "The truth is like a lion, let it loose- it will defend itself"
01:05:56 Maureen Cunningham: I see the beauty in all Christian church
01:07:19 Una: Is the Watchful Mind the book where it talks about spitting blood? Oh, yes. What do you make of that?
01:07:58 Una: Is it literal?
01:08:41 Joseph Lamb: I’ve heard that demons prey on your emotions and can make you think God wants you to do something, when really they’re trying to push you outside of His will. If that’s true, how can you tell the difference?
01:12:13 Anthony: Replying to "The sort us "me agai..." 
 We who bear the effect of hearing of the scandals can "offer it up", accepting this as penalty for listening to it, and suffering as a kind of expiation.
01:12:29 Maureen Cunningham: He was like a Rabbi Father Groshel
01:12:55 Zack Morgan: To address Ren: But when evaluating many of the Eastern Catholic Traditions, you find that many teachings one thinks is uniquely Orthodox is held by many Eastern Catholics.  Even the Philioque - our Melkite brothers and sisters omit "and the Son" from the Creed, and after Florence this became less of an "issue" than what it is still being made to appear.
01:13:41 Mary 🕊️: The Catachumen process into the Orthodox Church can take several years. Much patience is required.
01:14:53 James Crichton: It took me a full year before deciding to write my letter to the Metropolitan to change Sui Iuris. Made too many rash decisions in my life. This wasn't going to be one of them.
01:14:57 Una: I became Orthodox but came back after three or four years.
01:15:55 Tracey Fredman: Replying to "The Catachumen proce..."
The OCIA in the Catholic Church is now (as of the start of the current liturgical year) at least a full year - and for many nearly two now. It's been interesting how patient everyone has been with the updates to the RCIA. They want to follow Christ and they are not deterred by the long process.
01:16:38 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I became Orthodox bu..." with 👍
01:16:51 Maureen Cunningham: Yay REN
01:17:46 Mary 🕊️: Replying to "The Catachumen proce..." 
 👍
01:17:53 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you
01:17:56 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:18:00 John Burmeister: thanks
01:18:10 Janine: Thank you Father
01:18:33 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. God Bless
01:18:52 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you, Father, esp. for using Substack.
01:18:58 Maureen Cunningham: Amen Father it all beautiful and thank you for all you r time
01:18:58 Lee Graham: Love your prayers on substack, thank you
01:18:59 Rick Visser: Is there a way to group your prayers in one place?
01:19:00 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Is there a way to gr..." with 👍🏻

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Part XXXV, Part I

Synopsis Of Tonight’s Group on The Evergetinos Volume II Hypothesis XXXV Section A paragraphs 1-5:
“One should never become angry or shout at anyone. An irascible man, even if he should raise the dead is not acceptable before God!” Such thoughts from the fathers already set the tone of this hypothesis and begin to challenge our sensibilities; the way that we deal with annoyances, direct attacks against ourselves or the faith or in a broader way the way the way we deal with violence in the world. What is the role, the place, of the Christian in an age of such vindictiveness and hostility to the other? How can we not only avoid being drawn into the passion of anger and move to the defensive position but also love as Christ loves? How does Christ’s meekness and gentleness shape the way that we engage others?
So often our ego leads us to hold onto things with a tight grip. This includes our opinions and judgments as well as material goods. Have our hearts been formed with such humility that we can drop our position when a discussion tends towards anger or can we leave behind the work of our own hands the circumstances are such that if we do not abandon it we will be drawn into conflict? In other words, do we place the things of this world or our own dignity and sense of self-respect above the love and the gentleness of Christ? 
It is only in the silence of prayer, prolonged and unmeasured, that the grace of God frees us from our own ego. Only by experiencing the profound love, compassion, mercy, and understanding that we have received from God will a spirit of gratitude well up within us. It is then that we are compelled to love. What could we possibly lose that we would not gain back a hundredfold in Christ? If we have been made sons and daughters of God and if we live in the Spirit that has been given to us and we should fear nothing. And where there is no fear - there is only love!
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Text of chat during the group:
00:09:17 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 269 New Hypothesis
00:13:21 Andrew Adams: Yes, you can shut off things like whiteboard in Zoom.
00:13:35 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 269 New Hypothesis 35
00:13:39 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Yes, you can shut of…" with 👍
00:26:44 Andrew Zakhari: I think of individuals who continue to engage in a work culture despite it deadening people's souls in bitterness.  It is easy to stay for financial reasons, not realizing how such work is damaging.
00:28:37 Jonathan Grobler: If it wasn't for online engagement, I would never have joined the Catholic church. I'm always worried, that by not engaging, it's a missed opportunity to plant a seed of the Gospel.
00:30:59 Bob Čihák, AZ: My work was with 3 partners. Sometimes, after a "warm" 20 min. discussion, I would abruptly say "You've convinced me. I agree. Let's do it the way you suggest." and I meant it. My partners would look like the wind just wend out of their sails.
00:36:12 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "My work was with 3 p..." with ❤️
00:39:25 Catherine Opie: Fr. I have just spent 7 days with my family who relentlessly asked me questions and challenged me on my Catholicism (since I recently converted). Culminating in my brother (who was fuming the whole time) let it rip at me in a really irrational way. How do I handle this? Just say I'm not wiling to talk about it or should I continue to respond, not in like manner but in a rational manner of course? As I seem to be causing him to become angry I'm leaning towards just saying nothing as I'm a hopeless evangeliser anyway being so fresh to this.
00:42:55 Myles Davidson: Order of the Eastern star
00:43:05 Anthony: Order of the Eastern Star
00:44:54 annalalonde: From the desert fathers perspective, how would would break those satanic occult roots from family and generations? Especially gender ideology, yoga, sins of flesh, and masonic…
00:45:23 annalalonde: With one that has anger… what does the desert fathers share how to rid of this?
00:55:16 Maureen Cunningham: Is it not what Jesus says more then what I say ? Jesus said Ect..
00:59:10 Anthony: How do you pray a long time for a person? God knows all.  The evangelical kind of prayer almost sounds like it's wordiness for wordiness sake. Saying multiple rosaries almost sounds like trying to manipulate God.  How DO people adequately pray a long time for someone?
01:10:57 Mark South: Isaac lasted 5 months as Bishop...
01:12:11 Jonathan Grobler: Reminds of how Christ new Judas was stealing from the money purse, her never publicly reprimanded him for it.
01:12:41 Maureen Cunningham: St Francis
01:17:07 Forrest Cavalier: Thank you, Father! Here is my note to today’s paragraph 3: “During a conversation, a monk was bothered by a dog. The monk showed his gentleness and love by resuming the conversation after removing the dog.”
01:17:28 Catherine Opie: Like the nuns who sang all the way to the guillotine during the French revolution offering themselves as a sacrifice to stop the violence and two weeks later Robespierre was executed and it ended
01:18:09 Mark South: See Footnote 19 on pages 57-58 in his Homilies for an account of St Isaac and others return to stillness from Bishophood
01:18:20 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Like the nuns who sa..." with 👍
01:18:41 Andrew Zakhari: Beautiful discussion. God bless you richly! Thank you all.
01:19:19 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "Beautiful discussion..." with 👍
01:19:19 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessings to everyone
01:19:24 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:19:34 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you Father.
01:19:40 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr
01:19:40 cameron: Thank you Father.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part IV

St Isaac the Syrian’s words strike with such power and seek to draw us away from what we desperately cling to as human beings - vainglory. Our focus upon ourselves, our particular needs and desires, makes us gather “abominable treasures“ for ourselves that defile our hearts. But more than defiling our hearts, such a vainglory prevents us from experiencing the love and mercy of God in all of its fullness. 
Thus, Saint Isaac does not hold back in emphasizing the need to purify the heart from all vainglory and pride. His words crash upon the heart like a hammer against an anvil. It is better for us to free ourselves from the shackle of sin than to free slaves from slavery. It is better for us to make peace with our soul than it is to teach about bringing peace among men. It is good to speak about the things of God but it is better for us to make ourselves pure for Him. To speak humbly and to be seen as uncouth by others is better than speaking eloquently about things that we only know as hearsay or that are writings of ink.
What St. Isaac is seeking to have us contemplate is the transformative power of God‘s grace and the presence of the Holy Spirit within our hearts. It is God‘s love and mercy that transforms the repentant heart and it is that same love and mercy that transforms the world; even if it remains hidden in obscurity or in poverty. What value is there in a person preaching or teaching about God when through his negligence his soul remains sickly? What gain is there to teach others or lead them to the knowledge of God and then to fall away from hope in God?
We begin to see through St. Isaac’s writings how we have obscured the gospel. In doing so we have not only weakened its message but we have also lost sight of the presence of God within the sorrows and afflictions of life.  It is through the Cross that we have been redeemed and when there is fidelity and trust in the Lord, when we are humbled by life, it is then that His power is made perfect.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:19:39 Gwen’s iPhone: Blessed Transfiguration  Father
00:24:55 Myles Davidson: What is the distinction between vainglory and pride?
00:27:53 Jamie Hickman: Was the hedgehog reference from John Chrysostom? Love it...just not familiar with it
00:29:24 Jamie Hickman: ah yes, thank you, Father
00:32:24 Anthony: I have a feeling St Isaac is reflecting on his short time as an active bishop, which he fled.
00:33:39 Myles Davidson: Replying to "ah yes, thank you, F..."
Cassian’s Conference 10.11
00:34:03 Jamie Hickman: Reacted to "Cassian’s Confere..." with ✍️
00:36:18 Jamie Hickman: Mary your vocation to purify your heart is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this.
00:45:51 Anthony: This is the difference of the frankness of a "Rocky" instead of the glibness of Apollo Creed
00:47:57 Rebecca: Sometimes a humble spirit can become a source of pride and vainglory….
00:49:18 Rebecca: …as in the false self co-opts the experience of the ‘humble spirit’.
01:02:38 Russ’s iPhone: Lewis- Pain is Gods divine megaphone to rouse us from our spiritual slumber, or pain is Gods divine drill into the human heart.
01:07:23 Ren Witter: I feel like a lot of the time, the same circumstances that can humble can also lead to intense anger and resentment. What is the difference between the person who allows themselves to be humbled, and the one who responds with resentment and anger?
01:08:55 Anthony: I plenty of times start with anger and have to put it aside.  Maybe that is humility.  Over and over again.
01:09:47 Anthony: We have to remember we are humans, not the mythical Vulcans
01:10:47 Mary 🕊️: Through a history of interactions with Christ I begin to experience his trustworthiness.
01:11:13 Anthony: Reacted to Through a history of... with "👍"
01:12:27 Ren Witter: I feel like maybe the last stage in this process is to resign oneself with joy, rather than sadness. Very difficult.
01:14:45 Diana Cleveland: Reacted to "Through a history of..." with ❤️
01:14:47 Lee Graham: Reacted to "I feel like maybe th…" with ❤️
01:16:32 David: My grandfather used to say it is a curse to say to people- I just want you to be happy which is the road to live an empty life chasing that which never fulfills. When had my children I always said - I just want you to have a fulfilling life. Through lost, struggle, overcoming problems I have grow to appreciate this along with growing closer to Christ.
01:16:59 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "My grandfather used ..." with ❤️
01:17:21 Mary 🕊️: So my death is day by day swallowed up by his Life.
01:21:45 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father! Great discussion tonight!
01:21:48 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:21:50 Rebecca: Thank you!
01:21:52 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you!! Great to be with you all
01:21:55 Diana Cleveland: Thank you!
01:21:56 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you, Father.
01:21:57 Gwen’s iPhone: Thank you
01:22:06 Erick Chastain: thank you Father
01:22:08 David: Thank you father God bless you and your mother!
01:22:35 Mary 🕊️: Love to all!! Each and every one ❤️

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Part XXXIV, Part II

Synopsis of Tonight’s Group on The Evergetinos Volume II Hypothesis XXXIV Sections A6-F Conclusion:
When we come across the high standards of the desert fathers, especially if they are jarring to our own sensibilities, we can tend to not just to read their writings critically but to dismiss them as hyperbolic or extreme.  Yet it is precisely the internal dis-ease that their writings create within us that brings us back to the heart of the gospel and what it means to be a Christian. 
What does it mean to put on the mind of Christ and have our conscience formed and shaped by the grace of God and the gospel? How does it shape the way that we understand what it means to be a human being or the things that we take for granted such as laughter or familiarity in relationships? Upon closer examination, we see that there are many displays of humor that are rooted in a lack of sobriety and sense of reverence for our own dignity and the dignity of others. We rarely think about how our words and actions, our bearing or form of dress, affect those who are around us. 
Are we seeking to protect the dignity and spiritual well-being of those around us? Do we hold their identity as sons and daughters of God as something precious and to be revered?  The simplest realities of day-to-day life and interactions need to be attended to the most; for they are often the means through which we are tempted. The evil one can make use of what is good and pleasing about our lives as a means to draw us into excess. 
In the end, it is Christ and the gospel that must be the lens through which we view our lives and behavior. We see Christ, who, although perfectly innocent and filled with love was stripped of dignity, mocked and pinned to the cross. We hear Him say to us “take up your cross daily and follow me” - calling us to a sober sense of what our life in this world will be like as his disciples. In the beatitudes, we hear Him say “blessed her those who mourn” reminding us not only of our share in his cross but the necessity of morning for our own sins.  Christ has everything to do with what affects or afflicts us.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:06:25 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 267 number 6
00:16:24 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 267 # 6
00:32:33 Catherine Opie: Fr. what are your thoughts on the use of humour to break through things when one sinks into self pity or depression, or when doing arduous tasks or events in life to lighten the situation? Should we simply be contemplating the suffering and be joyful that we are suffering in this life instead of the next?
00:36:02 wayne: When humor tuns to sarcasm, then it can become hurtful.
00:36:13 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "When humor tuns to s..." with 👍🏻
00:36:57 Bob Čihák, AZ: I laugh at myself, A LOT!
00:37:58 Anthony: Replying to "When humor tuns to s..." 
 Yes. I like silly, even buffoonish (like a mime, for example) comical humor since it can be done without hurting anyone.
00:41:12 Ambrose Little: A merry heart does good like a medicine. (Prov 17:22). “For rejoicing in the Lord is our strength!” (Neh 8:10)
St. Thomas Aquinas wrote this great prayer “for ordering a life wisely,” and at one part he says, 
“O Lord my God, make me          submissive without protest,          poor without discouragement,          chaste without regret,          patient without complaint,          humble without posturing,          cheerful without frivolity,          mature without gloom,          and quick-witted without flippancy.”
“Cheerful w/o frivolity” has always struck me as a good way of putting it.
Earlier in the prayer he says: “May I not rejoice in anything          unless it leads me to You;     may I not be saddened by anything          unless it turns me from You.”
Maintaining the fundamental orientation towards God is key.
00:41:36 Anthony: Thanks for clarifying Father. I was hoping you'd comment on what is good and bad buffoonery, for my benefit.
00:42:51 Catherine Opie: Replying to "A merry heart does g..."
Yes there is a diffence between cherr and frivolity. What a beautiful prayer
00:43:42 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Thanks for clarifyin..." with 🤣
00:46:58 Anthony: Ephrem reminds me,  in John Damascene's philosophy chapters of the Fount of Knowledge, the definition of man is (or includes) one who laughs.
01:08:47 Catherine Opie: I think Father simply by being modest and being amongst others. When I first came to Catholicism I was horrifyingly immodest, but simply by being around the trad community I am learning about modesty and slowly changing through immersion. No one has berated me but I'm certain they prayed for me. And I see new converts coming in and slowly changing over time. Nothing changes others more than simple example of reverence.
01:12:12 Kate : Dr. Alice von Hildebrand has written beautifully on the topic of modesty and reverence as a reflection of the dignity of the human person.
01:12:28 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Dr. Alice von Hildeb..." with 🙏🏻
01:16:50 Andrew Zakhari: "Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account."--Heb. 4:12.
01:16:58 Erick Chastain: Reacted to "I think Father simpl..." with 👍
01:19:43 Catherine Opie: As always incredibly thought provoking many thanks for your insight and guidance. God bless.
01:19:44 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:19:51 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You  Father Blessing to all
01:20:01 Jeff Ulrich: Thank you Father
01:20:03 Andrew Zakhari: Thank you! Blessings upon you.
01:20:09 Alan Tarantino: Thank you Father
01:20:34 cameron: Thank you
01:20:37 Andrew Adams: Thank you, Father!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part III

In the writings of Saint Isaac the Syrian, we see so beautifully the desert fathers emphasis on praxis; that is, how we concretely live out our faith in our day-to-day life and relationships. They knew that Christ can be lost to the mind and the heart not only through sin but also simply in the warp and wolf of day-to-day life. We surround ourselves with things that provide us with a sense of security and identity. This goes beyond material goods and includes our being driven by busyness and the pursuit of the world‘s respect of our accomplishments. We can lose time through idle chatter, laziness, and sloth. With anxious hearts, we direct our energy toward pursuing the things that we have come to love within the world; education, art, athletics, and entertainment. We are zealous for what we love and willing to invest ourselves without counting the cost to pursue it. 
However, Saint Isaac reminds us of the meaning and the weight of those small moments and affairs in our day-to-day life. Do we hold in mind the brevity of our life and that it has been entrusted to us in such a way that we will have to give an account before God for how we have used the gift? Do we see the “other” and Christ within the poor or those who are suffering and alone? More often than not our minds and hearts are abstracted by the things that titillate the senses and emotions.  Thus, Saint Isaac tells us acquire freedom in your manner of life; in particular freedom from turmoil. Do not find your freedom by what simply gives pleasure and so become a slave of slaves. Surrounded by abundance and conveniences we often have the sense that we are dependent upon them. Yet we do not realize that they will never help us to acquire humble thoughts or a pure minds. St. Isaac, therefore, describes renunciation as weaning ourselves from our attachment to the things of this world as well as from our own ego. Our dignity and destiny is found in Christ Who is our hope, our salvation, and our Love!
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Text of chat during the group:
00:05:37 susan: been away  what page are we on?
00:11:58 Myles Davidson: Page 143 “Love chastity…..”
00:13:11 Una: Trouble with my sound
00:13:11 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 143 paragraph 11
00:13:20 Una: Whose feet are those?
00:14:19 Adam Paige: Technical difficulties, please stand by ! ☺️
00:14:37 Jamie Hickman: jealous!
00:29:05 Maureen Cunningham: How do you know you are killing the ego . How would you be different
00:31:33 Julie: Should I feel bad for liking  or surrounding myself with nice things
00:32:41 Eleana: I agree, the tentation when he have a spiritual life is to feel "good" and dressing to be seen or perceive as humble; it can also be false humility that I believe to be the worst pride.
00:33:07 Una: That false self can manifest in busy busy busy
00:34:15 Thomas: I’ve always thought that remembrance of death was about remembering our sins and that we will be judged and so forth, but Isaac says rejoicing, is this just a different aspect
00:34:44 Rebecca: “I live now. Not I.  But Christ live in me”  St Paul the Apostle
00:41:59 Jamie Hickman: The Mother Teresa story reminds me of paragraph 14: "Conduct yourself with knowledge..." -- this knowledge is intimacy, experience as you've called it, Father. She conducted herself with the love of her Love, He Who Thirsts. She really saw him thirsty there on the sidewalk, and she attempted to satiate him.
00:43:08 Joanna Martinez: There is a beutifuly done documentary film on Amazon Prime called "Sacred Alaska" about the life of small Orthodox community and their saints. The film is not free, costs $4.25, but highly recommended by way of illustrating exactly what St. Isaac speaks abot, living in the hands of God, with freedom to not have control over anything, but living by the grace of God
00:44:08 Nicholas B. Besachio: How does one stay humble when they hold a high position that comes with a lot of priviledge, nice things, and command over others. How does one direct those things toward the good.
00:48:32 Ryan Ngeve: Father what would be the proper approach about people who use busy-ness as an escape from sloth and sinful passions
00:48:51 Ryan Ngeve: To people *
00:49:36 Anthony: Replying to "How does one stay hu..." 
 Privilege and honor and authority includes responsibilities including in a way responsibility for souls under us.
00:51:04 Una: Interesting question, Ryan
01:02:14 Rebecca: Father, do you have any suggestions on how to ‘order the sense?
01:02:53 Jamie Hickman: Speaking of senses, I'd go to hearing. Music is more accessible, perhaps, than in ages past due to recording devices and proliferation of devices that play music. We know that faith comes from hearing, and so when much of our music is contrary to the Gospel, it is perhaps unsurprising that contemporary man struggles to believe.
01:07:30 Myles Davidson: St Paisios had only a tin can and a teaspoon as his only cooking and eating utensils
01:07:59 Julie: Silence can be scary with your own thoughts
01:08:07 Anthony: Reacted to Silence can be scary... with "👍"
01:08:27 Anthony: Replying to "Silence can be scary..." 
 Yes. That's a reason I constantly listen to something
01:09:35 Alan Tarantino: My wife started using an app called Dumb Phone to reduce screen time.
01:09:54 Jamie Hickman: Reacted to "My wife started us..." with 👍
01:11:06 Erick Chastain: This is st junipero serra's cell
01:12:21 Anthony: Reacted to pic-4977f22d-6b5b-42ed-be9d-c2aac9403110.jpg with "👍"
01:12:28 Jamie Hickman: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂
01:12:38 Jacqulyn: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂
01:12:46 Ben: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂
01:12:58 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Interesting question…" with 👍
01:13:07 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂
01:13:39 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "pic-4977f22d-6b5b-42ed-be9d-c2aac9403110.jpg" with 🙏
01:14:16 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂
01:18:04 Jamie Hickman: ad multos annos
01:18:53 Rebecca: Thank so much for this session.  Wonderful teaching and help.
01:20:09 Gwen’s iPhone: Thank you. Grateful.
01:21:02 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:21:03 David: Thank you Father may God bless you and your mother!
01:21:03 Joanna Martinez: Thank You.
01:21:07 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:21:15 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you Father!
01:21:16 Jacqulyn: Thank you!
01:21:23 Jeffrey Ott: Are you going to continue substack?
01:22:27 Alan Tarantino: Thank you Father
01:22:34 cameron: Thank you Fr
01:22:40 Diana Cleveland: Thank you!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - Part XXXIV, Part I

The desert fathers were incredibly sensitive to the simple things in life that we often take for granted; the ways that we speak with others and treat them. In this sense, they were psychologically astute; realizing that in the warp and woof of day-to-day life, it is often the small things that affect relationships the most and so also a place where we are provoked to sin. We often describe these aspects of our life as normal or natural; that is, being human. Yet, even that which is good must be perfected by the grace of God for it can be corrupted if the heart is impure or lacking in charity.
Thus, without hesitation, the fathers can say “there is no passion, more terrible than familiarity, for it gives rise to all the other passions.“ At first this might seem to be hyperbole. Familiarity seems to be an essential part of relationships and intimacy. What the fathers discovered, however, is that it can break down the reverence, dignity and meekness with which we engage others. The more that we are around a person we begin to think that we can take liberties and dispense with courteousness and tenderness in speech. We can use our intimate knowledge of others to tear them down or to gain a position of emotional power within the relationship. What has been entrusted to us as precious can be used in ways that inflict emotional wounds.
Similarly laughter is seen as a natural part and perhaps one of the best parts of our lives. Humor often is the means through which we are able to cope with a harshness of life. It seems to lighten the spirit. However, it can often devolve into buffoonery; nothing is taken serious at all, and humor is used to mock the others. Such laughter then makes us lose sight of the dignity of the other and more importantly makes us lose sight of their dignity as sons and daughters of God. We feel that we are liberty to make fun of them or to laugh at their misfortune. 
Our consideration of these things shows us how important it is for us to have the mind of Christ. We are to live in Him and it is His grace that must shape all of our actions. There is only one appropriate way for us to relate to another person and that is to love them!
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Text of chat during the group:
00:03:56 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 266
00:06:34 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Hypothesis XXXIV
00:15:52 Adam Paige: I found the groups via a friend who shared a Sensus Fidelium YouTube repost of a podcast
00:16:59 Myles Davidson: Pg 266 Hypothesis XXXIV
00:17:18 Catherine Opie: That's why its important to make sure people who find you on Social Media are funnelled to your website and you get their email addresses so you can contact them direct. Via a download of a free pdf of something like that.
00:23:52 Forrest Cavalier: Wikipedia has a page with the root word in Greek. The Wikipedia page defines it as parrhesia (Greek: παρρησία) is candid speech, speaking freely.[1] It implies not only freedom of speech, but the obligation to speak the truth for the common good, even at personal risk.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrhesia
00:24:43 Rev. Andrew: Often times in troubled marriages the spouses lose that kind of respect and mindfulness that was there when they were dating.
00:25:12 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Often times in troub..." with 👍🏼
00:29:35 Una: Yeah, this kind of familiarity can lead to abuse, especially verbal/psychological abuse
00:30:36 Anthony: This reminds me of Rocky, the painful scene where Paulie verbally disrespects his sister Adrian at their home during the holidays.
00:32:02 Rick Visser: In familiarity we are no longer able to see the face of Christ in their face. The entire sacred dimension of life is drained of its life.
00:33:29 Una: Is there a good side to familiarity?
00:33:45 Julie: Do you think it is a danger getting too close to others. Is there a limit with what you share or guard.?
00:35:25 Una: Difference between fraternity and familiarity?
00:35:28 Una: Difference between fraternity and familiarity?
00:39:14 Anthony: This self exposure is the culture of evangelicalism.  It was at my alma mater, Liberty University.
00:40:45 Bob Čihák, AZ: I'm finding my most fruitful way to know Christ seems to be seeing and finding Christ in other people, usually male friends. How does or should this sense of respect and comfort with others differ from familiarity?
00:40:51 Rev. Andrew: Reacted to "This self exposure i…" with 👍
00:42:02 Una: Can this familiarity dynamic be different in a male/female relationship or friendship? How to guard against this
00:43:44 Catherine Opie: Psycho drama
00:47:17 Rick Visser: Serve tea to all without familiarity. Some small degree of ceremoniousness in all our interactions.
00:48:33 Una: Special pitfalls in male/female dynamics?
00:48:43 Una: Beyond the obvious (sexual temptation)
00:51:39 Rick Visser: Humility
00:55:23 Una: Reacted to "Serve tea to all w..." with 👍
00:57:12 Forrest Cavalier: One of our children wrote an essay on the use of the Latin words for LAUGH (ridere) in St. Augustine’s confessions for an upper level Latin course in college. In short, there are very few legitimate occasions to laugh that are rightly ordered spiritually. Almost always there is a pride and superiority at root, at the expense of someone.
00:57:38 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "One of our children ..." with 👍🏻
01:00:47 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "One of our children ..." with 👍🏼
01:02:11 Rev. Andrew: In the spiritual life this applies to. We are so familiar with God we miss times of prayer, attendance of worship, etc.
01:02:32 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "In the spiritual lif..." with ❤️
01:02:57 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "In the spiritual lif..." with 😢
01:04:05 Anthony: I'm one of those people who tries way too hard in things.  Can I adopt an attitude of kind simplicity and be ok in the spiritual life?
01:06:01 Rick Visser: Late night TV -- who is the most clever in laughing at others.
01:06:19 Lee Graham: Reacted to "In the spiritual lif…" with ❤️
01:08:45 Myles Davidson: Germans have a word for delight in the downfall of others… schadenfreude
01:10:36 Una: Like this couple that got caught on the camera. We should be praying for their conversaion. Severe mercy that they were caught
01:13:18 Rick Visser: Reverence, dignity, and meekness - Confucius knew how this is tied to ceremoniousness.
01:13:52 Nypaver Clan: Where is the place for fraternal correction?
01:14:24 Forrest Cavalier: The second to last verb in #5 in greek is HUBRIS. ὑβρίζῃ
01:14:40 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "The second to last v..." with 👍🏼
01:17:14 Forrest Cavalier: This was a fascinating hour1
01:17:22 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "This was a fascinati..." with 👍
01:17:42 David Fraley: This gave me a lot to think about. Thank you, Father!
01:18:00 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:18:02 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:18:11 Janine: Thank you Father!
01:18:12 Catherine Opie: Thank you God Bless
01:18:22 Una: Thank you. Great class
01:18:31 Rick Visser: Thank you Father!
01:19:10 Nypaver Clan: You’ll get over it…..
01:19:33 Catherine Opie: If those people really value the material they will look for you
01:19:45 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "If those people real..." with 👍
01:19:53 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "If those people real..." with 👍🏼
01:20:11 Una: Missing those dopamine hits
01:20:27 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Missing those dopami..." with 😂
01:20:27 Maureen Cunningham: Bless REN
01:20:28 Una: It's real and it's touch
01:20:36 Una: tough
01:21:25 Catherine Opie: Time wasting
01:22:05 Catherine Opie: Great move Fr.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part II

Renunciation: The word has certain connotations that are often tied to deprivation or unhappiness. What we find in the writings of the great ascetics, St. Isaac especially, is something quite different; the weaning of ourselves from the things that we are attached to in the world in order to become more attached to God, to what endures and fills the soul with consolation and strength. 
For example, we are called to embrace the practice of vigils, to rise during the night to pray and thereby humbling the mind and the body. Yet Isaac does not see this as costly but rather as restorative and promising consolation in times of trial and affliction. It is in silence, often deepest during the night and free of distraction, that we are able to listen to God and receive what he desires to give us.  Likewise, we are to persevere in spiritual reading while we dwell in stillness. We let go of the hectic pace of society and the busyness into which we often thrust ourselves in order to taste the sweetness of the wisdom of the scriptures and the fathers. Perhaps more challenging, we are told that we are to love poverty. We are to willingly let go of material goods and radically simplify our lives. In doing so, Isaac tells us, the mind remains collected and is secured from wandering. We often become anxious about our worldly security and protecting what ilwe have come to possess. We become driven to spend more time focused on the things of this world than we are pursuing the life of virtue and prayer. In a similar vein, Isaac tells us to detest superfluity so that our thoughts might remain untroubled. Again, filling our lives with things, activities, work or social engagements steals from us solitude and the silence that is born from it. Surrounded constantly by the noise and the affairs of the world we begin to experience intense anxiety and depression seeing only the presence of chaos and violence that makes one question reality and the value and purpose of life. 
Part of the beauty of reading the desert fathers is that they reveal to us the beauty and the dignity of the human person made in the image and likeness of God and redeemed by the blood of Christ.  Their lives and their writings fill the heart with hope in a dark world and set the soul on fire to to embrace what has been promised us by our Lord.
To God be the glory unto ages of ages. Amen.
---
Text of chat during the group: 
00:04:19 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 143, first short paragraph, 6
00:12:49 cameron: The names again please
00:14:56 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 143, first short paragraph, 6
00:14:59 cameron: Monk and monastery
00:15:13 cameron: Thank you.
00:20:52 Myles Davidson: Replying to "P. 143, first short ..."
“Honor the work of vigil…”
00:21:55 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 143, first short paragraph, 6
00:32:20 James Hickman: For years I’ve found myself waking up against my will, then over the years (more recently, and not always!) seeing it as a gift. But when I have an icon on my wall, I find it a grace when I lay there awake in bed and make simple prayer of the heart, simple acts. This seems valuable. I’ll be ok to hear if there’s more expected than this. Objectivity is desired here. Work in progress here.
00:33:05 David: I have a prayer book that has a Greek orthodox evening prayer and in the ending it says "we sing to you in the night- Holy, holy holy are you oh God, through the prayers of the Theotokos have mercy on me". Is this a practice when one begins a vigil? When I do wake I always try to say it but was not sure if it is something formal in vigils?
00:35:59 Jessica Imanaka: Several Trappist monks I know have said they don't need as much as sleep as medical science dictates. The deceased abbot used to say that prayer reduces the physical need for sleep. Whenever I go on retreat, praying the full office, I just can't sleep as much. My body doesn't want to.
00:36:13 Anthony: On waking up at night....some people say 3am is the devil's hour, so it's advisable to pray then.  I think that gives way too much focus on the devil's? Or is this real Christian tradition?
00:40:58 Myles Davidson: The noonday devil was a desert father thing
00:41:11 Nicholas B. Besachio: What does St. Issac say about demonic attacks on Faith.
00:41:26 Rebecca Thérèse: Christ died on the cross at 3pm so Satanists say a black mass at 3am, that's why some people refer to it as the devil's hour
00:42:30 Bob Čihák, AZ: Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin did a Mysterious World session # 98 on “Sleep” which I found helpful. Cf. http://jimmyakin.com/ .
00:43:45 Thomas: I have heard priests say not to pretend to be monks what do they mean by this, because we should imitate them
00:46:06 Una: Reacted to "Catholic apologist..." with 👍
00:47:24 Ryan Ngeve: Father why is it the case that there is so much negligence or ignorance on guarding the heart/mind. Especially in today’s world
00:49:44 Jessica Imanaka: A Russian Orthodox monk advised me about a year ago to view my family life as my monastery.
00:51:01 James Hickman: The renewal of the domestic church in the west, particularly after Vatican II, seems to be the closest thing the Latins wish to recover a monastic (single focus) mindset. The family home should be a place of daily prayer of Scripture, rituals, etc that lead to putting on the mind of Christ. We still hear: don’t be a monk, but the lay vocations are being given a good challenge to strive for holiness. Might be centuries to really recover
00:53:46 James Hickman: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/parents/tools-for-building-a-domestic-church#:~:text=Find%20a%20time%20that%20works,home%2C%20and%20in%20every%20bedroom.
00:56:08 Jeffrey Ott: Where can we find that prologue from St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain?
00:56:34 Erick Chastain: There is a wonderful new book by a Benedictine monk that describes custody of the heart and interior silence among other things (From Silence to Silence by Fr Francis Bethel):
https://tanbooks.com/products/books/from-silence-to-silence-a-benedictine-pilgrimage-to-god-s-sanctuary/
00:57:35 James Hickman: Replying to "There is a wonderful…"Clear Creek is a refuge!
00:57:50 Erick Chastain: Reacted to "Clear Creek is a ref..." with 👍
00:58:39 Erick Chastain: Replying to "There is a wonderful..."
Yes, Fr Bethel is at Clear Creek
01:02:56 Jeffrey Ott: Replying to "Where can we find th..."
Thanks!
01:03:05 Anthony: I think I got the Rule of St Basil from 8th Day
01:03:39 Erick Chastain: oklahoma
01:06:10 James Hickman: Replying to "There is a wonderful…"Thomas
01:06:18 Anthony: Fr Thomas Dubay?
01:07:45 Myles Davidson: Happy are You Poor: The Simple Life and Spiritual Freedom by Fr Thomas Dubayhttps://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0898709210?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz
01:09:27 Ryan Ngeve: Father do you think the absence of monastic bishops in the western church could have something to do with the spirituality crisis? Bishop Erik Varden (Trappist) seems to be a breath of fresh air
01:12:53 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Happy are You Poor: ..."
👆Australian Amazon 👇US Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Happy-Are-You-Poor-Spiritual-ebook/dp/B002HE1K8S/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hsMFxzX8IlA-ylEJ2L4PwA._WS7Go4mNqegxcy1NTQDBJiyC5RAmFcgPvoW9t8QpMg&qid=1753316681&sr=8-1
01:15:34 Rod Castillo: Yes, as Director of Religious Education in my parish, I attend endless meetings.  They are mind numbing!
01:16:55 David: The biggest change in my parish was a small adoration chapel which now needs to be expanded as it is always full and open 24/7. A small group started it but it has drawn a large amount of Gen Z people to our parish. It really has been astounding to me. Years ago daily mass was just old people now 50 to 100 people attend including families.
01:17:33 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "The biggest change i..." with 🙏
01:17:33 Lilly: No such thing as too many monastic books 🙂
01:17:49 Nypaver Clan: Replying to "The biggest change i..."
Where do you live? Where is this chapel?
01:18:40 Anthony: The chaos of Covid & scandal showed us all that we want something more & deep. I see this in my diocese.
01:19:02 James Hickman: Reacted to "No such thing as too…" with ❤️
01:19:38 Catherine Opie: Our priest asked us to organise a pilgrimage here in NZ and it consumed our entire lives for a whole year. However what an opportunity to develop charity through working with others. 🤣
01:20:53 David: If the devil can't make you bad he will make you busy- Fr. Josh Johnson
01:21:09 Ben: Reacted to "If the devil can't m..." with 😆
01:21:23 Lilly: On Feast of Saint Elias, we had 2 priests provide confessions left and right side of the Iconostasis. I've never seen it before ❤️
01:23:40 Anthony: In Naples, multiple confessionals were all over the Gesu Nuovo, and a few were populated by priests. In Reggio Calabria cathedral, the priest was sitting out in the open, ready to receive penitents.
01:25:07 Jacqulyn: Thank you!
01:25:40 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. God bless. ❤️
01:25:41 cameron: Thank you Father!
01:25:42 Diana Cleveland: Thank you!
01:25:43 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:25:46 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you!
01:25:51 David: Thank you father god bless you and your mother!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part X and XXXIII, Part I

As we completed hypothesis 32 and considering the fathers’ teaching on contrition being a source of spiritual labor and protection, we made a segway into the most beautiful and compelling of stories found in the Evergetinos. The story captures why we must maintain a spirit of humility and contrition to the very end of our lives. Regardless of the depth of our love and mercy or our gratitude toward God and others for their care, the evil one through his relentless provocation can throw us back on our heels to such an extent that we don’t know whether we are going or coming. Thus, from our perspective, we may have sought to be loving, to go the extra mile in the service of others and God and that we have been grateful for the gifts that we have received. However, the oppression of the evil one’s temptations and our own vulnerability and instability of mind and heart can bring us to a point of turning away from God and others in a spirit of hostility. One of the most powerful aspects of the story in hypothesis 34 about Evlogios and the cripple is that it does not allow us to distance ourselves from the trial that they experience. We are not outside observers but we can see ourselves in both characters - sharing each of their vulnerabilities. After 15 years of living in mutual love and charity and in a spirit of gratitude, the relationship between these two men is torn to pieces. Confusion, resentment, hatred, and rejection rise up in a way that is not only unexpected but does not seem to be rooted in any reality that can be fixed or addressed.
It is only the presence and the words of the holy man Saint Anthony the Great that shine a light upon what is happening. His words are like a scalpel and he quickly moves to cut out the disease that threatens them both with spiritual death. The devil‘s actions are fierce and so St.  Anthony’s words must be direct and severe. He rebukes Evlogios for considering casting out a child of God whom God loves and warns him that God will raise someone up with greater love to care for the cripple. With equal severity, Saint Anthony turns to the cripple, warning him that he is unworthy of heaven and of earth given the fact that it is Christ himself who has been caring for him and it is Christ that he, the cripple, has been abusing verbally.  Without being given an opportunity to respond, they are both ordered to return to their home and not to depart from one another for if they do so they will lose the crown that God has prepared for them.
We come to see that the love that we are called to is that of the kingdom. It is not going to be rational. In fact in so many ways, it may push us to what seems to be absurdity; to the other worldly love of the Cross itself. Our ascent to Christ, our hope in his promises and our willingness to allow him to draw us along the path he desires must be absolute. To the world this will seem to be foolishness, but to those who have faith it is the shining light of God‘s glory and wisdom.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:07:16 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: August 9th at 7pm
00:11:21 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 258, # 30
00:11:50 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 258 number 30
00:34:00 Anthony: The difficult thing is to discern the thought & source, briefly, and quickly let it fly away (or chase it away!)
00:37:01 Myles Davidson: Nepsis
00:37:31 Adam Paige: Archimandrite Zacharou’s book Flying Over the Abyss is out of stock.. probably because of Fr Charbel ! The monastery says it’ll be reprinted in August
00:38:58 Julie: Do you think the evil one uses family, to distract us, that this is more important, to make you feel guilty
00:42:00 Andrew Zakhari: I think about the calls Jesus extends in his teaching and parables. "Let the dead bury the dead..." and the parable of the Great Banquet where people are too busy to accept the invitation.
00:43:24 Forrest Cavalier: The priest's homily at mass yesterday made the point that anger opposes meekness and mildness. I think this paragraph points out that even righteous anger can be enlarged which will eliminate the state of contrition.
00:43:45 Una: How about internal chatter than breaks the silence?
00:44:08 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "How about internal c..." with 👍
00:49:18 Julie: Reacted to "How about internal c…" with 👍
00:56:07 Anthony: Sometimes, the internal chatter turns very dark, as it did for me in the days of the sex scandal news, and make a wall of defilement between the soul and God, where reaching for God also brings up the defiling newd
00:56:20 Anthony: News
00:57:56 Una: "The Throne before the phone." Turn to God first
00:58:06 Maureen Cunningham: Internet makes it worst because it always demanding. You do not have time to make schedules .It seems to be a constant nag all mail that's unwanted
00:59:12 Erick Chastain: "Prayerbook not Facebook"
00:59:29 Una: Reacted to ""Prayerbook not Fa..." with ❤️
01:11:38 Anthony: This is sounding like Alzheimer's or dementia
01:11:52 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "This is sounding lik..." with 👍
01:19:24 Anthony: Perhaps Evlogious in his delivery betrayed uncalled for indignation or self-righteousness or vanity?
01:20:47 Jonathan Grobler: Zero sugar coating, straight to the point...
01:28:39 Maureen Cunningham: Much  like Job God allowed  the suffering
01:29:49 Catherine Opie: Profound!
01:29:55 Andrew Zakhari: Thank you! Excellent study today!
01:30:09 Maureen Cunningham: Blessing
01:30:51 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:30:54 Catherine Opie: God Bless Fr. have a blessed week.
01:30:55 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you & God bless you.
01:31:04 Rick Visser: thank you
01:31:05 Nino: Thank you Father..goog to be back

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily IV, Part I

Saint Isaac the Syrian begins this homily with the words: “The soul that loves God finds rest only in God.“ This thought permeates all that is to follow. Our weaning ourselves from our attachment to the things of the world and our own self-esteem and judgment opens our eyes to the love and freedom that is ours in Christ. To see this, Saint Isaac tells us, one must engage in the ascetic life; that is, we must discipline the body through vigils, prayer fasting and the like; cultivating the heart in such a way that not only desires God above all things, but is willing to suffer every hardship for his sake. Indeed it is suffering and humiliation that frees us from the yoke of the self to such an extent that we can embrace such hardship with joy. In fact, the one who flees the futile glory of this world already has come to see something of the hope of the age to come. St. Isaac wants us to understand that our freedom from attachment to the things of the world does not merely mean our possession of riches, but rather also the acquisition of anything to which our will clings. Until this takes place, we are scattering with one hand what we have gathered with the other. All that we hold onto prevents us from rising above a worldly understanding of justice and prevents us from experiencing true freedom in our actions.
We cannot show mercy to others except through what has been gained through our own labor and hardship. To sow from another man’s seed is to make our actions ingenuine and hypocritical. It’s a reflection of our desire to isolate ourselves from the suffering of our fellow man. What Isaac is preparing us to see is that we are not simply called to be merciful at the highest level of natural virtue or even what we would see as virtue elevated by the grace of God. Rather, we are called to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful, to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. This means giving to everyone who ask of us and not expecting our goods to return to us; not merely to suffer injustice or to have our possessions taken from us, but also to be willing to lay down our life for our brother. Our mercy must be such and our love for our brother so great that even if we were to be treated shamelessly and abusively, our desire would be not to grieve our brother‘s heart. 
Guided by intellect and reason alone we have already reached the level of absurdity. In the months to come, we will be shown that the mercy and love of God stretches far beyond the measures of man’s mind. The love of God has the very dimensions of God Himself.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:18:47 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 141, start of Homily 4, first paragraph
00:34:05 Myles Davidson: On the subject of suffering for Christ, “contempt and humiliation with good will”… I’m reading an extraordinary book called The Autobiography Of A Hunted Priest by John Gerard S.J. written by an English Jesuit priest who survived the Elizabethan anti-Catholic police-state known as the penal times. These young English Catholic men would travel to the continent to attend seminary, knowing when they returned they would be constantly hunted and faced a high chance of imprisonment, torture and martyrdom via being hung, drawn and quartered. While the author lived to tell the tale, he did suffer horrendous conditions in prison and painful torture. What is striking about the story, is the joy and peace he often experienced under these conditions and the often profound effect he had on his jailers. A very real example of “suffering contempt and humiliation with good will”. The book is a real faith booster!
00:35:10 Ryan Ngeve: Father what makes the trope of the fool-for-Christ different from those who actively seek humiliation or other forms of false piety
00:40:18 David: The movie "The Island" has a good example of a fool for Christ who is ideal as a follower of Christ and showing humility and humor.
00:40:25 Anthony: St Gabriel of Georgia should be patron of political philosophers but he was a fool for Christ.
00:40:34 Ben: Replying to "The movie "The Islan..."
👍
00:40:49 Julie: Reacted to "The movie "The Islan…" with ❤️
00:42:05 Myles Davidson: Replying to "The movie "The Islan..."
Is that the Russian film?
00:42:06 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 141, paragraph 3
00:42:35 Ben: Replying to "The movie "The Islan..."
@Myles Davidson That's right.
00:42:58 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "@Myles Davidson That..." with 🙏
00:45:25 Fr. C Mase: It reminds me of that overtaking desire that sometimes comes when we see something we really want and it turns out not to be all that great. Like a new phone or something like that.
00:47:54 Rod Castillo: LOL, I have neither PC nor Laptop.  I do everything on my phone.
00:50:46 James Hickman: Detachment from things so they don’t control us — not avoidance of potentially useful tools. We must posses them. The impoverished can be attached to his simplicity in a spiritually unhealthy way…pastor was preaching John of the Cross today because of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Ultimate detachment even from spiritual things, but this detachment might be aided by a prayer rope, Rosary, or other material thing in our hands.
00:52:58 Maureen Cunningham: Prayer Of  Saint Patrick Christ Before  Me
00:55:25 Bob Čihák, AZ: "Words" do not break into the heart. I think a sense of shared EXPERIENCE is what we hope words can bring to others.
00:55:56 Anthony: The manipulation of stories & images already is part of life, getting people to assent to wars, etc.
00:58:24 Catherine Opie: AI is also terrible for the environment, it uses an incredible amount of power and water. Unbelivable. It has been designed by people whose aim in life is to become gods and live forever by downloading their consciousness into machines. Delusional. I think its anti God and anti life.
01:00:13 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "AI is also terrible …" with 😱
01:03:28 Myles Davidson: There is a phenomena where people think they have led “their AI” to consciousness and are going down a very dangerous spiritual path with it
01:04:27 Thomas: One of my friends asked me why there has been a decline in ascetics, and I kinda guessed at a few things, but a lot of what I read is about awareness, do you think that part of the reason could be because phones and stuff like that just distract us, so nobody can be aware of anything and therefore they don’t even consider the level of repentance of a monk
01:04:28 Nypaver Clan: Replying to "AI is also terrible ..."
😲
01:04:46 Elizabeth Richards: There's an app called "Be Present" that I found helpful to help break the dopamine cycle
01:15:53 Anthony: Should we as Christians be more open about praying for the souls of enemies.....Hitler & Nazis or people who burn monasteries, etc ?  Or would that bring scandal?
01:22:34 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "There is a phenomena..." with 🤣
01:27:13 Naina: Thank you Father 🙏✝️❤️
01:27:33 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You   Father
01:27:38 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:27:39 David: Thank you Father. God bless you and your Mother!
01:27:47 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. apologies for being on call.
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part IX

The Desert Fathers make it very clear that in every element of our faith life we are being drawn into the mystery of God and the kingdom. Therefore, we must become comfortable with living in mystery; of being immersed in a reality that is beyond intellect and reason and comprehended solely through the gift of faith and the light that God bestow upon us. 
We often move very quickly to dissect what has been revealed to us by God, both for ourselves and others. Discussing matters of faith and reading books about dogma, however, can cause a man’s compunction to wither and disappear. We often cling to the notional and the abstract rather than focusing upon our relationship with God and seeking purity of heart. The Fathes tell us it is the lives in the sayings of the elders that enlighten the soul and fill it with spiritual tears.
Our lives then must be shaped by the Gospel and as one elder tells us we must seek to draw Christ into every part of our life. We love and follow a humble and crucified Lord; One who has been afflicted for our sin and who seeks our healing. Thus, our lives should mirror the simplicity of our Lord. We must not pamper the body in such a way that we weaken the spirit of contrition within our hearts. Neither must we fear affliction, but rather embrace it when it comes into our lives; knowing that God and his Providence allows it and through it perfects our virtue. 
To a certain extent, we must be willing separate ourselves from the world and surround ourselves with those who seek and desire the same thing. How else can we maintain the spirit of contrition? The world itself and our culture has become antithetical to the gospel. The cross has been and always will be a stumbling block to those without faith. The more those in the world become focused upon material goods and comforts and a manner of life that is contrary to the teachings of the gospel, we must strive to genuinely and heroically to conform our lives to Christ regardless of the costs.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:09:31 Maureen Cunningham: I think it like a rally good restaurant it always word of mouth
00:10:56 Maureen Cunningham: What is sub stack and how is it different
00:11:10 Maureen Cunningham: You tube is also a big
00:11:38 Bob Čihák, AZ: substack.com in short.
00:11:50 iPad (2): Yes Father I agree with you 100%
00:11:56 Bob Čihák, AZ: Look & see.
00:15:53 Andrew Adams: I vote website, but I don’t do social media anyway. I found you effectively by word of mouth.
00:16:23 Kevin Burke: I agree with Myles.. YouTube channel is the best..
00:16:51 Mark South: I agree youtube is great
00:16:58 Maureen Cunningham: Yes  I agree
00:17:15 Bob Čihák, AZ: Please do let us know when you DO need support!
00:17:21 cameron: Suggest you think of making efforts to avoid being cancelled.
00:17:45 Maureen Cunningham: We love to support you
00:19:35 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 256, # 24
00:24:27 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 256, # 25
00:32:03 Forrest Cavalier: This footnote is on this page: https://archive.org/details/Evergetinos/Euergetinos%20II/page/423/mode/2up?view=theater
00:39:44 Anthony: R. C. Sproul of Ligonier Ministries commented on Martin Luther's long confessions, saying what did he confess? To coveting another's potato salad?   Little did Sproul know what monks face.
00:41:01 Andrew Zakhari: I am currently reading the Minor Prophets, and as messengers of God they seem to get angry at God's people for falling away.  How do you understand this prophetic anger?
00:42:05 Myles Davidson: Replying to "R. C. Sproul of Ligo..."
Calvinists 😁
00:44:34 Anthony: Reacted to Calvinists 😁 with "😂"
00:54:21 Julie: Beautiful
00:55:30 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Beautiful" with 👍
01:08:17 Maureen Cunningham: That Paul said that I may Know in in
01:08:40 Maureen Cunningham: His  suffering
01:15:49 Catherine Opie: On a smaller scale Fr. I'm struggling with the ethics of using social media to advertise my business now I'm Catholic as I had already surmised its an evil thing that addicts people to it like cocaine. And is designed like a pokie machine
01:16:38 Maureen Cunningham: Mull Monastery is very good he good
01:16:41 Anthony: Monasteries and friaries are not really well distributed in USA (or the Anglosphere!).  Neither are the third orders or oblates. We need to develop some kind of more localized groups that are not completely self-directed.
01:18:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: One priest I know has ministries in coffee shops and bars.
01:21:02 Catherine Opie: Post short chunks of content online but direct people to your website for full video. Get them off social media!
01:21:03 Maureen Cunningham: I think it is wonderful to give to the ministry. Bless all
01:21:22 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:21:29 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you father!
01:21:33 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you father!
01:21:55 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. God bless ❤️
01:21:56 Maureen Cunningham: Blessing Thank You
01:21:59 Niño: Thank you Father Charbel...it's been a while 😊🙏

Phronema: Having the Mind of Christ

Links provided to the group: 
Outline: https://mcusercontent.com/c38acab568d650f7ef65f39df/files/250d23a5-4286-ca11-aa97-511cb2db99e7/Phronema_Outline_2025.pdf
Phronema in the Teachings of Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou: https://mcusercontent.com/c38acab568d650f7ef65f39df/files/bcb1bdd1-e77a-1f58-b90d-8070e0f7f9d5/Phronema_in_Teachings_of_Zacharias_Zacharou.pdf
Quotes: https://mcusercontent.com/c38acab568d650f7ef65f39df/files/e2d2937f-cb54-e3d1-e164-4fffc0d409da/Collection_of_Quotes_on_Phronema_2025.pdf
 

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily III, Part VII

Perhaps there has been no greater or more beautiful exhortation written than Saint Isaac the Syrian’s homily on temptation. This may seem to be a rather bold statement, but Isaac’s words draw us into the very heart of a reality that even many men and women of faith do not see; that is, we are engaged in a spiritual warfare against the Evil One. Evil is not an abstraction or a story meant to instill fear as a means of control. Isaac speaks of it from the perspective of experience and like the other desert fathers, he stands before us as a living and breathing icon, encouraging us to run the course with courage and fidelity. In the spiritual battle, there is no Sabbath day rest; in other words, we must be ever vigilant in regards to temptation that comes to us in many forms. The only one that we must be concerned about is the temptation to which we freely give ourselves over through neglect or laziness or our attachment to particular sins. Rather, we are to take heart from and acquire zeal in our soul against the devil through the example and the histories of those who proved “allies of the divine laws and commandments of the Spirit in fearful places, and amid most grievous tribulation.” 
The one in essential thing that this requires of us is that we have in our mind God‘s providence, and always to remember that he is ever faithful, and will not abandon those who trust him. This is our hope - that God is ever present to us in the spiritual battle, strengthening us, and surrounding us with a host of angels and Saints. We have a God who is set upon our salvation and who provides everything that is needed in order that we might be raised even above the ranks of angels. Our Lord has humbled himself, taken our poor humanity and its poverty, embraced it in all of its fullness and weakness in order to raise us up to share in the fullness of the life of God.  Deification is the fruit of the spiritual battle and the promise of our loving Lord!
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Text of chat during the group:
00:03:18 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 138 paragraph number 33
00:12:58 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 138, first full paragraph
00:14:35 Janine: Happy birthday Fr. Charbel…60 is nothing…just wait til 70! You are still very young!
00:15:18 Bob Čihák, AZ: ..or 84...
00:19:24 Catherine Opie: Happy Birthday Fr. May your next circle around the sun be full of Gods graces and blessings🎂
00:21:17 Rebecca Thérèse: Happy birthday it's the 10th already in the UK as well🎂☺️00:22:22 Gwen’s iPhone: Smile you could be turning 79
00:32:42 Erick Chastain: It is interesting that he emphasizes the role of the guardian angel in defending against the temptations. My oblate master says one should pray to the guardian angel to prevent sins. \
00:36:12 Ryan Ngeve: Father it is easy for us who live in the world to tend to forget of spiritual realities in our daily life. How does one change this  ?
00:36:27 David: St. Moses the Black/Strong episode of 'Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints' is streaming now on Fox Nation. I believe this is also on youtube but likely violating copyright.
00:42:15 Anthony: To become prayer is like the lesson on computation on Monday.
00:43:38 paul g.: Reacted to " St. Moses the Black…" with ✔️
00:59:15 Anthony: I think it's important to note they recognized perils, even perils of devils, but did not seek to indulge curiosity about the demons.  The focus was God, without craven feeling toward devils or to God. They shone like simple, confident icons.
00:59:37 Ryan Ngeve: Father, could the very realization of one’s own wretchedness/ poverty/ powerlessness or need for some external mercy lead to tears or even despair?
01:02:11 Elizabeth Richards: Yes!
01:17:13 Catherine Opie: ❤️
01:19:03 David: I heard an interesting podcast with Fr. Josh Johnson who said if the Devil can't make you bad he will make you busy. Apparently a parishioner doubted the devil existed he told her to set a time to sit in adoration or prayer and you will see tons of things will come up to interfere and often not bad things. 2 weeks later she came back and said- ok I believe in the devil. This also has been my experience.
01:21:44 Eleana: And temptations. I usually tell my patients you are often desperate for a "fix" and miserable but when you are trying to be sober and clean, you encounter friends that will invite you and even FIND everywhere what you avoid the most.
01:26:11 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Father Blessing
01:26:49 Elizabeth Richards: 🥳 Happy Birthday! 🎉   Looking forward to Saturday!
01:26:53 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:26:53 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you and Bless you, Father.
01:26:54 Art: Have a happy birthday!!
01:26:59 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you! Happy Birthday!
01:27:10 David: Thank you father and may you have a joyful Birthday. I turn 60 next year tell me how it goes

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part VIII

The beauty of the writings of the fathers and in particular the lived experiences of the monks as described in the Evergetinos brings to life the spiritual life in an unparalleled fashion. They show us that there is no part of the spiritual life that can be seen outside the context of our relationship with God. In other words, there is no spiritual practice or discipline, no spiritual fruit or experience that does not begin and end with God and his grace. 
Contrition is love! It is rooted in the growing experience of loss that one has by turning away from God because of one’s attachment to the things of this world or to one’s own judgment. When contrition emerges within the human heart, when the  sword of sorrow that pierced through our Lord‘s heart allows us to taste its metal, and when tears begin to flow without measure, one does not distract oneself from the experience. To do so would be to turn away from God. 
So often we want to control or manage, not only circumstances, but our experience of what is going on internally and in our relationship with God.  It is difficult for us to allow ourselves to be taken by the hand and guided by Christ along the path that leads to our sanctification and intimacy with him. Strangely enough, we often become the focus of our own spiritual life; how well we are doing things, the disciplines that we keep, the sins that we avoid, the regularity of our prayer. However, we are shown that God can bestow upon a soul the gift of contrition and tears in a moment of domestic work. God does this in order that we might have no illusion about where this gift comes from. Whenever we tie contrition to what it is that we are doing, we either take hold of it as if it were our own or we seek to distract ourselves from it. Often it is emotionally hard for us to linger long in such sorrow and humility. Yet the fathers show us that this gift is precious, not to be turned away from quickly, but rather fostered. 
Such teaching becomes a stark reminder that our faith is rooted in a relationship with a God who has come to us to heal us; that humble sorrow and that flood of tears become the very means by which He lifts us up.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:10:54 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 254, 2nd paragraph of # 18
00:11:15 Adam Paige: Reacted to "515714551_18143336329396209_7085918453142515818_n.jpg" with ☦️
00:15:36 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 254, 2nd paragraph of # 18
00:26:16 Una: So don't stop weaving the baskets?
00:31:18 Kathleen: God have mercy on our lack of awareness.
00:38:57 Anthony: When I try to pray the "right" way, my mind usually trips me up.  Prayer is easier when walking, not paying attention to "I have to do this right....oh no, bad thought, distraction.....I have to do this right.....pay attention,  why did you have that distraction....." etc.
00:40:17 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "When I try to pray t..." with 👍
00:45:40 Anthony: Legalism can turn into "magic."
00:46:00 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Legalism can turn in..." with 👍
00:46:34 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Legalism can turn in..."
Magical thinking yes
00:48:00 Forrest Cavalier: My dad got back in the church 2 years before he died. He wondered why it was so much easier for him to cry. I wondered too. From these paragraphs, now I know.
00:56:54 Andrew Zakhari: Psalm 56:8 "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle."  God lingers over our tears long enough to collect them. I don't think we sit with them long enough to even recognize what they are about.
01:03:41 Anthony: India ink or Chinese ink
01:04:55 Forrest Cavalier: Greek is "hot iron"
01:05:09 Forrest Cavalier: πυρωμένον σίδηρον
01:06:30 Anthony: Replying to "πυρωμένον σίδηρον" 
 I apologize for interrupting you Forrest
01:11:23 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Father Blessing
01:11:33 Forrest Cavalier: Replying to "πυρωμένον σίδηρον"
My fault.
01:11:35 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:11:46 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father
01:11:49 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. God bless

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily III, Part VI

Knowledge of God comes through the experience of God. When faith remains an abstraction, an idea, it is destined to remain lifeless and loses its capacity to transform and heal. It is the Lord Himself - He who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life - who must teach us. 
Outside this path, we will lack all understanding. What we are called to contemplate is not simply what we can see with our eyes, perceive through our senses or conceive through our intellect. It is the mind of God, the mind of Christ, that we are called to put on. Furthermore, what we are given to understand is not worldly realities but the very mysteries of the Kingdom and the nature of divine Love. 
Such is true in our understanding of the presence of temptation and affliction in our lives. We are told to pray not to enter in the temptation and yet the path the Christ calls us to walk leads us directly into them. The temptations that we are not to give ourselves over to are the ones that come through our own negligence and attachment to the things of this world and the self. We are not to put ourselves to the test by exposing ourselves to things that enliven the passions. Yet, in the gospel we are called by Christ to enter into the tribulation and the trials that we experience in this world and to do so with patience and hope in Him. The temptation that we are to fear is the one that comes through the mind’s self-esteem which opens us up to the demon of blasphemy and pride. It is then that we make ourselves judge of God and become blind to the poverty of our own sin.  
The temptation, the trial we are called to enter into and embrace is the cross. With firm hope we are to take it up daily and in doing so God will reveal the truth to us. Isaac writes: “For without trials, God‘s Providence is not seen and you cannot obtain boldness before God, nor learn the wisdom of the spirit, nor can divine longing be established within you.” Knowledge of the cross, only comes through the experience of the cross, and our willingness to embrace it. This reality allows us to become bold in our hope and trust in the Lord‘s love. Unless we enter into hell, we will never know through experience that that we need not fear it – for Christ has already descended there. Our virtue, our strength is to be the virtue and strength of Christ. This comes only through living in Him and embodying that same love and hope that was made present on Calvary.  
These mysteries even made Saint Isaac cry out: “O the subtlety of the path of the Thy teachings, O Lord!“  We must humbly allow Him to take us by the hand and guide us to the truth.
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Text of chat during the group: 
00:09:50 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 136, last paragraph, last line, bottom of page
00:12:16 Bob Čihák, AZ: We started on p. 113
00:17:23 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 136, last paragraph, last line, bottom of page
00:19:22 Thomas: Where do I find the raise hand button
00:20:03 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Where do I find the ..."
At the React button
00:20:54 Thomas: Replying to "Where do I find the …"Thanks
00:27:21 Anthony: We also need to be perceptive while simple so we don't let liars beguile us.
00:29:33 Myles Davidson: Replying to "We also need to be p..."
Wise as serpents while innocent as doves
00:31:56 Thomas: Would it be imprudent or untrusting, or something like that to want to suffer more?
00:39:00 Ryan N: Father how does one endure when the pains of the cross become overwhelming
00:39:06 Ryan N: Or even less to a loss of faith
00:39:11 Ryan N: Lead*
01:02:44 Eleana: The father of lies with the daily illusion that freedom is instant gratification is in itself the battle that leads to sanctity. Where sin is abundant so is grace.
01:07:36 Ryan N: Father how do temptations of lusts differ from temptations of affliction
01:14:24 Anthony: That's the spirit of Enlightenment so-called. We are told by our government even, that doubt and blasphemy are freedom.
01:20:53 Jeffrey Ott: I was just there two weeks ago. It was hot then 😆
01:23:49 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. once again. God bless.
01:23:52 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:23:57 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you Father!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part VII

When reading the fathers, it is as if we are swimming in the living waters of their faith and love for God.  In this sense we are in a privileged position: we are able to catch a glimpse of what might otherwise be completely incomprehensible to us. Yet the warmth of the light of their faith is undeniable; for contrition is often understood and experienced as the coldest of realities, expressing only the poverty of our sin and the distance from God that it creates. When reading the fathers, however, we begin to see that contrition is love and rooted, most importantly, in a relationship of love with merciful God. 
God has come among us and take our flesh upon himself and so there is nothing foreign to Him about our experience or the poverty of our sin. He has entered into it all, embracing it, carrying it, and experiencing every subtle impact that it has upon our hearts. Contrition and the tears that often flow because of it is part of God‘s providential care for us. There are many reasons why we might have a punitive vision of God and how he engages us. If we focus only on our sin or if we simply over analyze on an intellectual level who God is and the nature of sin then we are destined for despondency. A faith that is solely moralistic and legalistic can crush the spirit, sometimes permanently.
Once we experienced true contrition, we must allow it to reveal the meaning and the purpose of our tears; or better yet, we must simply allow ourselves to experience the impact of this reality on our hearts and how it can open us up to an unparalleled experience of the love and mercy of God. One period of tears shed for love can preserve virtues that have been hard won over the course of years. These tears are shaped not only by emotion or sorrow but by the grace of God.
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Text of chat during the group: 
00:15:15 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 253, # 12
00:32:45 Kate : If someone has had a very legalistic experience within the Church, does it take a leap of faith to make the shift to even believe in the love of God?  In other words, does one have to bow down in humility and accept the love of God as a matter of faith?
00:52:15 Myles Davidson: More than one Catholic exorcist have said that Nefarious is the best portrayal of demonic possession on film they’ve seen. Great film!
01:05:58 Myles Davidson: That’s just about my favourite desert father teaching thus far. Beautiful image!
01:06:17 Vanessa: Love it too.
01:06:26 Vanessa: Reacted to "That’s just about my..." with ❤️
01:17:09 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:17:37 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:17:40 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:18:00 Bob Čihák, AZ: Bless you!!

Thirst for God

Text of chat during the group:
00:15:43 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://mcusercontent.com/c38acab568d650f7ef65f39df/files/7dc24fb1-6e46-0667-4ec1-01790064a60b/Thirst_for_God_Zacharou.pdf
00:16:31 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://mcusercontent.com/c38acab568d650f7ef65f39df/files/7dc24fb1-6e46-0667-4ec1-01790064a60b/Thirst_for_God_Zacharou.pdf
00:16:48 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://mcusercontent.com/c38acab568d650f7ef65f39df/files/506f6085-0052-3e6d-7e04-806ca4478091/Thirst_for_God_handout_of_quotes.pdf
00:17:35 Lou Judd: Thank you so much for offering this talk, Father. Gd bless you!
01:19:17 Suzanne Romano: Does not this thirst presuppose a willingness to suffer?
01:21:45 Michael Rosteet: A Willingness to Sacrifice in order to satisfy thirst
01:21:50 Mark Kelly: Reacted to "A Willingness to Sac..." with 👍
01:28:39 Anne: Reacted to A Willingness to Sac... with "👍"
01:32:34 Suzanne Romano: I just heard that St. Francis de Sales said that suffering is the 8th Sacrament!
01:34:08 Mark Kelly: "To them that long for the presence of the living God, the thought of Him is sweetest itself: but there is no satiety, rather an ever-increasing appetite...” ― Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God
01:40:09 Naina: Thank you so much Father🙏☦️❤️ Needed this 🙏
01:40:51 Jade: Reacted to "Thank you so much Fa…" with ❤️
01:41:55 Suzanne Romano: Great topic!
01:42:09 Una: Profound! Thank you!
01:42:15 paulmccloskey: Thank you. Yes, this has been very helpful.
01:42:23 Julie: Beautiful
01:42:42 John Sullivan: Excellent, will there access to the recording afterwards?
01:42:50 Art: This was wonderful!  Thank you!
01:43:15 Lou Judd: I still don’t understand replace satisfaction with expectation
01:43:37 Karine: Very helpful Father, God bless you
01:43:45 Craig Klampe: Thank you. Yes. Will this be a podcast?
01:43:59 Eric Ewanco: Will this recording be posted?
01:44:03 Jade: Thank you Father, Beautiful! 
I have felt the closest to God in my suffering. 
I can’t remember who said this maybe Saint Anthony the great, but it was something along the lines of “The devil taught me how to pray, The demons would tempt me and I would run to God in prayer, the further they would tempt me the more I would run to prayer, therefore the devil taught me how to pray”. I’ve never related so deeply to something.
01:44:12 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, father!
01:44:15 cameron: Thank you.
01:44:17 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you, have a good retreat🙂
01:44:20 Una: Where is this library?
01:44:22 Adam Paige: Thank you so much Father !!!!
01:45:27 Una: Thank you

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily III, Part V

Saint Isaac the Syrian asks the question that has been put forward for centuries - “how are we to pray?”  In fact, our Lord himself was asked by his disciples to teach them how to pray as John the Baptizer taught his disciples. Within a few beautiful paragraphs Isaac opens up for us not only what we are to pray for but why. What Isaac would have us understand is that our prayer should be a reflection both of who God is and what he is revealed already in regard to his desires for us and a reflection of who we are and our understanding of our dignity and destiny in Christ. It is as if God says to us, “I became man in order that you might become God. If you did not desire to become God, you would do me wrong“. We are to refrain from asking for the things of this world not because it is wrong to do so in a moralistic or legalistic understanding of things. Rather, we are to ask for what is heavenly. At times our focus upon and anxiety about the things in this world makes our vision myopic. We lose sight of the presence of God and the life and the love that he has promised us. Isaac tells us that when our petitions to God are in accord with His glory then our honor is magnified before Him and He rejoices over us. Similarly, Isaac tells us, the angels and archangels are astonished and exalt whenever they behold one who has been made from the earth asking for what is heavenly – one who is been made from the dust asking for what endures to eternity.
Therefore, Isaac, echoing the Scriptures tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and all else will be given to us. We need only be humble and patient - trusting above all in the providence of God and not rush onwards to great measures before the appropriate time. “For anything”, Isaac tells us, “that is quickly obtained is also easily lost, whereas everything found with toil is also kept with careful watching.“ That which is precious comes only after striving to give our hearts to God and then we must hold onto it with great watchfulness. 
What is most essential, however, is that we thirst for Jesus and that He would make us drunk with His love. Do not let your eyes focus on the delights of this world, but rather trust that God desires to give you his peace and the invincible joy of the kingdom. Simply put, “the man who desires the greatest things does not concern himself with a lesser“
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Text of chat during the group:
00:05:47 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 135, first full paragraph on this page
00:14:39 Myles Davidson: Top of pg. 135 “Do not become foolish…”
00:26:38 Anthony: This reminds me of a quote by Henri Nouwen, that our biggest affliction is a feeling of self hatred. You shared this on Facebook.
00:30:00 Rick Visser: Is it fair to say that Therese L. was disposed to a love that went beyond the sensual-- the felt--and was disposed to a pure love that transcended the feelings?
00:32:28 Joshua Sander: Isaac's mention of us leaving "our dunghill" for the things of Heaven also reminds me of C. S. Lewis, who writes, "It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
00:33:53 Anna: So the desert fathers and mothers didn't have psychological tools and neurological tools to overcome things like anger, anxiety, fear and so on... did they overcome such things through only ascetic life and prayer?
00:35:58 Gwen’s iPhone: It was Leo XIII allowed her to enter Carmel at a young age.
00:46:28 Rick Visser: What are vain repetitions in prayer?
00:46:35 Anthony: When we pray, should we be very specific,  or say only, "Lord have mercy as you know how"?
01:02:05 Rick Visser: Does this mean I must give up my herb garden and pray, give up the lesser things for the greatest things?
01:02:13 Eleana: lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi
01:10:01 Anthony: A Man For All Seasons,  the counsel Thomas More gives to the scholar
01:10:25 Anna: My daughter is asking... Were the desert fathers living in the desert and if so how did they find their food?
01:14:12 Myles Davidson: Desert Christians by William Harmless is a great book about how they lived
01:14:25 Catherine Opie: There are places in the desert where springs come up and monasteries are built on those places
01:15:36 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:15:39 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:15:47 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you!!
01:15:54 Catherine Opie: Thank you God bless
01:16:03 David: Thank you father and may God bless you and your mother

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily III, Part IV

As we listen to St. Isaac the Syrian in Homily Three his focus shifts from speaking of the necessary foundation to be laid in the spiritual life, purity of mind, to drawing us further to purity of heart. Purity of mind is established through the toils of the ascetic life, including vigils, fasting, prayer and meditation upon the scriptures, etc.  One’s attraction to the life of virtue grows. However, Isaac warns us that as quickly as it is formed within us, it can be lost. A soul may allow into the mind a thought or image that once again stirs up the passions and what has been gained through much prayer and struggle is lost quickly.
Purity of heart, however, is something that only emerges by the grace of God and His action in our lives. All that St. Isaac speaks of in the ascetic life continues. However, purity of heart, the purification of the “sense of senses” comes only by many afflictions, deprivations, separation from fellowship with the world, and deadness to all things. It is truly a dying to self and self will and abandoning oneself to God completely. This is the stumbling block for the majority of mankind, including many Christians. It is to embrace the Cross. One is no longer soiled by little things, nor dismayed by conflicts and struggles. What Isaac is suggesting here is that a soul begins to be fed on solid food indigestible to those who are weak. Such purity of heart comes through many afflictions and is acquired over a long period of time.
One’s focus becomes fixed upon the Beloved and he becomes the lens through which one views everything. Saint Isaac describes it as a state of limpid purity, of that natural innocence once lost.  To regain such a state is difficult living in a world surrounded by so many things that foster not knowledge of God but rather knowledge of many evil realities. There is only one path to this purity and that is simplicity – desiring the one thing necessary and shaping one’s whole life around that reality. This is the immediate goal of the spiritual life as St. John Cassian teaches. We are to abandon what is small in order that we might find what is truly great. We are to spurn what is superfluous and without value in order to discover that “treasure hidden in the field”. We are to become dead to the world in order that we might not live unto death. Saint Isaac reminds us that martyrs are not only those who have accepted death for belief in Christ, but those who die for the sake of keeping his commandments. He does not varnish the gospel for us, but rather brings into clear view the necessity of loving Christ above all things, including our own lives. What the world needs is martyrs – those who bear witness to the very love of the kingdom.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:31 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to"descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there.
00:01:55 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Heart as explained by Philip Sherrard
00:02:16 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: One of the translators of the Philokalia
00:03:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 133, first paragraph on this page, 22nd paragraph from start of this homily
00:08:57 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to"descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there.
00:09:14 Adam Paige: The monastery in Egypt is working on a legal appeal at the moment https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/foreign-policy/1272520/sinai-monastery-working-out-legal-appeal/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#
00:09:45 Adam Paige: Reacted to "The receptacle of gr…" with ❤️
00:12:22 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to"descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there.
00:13:59 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to"descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there.
00:14:02 Myles Davidson: I’m quite happy to pay for your content Fr
00:24:44 Jamie Hickman: The purification of the mind seems more possible on earth whereas the purification of the heart seems more likely to occur in purgatory 🤷🏻‍♂️
00:29:05 Paisios: St Silouan
00:30:32 Joshua Sander: Can you repeat the name of that book by Fr. Benedict?
00:31:16 Myles Davidson: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0824506286?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz
00:33:21 Myles Davidson: Replying to "https://www.amazon.c..."
Sorry, That’s Amazon Australia
00:34:14 Kevin Burke: How does this concept of purity of heart relate to the traditional Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart?
00:34:33 Janine: Fr Grochel used to say that he hoped he made it to Purgatory!
00:38:04 Jamie Hickman: I agree, Father, but union with God is a lifetime work even if the immediate goal...seems achieved for many of us through purgatory even if we are aiming for heaven. Just suggesting this isn't easily attainable in short time for many of us
00:38:53 Nypaver Clan: Page?
00:39:03 Erick Chastain: 133
00:39:28 Erick Chastain: Now 134
00:39:47 Nypaver Clan: thanks
00:45:11 Erick Chastain: How does one avoid perception without being a hermit?
00:51:29 Rick Visser: Kierkegaard: "Purity of Heart is to will one thing."
01:02:43 Jamie Hickman: No rush, could be for the end: Father, what are your thoughts on the four/five volume Philokalia in separate books vs the more recent publication of all the volumes in a single book? I think the two follow different translations.
01:03:34 Jamie Hickman: Haha love this and thank you, Father!
01:04:04 Ben: Replying to "No rush, could be fo..."
I always wondered how the Pilgrim carried the whole Philokalia in his sack! 😝
01:04:21 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "I always wondered ho..." with 🤣
01:10:13 Anthony: I miss visiting with relatives over coffee. "Americans" just don't do that.
01:12:34 Art: You’ve mentioned “to give up Christ for Christ”, with regards to prayer, for example.
01:15:07 Mark South: Fr David: You posted an article regarding Satan in the Church on Facebook a month or so ago. I believe it was written by a Father or Abbot from Mt Athos. Do you recall?
01:15:38 eleana: "The greatest Glory" the movie about the christeros
01:15:44 Mark South: The name of the article?
01:15:48 Nypaver Clan: Brother Andres at Epiphany Church
01:16:44 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:17:04 Jamie Hickman: Thank you, Father!
01:17:07 Nypaver Clan: Brother Andres is also at Assumption Church, Bellevue
01:17:14 Catherine Opie: Thank you. Apologies we will be at mass on Sunday at that time
01:17:16 Elizabeth Richards’s iPhone: & with you 🙏🏼

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part VI

Contrition is love! To many this will seem to be an absurdity, but when we look not only to the writings of the fathers, but to the life of Christ himself something far more beautiful begins to emerge. Contrition, in order for it to be genuine and not to lead to despair, must be tied to a depth of love that does not allow for any other response from the heart than to weep. One of the perfect examples came tonight through the teaching of Abba Poimen. “On one occasion, as he was returning to Egypt, Abba Poimen saw a woman sitting on a tomb and weeping bitterly. He said to himself: ‘If all of the delights of the world were assembled in front of her, they could not comfort her soul, because she is mourning. So, also, should the monk always have contrition in his soul’”. This woman lost her beloved and no one and no thing in this world could prevent her from mourning his loss. For example, when a couple has been married for many years and, as Christ tells us, the two become one, the loss of this love is like the dying of part of oneself. The depth of the love is mirrored by the intensity of the experience of the loss. Similarly, a soul who not only understands that Christ is her Beloved, but has experienced it in the depths of her heart, and lives it on a daily basis, is going to experience the loss or betrayal of this love as something that pierces the heart. 
Contrary to public opinion, love is not blind. In fact, just the opposite. Love, the more that the heart has been purified and freed of selfishness and pride, is going to see things with a perfect clarity such that the individual participates in the experience of the Other. The great example of this is Mary, the Mother of our Lord. It is prophesied by Simeon that her child was destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel and that a sort of sorrow would pierce through her heart as well. Mary was not an outside observer but through her humility and love participated radically in the ministry and suffering of her son. The death of the beloved, of Love, could not help but pierce her heart, transfixing it to her son’s. Such should be our experience of contrition. The deeper our love for the Lord becomes the more we see of our poverty and of His immeasurable compassion, the more our hearts are pierced with sorrow when we turn away from Him. In this sense, nothing is small or inconsequential. We see how our hearts can betray us and betray Christ. This is part of the reality of allowing ourselves to be drawn into the mystery of the Cross; not only to allow ourselves to be stretched out in love for others, but to experience how our own betrayal and neglect adds to the poverty of a world darkened by sin. 
Weep we must because love demands it. This we must understand literally as we see Christ himself weep at the tomb of his friend Lazarus and how shaken he is when he sees the multitude that are like sheep without a shepherd, abandoned, wounded and beyond recognition. May God have mercy on us, and may our faith be such that we allow love to pierce our hearts as Christ allowed it to pierce His own.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:13:36 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 261, # 4
00:29:59 Maureen Cunningham: Page ?
00:34:07 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Page ?"
252 #6
00:36:02 Anthony: In reading Archbishop Raya, The Face of God. He says in Byzantine Rite, forgiveness comes in giving praise to God, in a different way than Sacramental Confession.
00:49:59 Anthony: If it's not tied to faith in God, such superattentiveness will drive you batty trying to sort what thoughts are actually yours, how culpable you are, multiplying thought on thought. Faith has to cut it off and say No more!
00:53:38 Rebecca Thérèse: It seems that the boy chose to be hit with the bowling ball. If you warned him several times, it was selfish of him to obstruct you when it was your turn. He probably never thinks of this event at all.
00:56:09 Kate : Is there a certain fear of contrition in the sense that if we really saw the truth about our sins we wouldn’t be able to bear it?
01:00:15 Anthony: St Gregory of Narek,  Lamentations, is the best book I've found to balance grief and hope. He's a guide on not being overwhelmed.
01:07:19 Rick Visser: "when he calls upon God with discernment" ??
01:09:10 Julie: I don’t know if this is related, but Fr Sophrony was asked,” give me a word for the salvation of my soul”Without hesitation he replied.” Stand at the brink of the abyss of despair, and when you see that you cannot bear it anymore, draw back a little and have a cup of tea “.
01:13:30 Maureen Cunningham: Is your birthday soon
01:14:02 Nypaver Clan: That IS NOT old!!!!
01:15:04 Bob Čihák, AZ: You'll get used to being "old", I bet.
01:15:26 Maureen Cunningham: Both good
01:15:36 Janine: Thank you Father
01:16:15 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part V

One of the amazing things about reading the lives in the teachings of the desert fathers is that we begin to see that we are part of the body of Christ and among the many who have sought to make the spiritual journey over the centuries.  We aren’t Christians in isolation. This means not only that we hold and believe the same truths about the faith that have been revealed to us but also that we seek to embrace in all of its fullness the life and the love of that Christ has made possible for us. We struggle with the same wounds, similar dispositions and mindsets that affect the way that we view the world around us and the way that we practice the faith. The acknowledgment of this communion and the desire to breathe the same air and to travel the same path is a source of great strength for us. Not only are we guided by the teachings of Christ and the gift of His Spirit but also by the many Saints and Martyrs who embody this reality in their lives. 
One of the great fruits of this is Hope. The struggle with the poverty of our sin, the sorrow that it brings can leave us feeling alone and isolated. But as we listen to the stories from the Fathers on contrition and how to shape this habit of mind and virtue, it is as if we are taken by the hand and guided toward Christ. The Scriptures tell us that we are to console others as we ourselves have been consoled. The Fathers console us in so many different ways. They do this most simply by presenting us with the truth of our struggle with sin and also the depth of God‘s mercy and compassion. They struggle so hard to prevent us from falling into despondency and give us the healing balm of their wisdom to keep us moving forward - even if we should make a wreck of our life on a daily basis. 
On the most beautiful things they teach us in the Evergetinos is that contrition is not about self-contempt so much as it is about self-knowledge; of seeing the truth of the wound of sin and our need for the Divine Physician. What is asked of us is not perfection, but rather to live in a spirit of faith and repentance; with humble hearts to turn to the One who loves us and desires to heal us.  These reasons alone are enough to convince a soul to seek constant nourishment and guidance from the fathers.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:06:27 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 249, F. From St. Barsanouphios
00:15:19 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 249, F. From St. Barsanouphios
00:21:41 Myles Davidson: Chat GPT had never heard of the St. Barsonouphous / Buddha connection, for what it’s worth
00:23:36 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Chat GPT had never h..."
…nor an internet search
00:27:31 Rod Castillo: Replying to "Chat GPT had never h…"I think you are referring to the legend of Barlaam and Josaphat.  Barlaam was thought to have been the Buddha in Christian guise.
00:27:55 Lindsey Funair: Is it sinful to cry out of contrition over sins already confessed?
00:28:29 Anthony: I apologize to all: the story of Barlaam and Joseph is connected to Buddha.  New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia mentions the connection.
00:41:11 Kate : I recently read that one of the fathers said that profound and deep sighs are the same as physical tears.
00:42:44 Lindsey Funair: Sometimes it would seem the physical tears are a blessing as the person would otherwise doubt their own sincerity if it weren't for the outward sign. So they can then experience the connection more purely. Because it makes it easier to accept, the reality of the state of the soul, without the distraction of being unworthy to talk to God. But it is very inconvenient when driving and attracts bad attention at church.
00:44:00 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Sometimes it would s..." with 👍🏼
00:44:33 Lindsey Funair: Groans, which have no understandable meaning, have been spoken of that way.
00:47:05 Una: If you want to stop crying during Mass, try inflicting pain on the side of your thumb with the fingernail of the opposite thumb. The pain will distract you as you try to breath through it (as with natural childbirth breathing). No harm will be done your thumb. Cry when you get home.
00:52:49 Adam Paige: “When he went to church on Saturdays and Sundays he walked alone in deep thought, allowing no one to approach him lest his concentration should be interrupted. In church he stood in a comer, keeping his face turned to the ground and shedding streams of tears. For, like the holy fathers, and especially like his great model Arsenios, he was always full of contrition and kept the thought of death continually in his mind.” - Abba Philimon (Philokalia volume 2)
00:54:33 Anthony: How do we distinguish real contrition or trying to be contrite versus grief for not living up to perfection, or a craven approach to God, or emotional instability? Or does this even matter, since you trust God to bring you along to His goodness in the end?
01:00:18 Lindsey Funair: Most of us have a hard enough time staying on the path that it is hard to imagine the temptation to stay on the path, but without walking forward, that becomes its own temptation.
01:14:46 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:15:09 Lindsey Funair: Thank you, Father. Please include me for Saturday's email.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily III, Part III

Saint Isaac for Syrian proves himself once more to be one of the most beautiful and poetic of teachers. He describes for us the nature of the human person and the fragmentation that has taken place because of sin. On the level of the flesh, the body has certain needs and will seek to satisfy them. Yet, sin often brings a disorder to this desire as well as a weakness of will.  In other words, we can begin to seek to satisfy the flesh in a sinful fashion and in a way contrary not only to Divine revelation but also to reason. The soul also is invested with its own particular nature that allows us to perceive the realities of the world around us and to understand them. This understanding, however, is not necessarily going to act in concert with the desires of the flesh. It is for this reason that we so often experience conflict within ourselves. We may see what is good and true and beautiful and yet by the weakness of our will embrace the opposite. Likewise, we may have the strength of will to embrace what is good and yet because of the darkness of our thoughts and our understanding we embrace that which does not conform to the truth or our real needs. 
Due to our being in a constant state of receptivity through our senses, our thoughts can be shaped by the will of the flesh, the imagination from what we have seen or heard, our predisposition to think in a certain way where our minds are filled with inconsistencies and, finally, by the demons who wage war on us and seek to enliven the passions. 
Purity of mind is to be rapt in things Divine and this comes about, Saint Isaac tells us, after a man has long practiced the virtues.  He warns us, however, that we cannot be so bold to think that we have achieved this without the experience of evil thoughts or that we are outside the reach of them while we are still in the body. 
Again, Isaac is seeking to lay a foundation for us that allows us to see the inner workings of the mind and the heart. We must seek this purity of mind and struggle against the multitude of passions and the thoughts associated with them.  Isaac teaches us this not simply that we might understand it on an intellectual level, but that within it we might also find hope. The more clearly we see this the more freely we can pursue purity of mind. We can grow in our capacity to direct our thoughts to those things that are virtuous and create within the human heart a greater desire for God. It is from this vantage point that we can begin to see and enter the path that leads to purity of heart.
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00:08:34 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 131, paragraph 15, first on page
00:14:49 Catherine Opie: Apologies what page are we on today?
00:14:59 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 131, paragraph 15, first on page
00:15:14 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "P. 131, paragraph 15..." with 🙏🏻
00:32:44 Eleana: I have seen my patients crying because they lost their will with the use of substances. The ascetic life then, will increase the use of the will? I don't see that it becomes easier with time the prayiing life and motification by the contrary seems that tentations will increase.
00:44:41 Anthony: And with novels and movies, the observer is drawn into the drama and the thoughts and sensations become his own, and theyvalso become false memories.
00:46:46 Ryan N: Father,Is the best way to avoid these imaginations that are influenced by sensory stimuli to avoid external sensory impulse altogether?
00:57:00 Joshua Sander: The line from T.S. Eliot comes to mind, "And they write innumerable books, being too vain and distracted for silence."
00:57:09 Bob Čihák, AZ: Margaret Thatcher
00:58:22 Ben: And St. Therese..."Oh, how glad I am that I didn't read all those books!"
00:59:15 Art: Reacted to "And St. Therese..."O..." with 👍
01:05:30 Ryan N: Father there seems to be an emphasis on the role of demons as a source of temptation. To what degree is that true in relation to the other sources like natural inclination
01:14:00 Catherine Opie: Fr. how does non judgement tie in with speaking out about evil or injustice? Does it mean that we must not do this with hatred in our hearts for the perpetrator?
01:14:31 Fr. Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: I think it was St. Peter of Damascus 298 passions
01:15:22 Anthony: The New Advent Catholic encyclopedia on Anger helped me understand  anger.
01:18:35 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:18:41 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:18:43 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. God bless.❤️🙏🏻
01:19:22 Maureen Cunningham: Yay
01:19:23 Ben: 👏
01:19:31 David: Thank you Father. God bless you and your mother.
01:19:47 Elizabeth Richards: Thank you

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part IV

“Contrition is his very name!” This is how the authors describe a monk who not only is contrite of heart, but who also lives always in this state. What becomes clear in the writings and experience of the desert fathers is that contrition is the source of consolation. The capacity to see one’s sin, though painful, is also the path to healing. It draws us to God and creates a thirst in our heart that only he can satisfy.We might wonder how we, living in the world, can maintain the same state. It is not only by humbly acknowledging our sins before God or remembering our mortality. This certainly contributes to fostering such blessed mourning. Yet what truly shapes the heart is the realization that our soul, which is of greater worth to us than the whole world, has been deadened by sins and lies dying before us. One contemporary elder said that God loves an individual soul more than the entire cosmos!  It is this vision of the beauty of the human soul and the depth of God‘s love that moves the heart the most to the sorrow that draws us back to the Beloved; that gives rise to the tears that become a source of true consolation. May God fill our hearts with such contrition and open our eyes to the depth of his love.
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Text of chat during the group: 
00:13:21 Una: What page are we on in the Nun Christina translation?
00:14:09 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Not sure. I don’t have that translation
00:14:25 Janine: Page 182 nun christina
00:15:44 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 246, first full paragraph
00:18:11 Una: Thank you for the page number
00:21:38 wayne: Is there a difference between contrition and repentance?
00:29:08 Suzanne Romano: I'm hearing a beautiful dichotomy. The sense of being incapable of perfectly conforming to the will of God; and yet a deep consolation.
00:58:58 Rebecca Thérèse: song of Bernadette
00:59:06 Nypaver Clan: Song of Bernadette
01:04:29 Janine: St Gregory of Narak
01:05:08 Janine: From the depths of the heart
01:13:26 Sean Coe: Maintain a spirit of peace and you will save a thousand souls - St Seraphim of Sarov
01:18:19 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:18:27 Suzanne Romano: Pax!
01:18:32 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.
01:18:37 Sean Coe: Thank you, Fr Charbel

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily III, Part II

Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis (right belief and right practice) are intimately tied together. All of the fathers and, in particular, Saint Isaac the Syrian want us to understand that our perception of revelation, who God is to us and what we have become in his Son through the Paschal mystery, and how we live our life are inseparable. God has revealed himself to us in a unique and distinctive fashion, and has made known to us our dignity and destiny in Christ. Therefore, having a clear understanding of our human nature, the sickness of sin and the passions that follow and the healing that takes place through Grace is imperative.
Isaac pushes us to understand that virtue is the natural health of the soul and the passions are an illness of the soul that follow and invade our nature and despoil its proper health. One can see how essential this is when looking at our life in this world and the struggles of the spiritual life. We can attribute sin and the hold that passions have upon us simply to human nature. However, when we do this, we lose sight of the fact that we have been created in the image and likeness of God and that sin is antecedent to that reality. We have been created for love and to manifest this love through virtue.
A faulty or incomplete understanding of human anthropology and psychology, has often been the pretext that the Evil One uses to distort our vision to the point that we willingly embrace that which enslaves us.  To understand that we have been created good, conversely, establishes a firm desire within the human heart for that which is of God. It also establishes confidence and hope in the grace of God who tells us precisely that he has come not to judge the world but to save it! 
One of the beautiful things that the desert fathers would have us understand is that Christ is the divine physician who has come to heal us. He is the Good Samaritan from the gospel who takes our burden upon himself in order that we might be nursed to the fullness of health.  Again, if Isaac makes us work to understand this, we must see it as a labor of love. To grasp these truths allows us to give free expression to our desire for God and to run towards Him with the freedom of those aided by His Grace.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:52 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 128 paragraph 6
00:10:40 Anthony: I just read that there is a "Holy Transfiguration East" in Burnsville, NC.
00:11:43 Anthony: Gotcha thanks
00:26:20 Joshua Sander: I've missed the last couple of weeks, and so you may have already explained this, but when Isaac uses the term "passions," what exactly does he mean? I've heard the term used roughly in the sense of "emotions" (i.e. anger, sadness, etc.), but does Isaac mean it more in the sense of "temptations"? I think you may have just explained this now, but in that case, could you briefly restate this?
00:30:04 Suzanne Romano: Does Isaac distinguish between original nature and fallen nature?
00:33:15 David: I found this helpful from Fr. Maximos- So, we have five stages in the evolution of a logismos,” he concluded, spreading out the five fingers of his right hand. “Assault, interaction, consent, captivity/defeat, and passion/obsession. These are more or less all the stages. While they use the same word in translation it helped me to realize the different stages in context.
00:37:23 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I found this helpful..." with 👍
00:37:39 Julie: Reacted to "I found this helpful…" with 👍
00:45:53 wayne: late to evening..what page?
00:46:03 Ben: Replying to "late to evening..wha..."
130
00:46:04 Catherine Opie: 130
00:46:08 Catherine Opie: Top
00:46:20 wayne: thnx
00:58:59 Anthony: I'm reading Fr John Custer's book on the Epistles.  He is a priest in Eparchy of Passaic. His description of St Paul in Romans (what I would do, I do not...) is like Isaac here about natural virtue vs foreign passions.
00:59:09 Eleana: I believe Mary was made to give to the divine  flesh, and to the flesh to become divine; to break the passion's hold since men's desire is not enough. Nicodemus asked how we born again? Our Lady!
01:01:02 Ren Witter: Going to throw this out there for anyone who is as confused as I am 🤣. Is Isaac saying that, though the Passions are not natural, they are given to us by God? Even though they are a sickness?
01:03:43 Ren Witter: What would be an example of one of the passions of the soul, given to us for our benefit, by God?
01:09:07 Catherine Opie: Sorry cant raise hand. So Fr., it is like this? For example: We have hunger to tell us we need to eat. This is a natural bodily desire that is beneficial. However, the soul needs to be in control of this and able to acknowledge this desire to eat and allay it to the appropriate time to do this, also to have faith and trust in that food will be provided so there is no need to panic about it, i.e. fear of starvation leading us to grab the food, eat more food than is necessary, steal the food or even attack someone else to desperately obtain food to quiet the fear of hunger? Otherwise we are driven by base bodily functions and raw passions? Therefore we learn to practice the virtue of temperance.
01:15:14 Jeffrey Ott: My family and I are getting chrismated this Sunday at our Ukranian church here in Oregon. Please pray for us!
01:15:16 Catherine Opie: Amen. Deo gratiats
01:15:24 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:15:25 David: Thank you Father may God bless you!
01:15:28 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you Father!
01:15:29 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Thank you Father!" with ❤️

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part III

The loss of the spirit of contrition can take place whenever our hearts become hardened; when we grow sluggish in the spiritual life or our attention shifts off of our own sin and need for God‘s mercy and is redirected towards the things of the world or to the sins of others. The desert fathers pull back the veil on the human heart and reveal the motivation for our actions and thoughts. We often become very skilled at satisfying our morbid delight for seeing others weaknesses and their natural flaws and defects. Rather than keeping our focus upon contrition for our own sins and seeking purity of heart, we become preoccupied with our neighbor; judging them, becoming frustrated and irritated with them, pushing our opinions upon them, becoming upset when we do not receive what we believe we deserve or when we feel that we have been misjudged and slandered. Rather than having an eye for the needs of the other and instead of being tender and gentle in our attitude, we often see others as an obstacle to our happiness or our freedom. When we could be a source of peace and healing we become rough to the point that our interactions with others is akin to rubbing up against sandpaper. Those closest to us often elude us. Sometimes we do not know what to give and even what we do give may not be helpful or wanted. But we can still love them - we can love them completely. A human being is not someone we are called to fix, correct or judge, but rather one we are called to embrace with the same love and to offer the same consolation as we have received from Christ.
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00:14:14 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 245 first paragraph on this page
00:14:24 Janine: Suzanne..that sounds awful…I will pray for you!
00:14:41 Suzanne Romano: Thank you Janine!!!!
00:37:10 Catherine Opie: This is like being a parent as well
00:56:21 Lindsey Funair: thank you, that helps a lot
00:56:35 Bob Čihák, AZ: An invitation to be nosey? When an acquaintance once said something about a third person like "Yes, I know why he left that job but I'm not going to say why" it sounded like an invitation to get nosey, so I simply didn't respond at all, and went on my way.
00:57:44 Joseph: St. Maximos the Confessor writes, “Cut off the passions, and you will soon silence the senses. Restrain the senses, and you will easily calm the passions.” The goal of ascetic struggle, through repentance and bodily hardship, is not to reject the senses, but to purify them. The senses are not the cause of sin; rather, sin arises from the passionate response to the representations that the senses convey. The desert (silence) is a means of purification, to restore our noetic vision to health, so we can perceive sense data, sight, sound, touch, etc., without passion. This is the what we aim for anyway!
00:58:35 Joseph: From Second Century on Love, 2.15
01:03:34 Myles Davidson: The Litany of Humility springs to mind
From the desire of being approved,Deliver me, O Jesus.From the fear of being humiliated,Deliver me, O Jesus.From the fear of being despised,Deliver me, O Jesus.
et. al
01:06:35 Catherine Opie: St Teresa of Avila would say that anyone who slandered her was probably right. That really struck me when I read it. Because it is really the antithesis of what I was brought up to believe.
01:06:37 Myles Davidson: Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta
01:06:41 Lorraine Green: Marie del  val
01:14:08 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:14:26 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. God bless.
01:14:31 Julie: God bless
01:14:34 Lindsey Funair: thank you!
01:14:37 Suzanne Romano: Pax!
01:14:37 Lorraine Green: God bless

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily III, Part I

Upon reading the beginning of this homily, one clearly gets the sense that Saint Isaac the Syrian wants our understanding of the spiritual life, who we are as human beings, and a relationship with God (who has created us in His image and likeness), to be set on a foundation that is unshakable. One must love Isaac for the effort! He is giving us eyes to see. 
He began by presenting us with an image of a soul who truly abides in her nature, and so comes to penetrate into and understand the wisdom of God. Knowing nothing of the impediment of the passions, the soul is lifted up toward God and is astonished and struck with wonder. This is Isaac’s starting point for a reason. He wants us to regain what over the course of time has been lost; that is, our perception the beauty and wonder of how God has created us and our natural capacity for love and virtue. Furthermore, it is not just about perception but the experience of being God bearers and temples of the Holy Spirit. It is about our deification. 
What has distorted or understanding is the emergence of the passions and how we have come to view them. Isaac tells us categorically that the soul by nature is passionless. We are created in God‘s image and likeness and it is only the emergence of sin that has darken that which was created to be filled with light. Thus, when a soul is moved in a passionate way, she is outside her nature. The passions have the ability to move the soul after the fall. There’s a radical communion between body and soul and with sin our experience of the world through the senses and in our desires and appetites become distorted. The break of communion with God leads to an internal break within us as human beings; a fragmentation on the deepest level of our existence. What is the nature of a soul created for communion when it pursues autonomy from the one who created her in love? Is it not only the loss of unity with God but within ourselves and our capacity to experience and reflect our true dignity? 
Saint Isaac makes us work in these paragraphs and grapple to understand what he’s saying. Yet, it is a labor of love; for it is upon the foundation of this understanding of our nature that we will once again be able to see the wonder and beauty of how God has created us and experience the healing necessary to reflect this wondrous reality to the world.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:17:20 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 127, paragraph 1
00:31:07 Lindsey Funair: When I hear the memories of the soul grow old, it reminds me that the soul knows not ego or attachment, it remembers only what is worthy of taking to Paradise, only that that is in Love. That is all there is once the world and self-love and other things that are not Love, is filtered from our memory.
00:31:13 Anthony: It's important to say that Isaac was born into a time and geography of turmoil and he wasn't living in comfort locked away from the outside.
00:31:43 Maureen Cunningham: Washington Carfer
00:31:52 Maureen Cunningham: Carver
00:33:02 Troyce Garrett Quimpo: This sections reminds me of St John of the Cross's Purgative Way.
00:36:11 Anthony: George Washington Carver
00:36:20 Vanessa: famous Black inventer
00:40:08 Maureen Cunningham: Yes George Washington Carver thank you , a little book I read . A Man who talked to flowers.
00:40:34 Anthony: I think when Isaac refers to philosophers he might have in mind the humors that dominate a man or the astrologers who Forcast about a person.
00:42:08 Lindsey Funair: it helps me to think of passions in this sense of Maslow's entire hierarchy, those things which are necessary to life and living and connecting with others and doing good, but when focused on directly become a distraction from the humility and obedience which place us "in" our soul and in relative connection to God
00:42:08 Manuel: How this idea that the soul is passionless by nature fit in with the opening of the Philokalia “There is among the passions an anger of the intellect, and this anger is in accordance with nature. Without anger a man cannot attain purity”?
00:44:25 Vanessa: When I went to university, I always thought the academics disciplines were centered around "explaining the world without God."
00:44:51 Anthony: I wrote it
00:44:56 Kathy Locher: What in our nature would have made us susceptible to temptation. Especially, given that we were living in Eden in God’s company?
00:45:31 Ryan N: Father what would your response be to those who emphasize the importance of the body because it is equally made in the image and likeness of God ( not just the soul)
00:46:35 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "What in our nature w..." with 👍
00:48:25 Lindsey Funair: It is a context for personhood
00:59:59 Lindsey Funair: the body feels first the pain then looks for purpose, where the soul honors the purpose by bearing the pain. vain suffering, suffering without purpose, is not of the soul and is rejected by it rightfully.
01:01:26 David: I notice more and more people respond - that is the way I am . Usually with a passion a mentor once responded but if you could see who you could become. It almost seems like many use that is the way I am as an excuse to embrace sin.
01:02:11 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "I notice more and mo..." with 👍🏻
01:04:30 Vanessa: Reacted to "I notice more and mo..." with 👍
01:04:58 Alex Underwood: It is my understanding that there’s no word for “consciousness” in the Old Testament.. is it right to say that The Christ, as this representation of the revealed consciousness of God, brings us into an understanding of the un-consciousness of The Father.. this “invisibility” that Isaac speaks of?
01:06:42 Una: What's the book again?
01:06:50 Myles Davidson: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09M4CQL1H?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz
01:06:53 Lindsey Funair: What then is the meaning of writing a name on the heart?
01:07:11 Una: Thank you
01:07:15 Myles Davidson: Replying to "What's the book agai..."
Essential reading!
01:07:28 Una: Dr. Raymond Richmond in San Francisco gets close to this idea
01:07:41 Una: Chastity in San Francisco? is his site
01:08:04 David: A Beginner's Introduction to the Philokalia, 2016: Anthony M. Coniaris: 9781880971796: Amazon.com: Books
01:08:17 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "https://www.amazon.c..." with 🙏🏻
01:08:30 David: Only available through kindle
01:10:33 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "https://zoboko.com/b..." with 👍
01:13:47 Max Horcher: Reacted to "https://zoboko.com..." with 👍
01:14:53 Catherine Opie: Don't download that PDF version it seems to be a malicious site
01:14:58 Catherine Opie: Sorry
01:16:05 David: I found a good definition of Nous (eye of the soul) or heart.In this belief, soul is created in the image of God. Since God is Trinitarian, Mankind is Nous, Word and Spirit. The same is held true of the soul (or heart): it has nous, word and spirit. To understand this better first an understanding of St. Gregory Palamas's teaching that man is a representation of the trinitarian mystery should be addressed.
01:17:41 Wayne: Reacted to "I found a good defin..." with 👍
01:19:44 Max Horcher: Replying to "Don't download tha..."
I did, and it seems fine to me, but YMMV. I also have AdblockPlus and UBlockOrigin running; might be problematic without adblockers.
The EPUB to PDF converter site isn't English, but it worked as advertised.
01:20:38 Alex Underwood: Excellent insight, thank you father
01:21:13 Catherine Opie: I'm really finding this very transformational thank you Fr.
01:21:28 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: The Deification of Man - a book by a Romanian Orthodox writer of the last century
01:22:28 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you Blessing to all  and many prayer for Father
01:22:28 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:22:29 David: Thank you very much Father. May God bless you and your mother
01:22:32 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:22:34 Art: Thank you!!
01:22:45 Catherine Opie: Thanks be to God. No way!
01:22:45 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you! A presto!
01:22:45 Alex Underwood: lol
01:22:59 Lee Graham: Thank you, have a great week
01:23:01 Lindsey Funair: thank you, Father

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXII, Part II

At the end of many of these groups, my only thought is that the beauty of the writings of the fathers is exquisite. Often when reading them one is both pierced to the heart, but also raised up and consoled. This is surprisingly so in this hypothesis on contrition. None of the fathers’ writings appear to be an abstraction, but rather their words reverberate with the pain and the love ofthose who experienced the struggle with sin. 
One comes to know not only the weight and burden of sin, but a kind of otherworldly darkness to which it drags the soul. A soul begins to understand how the demons act as accusers; seeking to cast it down into the depths of despair after having coaxed it into sin.
There are two kinds of contrition with which we must become familiar. The first is rooted in fear; the acknowledgment of the coming judgment and the consequences of turning away from God. The soul becomes painfully aware of what it is to turn away from He who is light and life. The second kind of contrition, however, arises out of desire for the kingdom. Once a soul has tasted the sweetness of God‘s compassion they weep tears over any way that they turn from the depths of that Love. That are hearts would be watered with this kind of contrition is an extraordinary gift!
To see contrition as a gift is admittedly difficult. Yet in reading the fathers one comes to see that it is not only the prerequisite for the spiritual life, but also the path that opens one up to the deepest consolation. To see ourselves as we truly are, to stand in the light of the truth, may be extremely painful, but that light comes from the Physician of souls, who in the very act of revealing our sins removes them.
It is then with freedom that the soul can entrust itself to God to chastise it; knowing that “a broken and contrite heart the Lord will not scorn”.  Every breath becomes a groan; a cry of love that is united to the groan of the Spirit that dwells within the human heart. The humbled soul is then elevated, exalted, to God who embraces his prodigal child and rejoices. This bitter path then is the path to true joy. And taking it, the soul loses interest in anything else around him; most of all the actions of others or their sins. He will judge no man, knowing that he himself will soon stand before the Judge of all.
Imagine hearts that take up the burden of their own sins, that do not say so much as a word on their own behalf and that confess what they have done and accept that whatever comes to them is just and fitting for it comes from the hand of the Lord!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:13:35 Myles Davidson: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/9068317091?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz00:18:08 Anthony: I knew it! Jazz music. :)
00:23:24 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 241 A paragraph starting “For many….”
00:23:45 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "P. 241 A paragraph s..." with 🙏🏻
00:38:44 Anthony: The Communion of the Saints.
00:41:19 Anthony: Then it is a blessing to endure the enemies' false accusations now to be vaccinated against them and hope in God at the moment of death.
00:58:10 Suzanne Romano: So important to understand that these lamentations are not hyperbole, but rather the depth of the anguish of self knowledge in this vale of tears.
01:00:41 Anthony: When I would hear about people's great Sins, I would realize the root of every one I could see in myself in small ways and it was terrifying.  I think maybe this realization is also part of Isaiah's grief?
01:05:05 Forrest Cavalier: ps 51:19 My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn. (Much of the previous paragraphs from Ephraim mirror Ps 51, too)
01:05:22 Suzanne Romano: It's interesting to consider whether this depth of the remorse of self knowledge, and the pain and crying out to God that is engendered, becomes the seed of perfect confidence in God as Physician and Helper.
01:05:37 Anthony: Then we should pray for the greatest of sinners as if we are praying for our own souls?
01:09:05 Sr. Mary Clare: I think of St. Mary Magdalene weeping for her sins on the feet of Jesus and how He says to her that her sins are forgiven because she has loved much. Her compunction of heart was seen in it's depths by Jesus Christ
01:09:14 Maureen Cunningham: Jesus prayer
01:11:27 Suzanne Romano: One of the most heartening thoughts for the contrite, is that their suffering is love. It doesn't feel like love, but it is love, and the God of Love recognizes it.
01:12:00 Sr. Mary Clare: Reacted to "One of the most hear..." with ❤️
01:20:26 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You , Blessing to all
01:21:16 Sr. Mary Clare: St. Peter sees the miracle of Jesus multiplying fish, He says, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." In the confessional we approach the mercy seat of God, and we almost want to say the same as Peter did. God's mercy is so great!
01:21:22 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:21:24 Catherine Opie: Once again thank you Fr. and God bless 🙏🏻❤️

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily II, Part V

What is it that forms and shapes us the most as human beings? What affects the way that we perceive reality and gives form to the thoughts that we have  throughout the course of a day? Do we have any awareness of an interior life or are we simply drawn along by the flow of external realities; demands, responsibilities or forms of entertainment? 
According to the Fathers and Saint Isaac the Syrian, we are in a constant state of receptivity through our senses. Part of being a human being is that we see and perceive everything that is around us; all of which give rise to a multitude of thoughts, images and feelings. Our lack of awareness of reality and of the internal life and the effect that our thoughts have upon us means that we often allow or identity to be shaped by the changing tides of the times or the constant shifting of our emotions. 
In so many ways, the Fathers were the first depth psychologists. Their movement to great solitude and the stillness of the desert allowed a greater awareness to emerge of what was going on internally. This of course didn’t lead immediately to understanding or transformation. However, the awareness did allow them to begin to discern the source of their thoughts, what thoughts predominate, and where their thoughts were leading them. 
Thoughts can be so strong and so deeply rooted that they become habitual - as well as the actions that follow from them. These habitual thoughts and actions the Fathers call “passions” and the passions as a whole are referred to as the “world”.  Our growing capacity to acknowledge the dominant passions and to struggle with them allows two things to begin to emerge: a good transformation of our way of life and a greater capacity to understand the nature of our thoughts. Simply put, one begins to be able to measure one’s way of life by what arises from within.  
In this Homily, Saint Isaac is setting the stage for guiding us along a path to spiritual healing and transformation in Christ. The fruit of the struggle promises wholeness, freedom, and the joy that our sin often prevents. When we are guided simply by our private judgment or by what satisfies our most basic needs, then our understanding of things becomes very insular and myopic and we lose sight of the dignity and destiny that is ours’ in Christ. 
The more that we desire the life and freedom that Isaac describes above the more discover that we need to have no fear of anything. One who has tasted the love and mercy of Christ also finds emerging within himself the courage of a lion. The fear of soul that once overshadowed him succumbs before this ever-present love like wax from the heat of a flame.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:08:36 Bob Čihák, AZ: Is this the book? Amazon has: The Secret Seminary: Prayer and the Study of Theology by Fr. Brendan Pelphrey  | Apr 28, 2012
00:16:08 Mary Clare Wax: It has all the bells and whistles! Love it
00:18:29 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 124, paragraph 14
00:19:08 Myles Davidson: Replying to "P. 124, paragraph 14"
“Think to yourself…”
00:20:04 Suzanne Romano: Hey Studge!
00:20:29 Stephen Romano: Hey sis  :)
00:20:47 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to Hey sis  :) with "😅"
00:25:37 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: HEART - (καρδιά - kardia): not simply the physical organ but the spiritual centre of man’s being, man as made in the image of God, his deepest and truest self, or the inner shrine, to be entered only through sacrifice and death, in which the mystery of the union between the divine and the human is consummated. ' “I called with my whole heart”, says the psalmist - that is, with body, soul and spirit' (John Klimakos, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 28, translated by Archimandrite Lazarus [London, 1959], pp. 257-8). ‘Heart’ has thus an all-embracing significance: ‘prayer of the heart’ means prayer not just of the emotions and affections, but of the whole person, including the body.
00:25:52 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: REASON -, mind (διάνοια - dianoia): the discursive, conceptualizing and logical faculty in man, the function of which is to draw conclusions or formulate concepts deriving from data provided either by revelation or spiritual knowledge (q.v.) or by sense-observation. The knowledge of the reason is consequently of a lower order than spiritual knowledge (q.v.) and does not imply any direct apprehension or perception of the inner essences or principles (q.v.) of created beings, still less of divine truth itself Indeed, such apprehension or perception, which is the function of the intellect (q.v.), is beyond the scope of the reason.
00:25:57 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: INTELLECT - (νοϋς - nous): the highest faculty in man, through which - provided it is purified - he knows God or the inner essences or principles (q.v.) of created things by means of direct apprehension or spiritual perception. Unlike the dianoia or reason (q.v.), from which it must be carefully distinguished, the intellect does not function by formulating abstract concepts and then arguing on this basis to a conclusion reached through deductive reasoning, but it understands divine truth by means of immediate experience, intuition or ‘simple cognition’ (the term used by St Isaac the Syrian). The intellect dwells in the ‘depths of the soul’; it constitutes the innermost aspect of the heart (St Diadochos, §§ 79, 88: in our translation, vol. i, pp. 280, 287). The intellect is the organ of contemplation (q.v.), the ‘eye of the heart’ (Makarian Homilies).
00:25:57 Adam Paige: Reacted to "REASON -, mind (διάν…" with 👌
00:26:02 Adam Paige: Reacted to "HEART - (καρδιά - ka…" with ❤️
00:40:30 Catherine: Reacted to INTELLECT - (νοϋς - ... with "❤️"00:41:30 David: I find it interesting some of the main physicist and philosophers are now finding or theorize we are living in a simulation. I have a few atheists people I have come to meet who came to Christ agonizing on things like this.  This seems to be an open door to understand this life is not all there is. I also find it interesting reading the desert fathers.
00:42:49 Suzanne Romano: Acedia?
00:43:10 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Acedia?" with 👍🏼
00:43:31 David: The worst is the bad translation of acedia badly translated the worst of all today.The seven capital sins, also known as the seven deadly sins, are: Pride Greed Wrath Envy Lust Gluttony Sloth
00:47:04 David: Having studied Economy it is clear the market and people are not rational. Thank God I learned science explains little about real life. ha ha
00:48:54 Anthony: Heresy is a club of people with the same private judgment
00:49:04 Anthony: Reacted to Having studied Econo... with "😂"
00:49:29 Suzanne Romano: Yes!
00:51:11 Ren Witter: To be fair, Father, you look like someone out of the Matrix 😄. Perfect robes. Just need the glasses.
00:51:25 Lee Graham: Reacted to "Heresy is a club of …" with 😂
01:02:01 David: Many atheist or agnostics look for meaning and believe science or stoicism will explain it.  Then they have a child or love someone and that can't be explained rationally alone
01:02:48 David: Love makes little sense but one "knows" it is more real than anything else
01:03:04 Ben: Replying to "Many atheist or agno..."
And I think it was Bishop Sheen who said the worst thing for an atheist is feeling grateful and having no one to thank.
01:03:10 Anthony: And then, I think, perception becomes more acute to sense brief affirmations from God that you are not lost.
01:03:54 David: Replying to "Many atheist or agno..."
👍
01:04:16 Art iPhone: Reacted to "And I think it was B…" with 👍
01:07:52 Anthony: Father is this understanding of incarnation the thesis of Song of Tears by Olivier Clement?
01:09:15 Maureen Cunningham: Hound of Heaven
01:11:39 David: Just an image of what someone said
01:11:49 David: Matrix dogging bullets
01:11:56 David: Orthodox preist
01:19:18 David: Is there something like the Catena Aurea but written based on the desert fathers? I find when I do readings of the scriptures or daily readings I always am interested what meditations the desert fathers might have had.  Reading magnificent or give us our day I don't always find as many treasures as what I have found in the desert fathers. Would be wonderful if there was a missal with this or something like the catena aurea. I have had 3 icons Climatus, Issac and Ephraim for 15 years even with those I would be happy
01:20:36 Ben: "The Bible and the Holy Fathers"? A Byzantine nun mentioned this one.
01:21:29 Lori Hatala: Sounds like a book needs to be written.
01:21:58 Erick Chastain: "The Word in the Desert" talks about generally how the Desert Fathers read and lived scripture
01:22:10 Erick Chastain: There might be things like this there
01:24:13 Myles Davidson: Replying to ""The Word in the Des..."
That’s a good book!
01:24:25 Myles Davidson: Reacted to ""The Word in the Des..." with 👍
01:25:00 Erick Chastain: How does one practice fear for the soul?
01:26:58 Suzanne Romano: My preciouuuus!
01:27:07 Maureen Cunningham: What week would it be in the Bible and Holy Fathers is it different
01:28:07 Anthony: The choice of gollum is perceptive.  In Jewish folklore, a gollum is an artificial thing brought to "life" by magic.
01:28:47 David: There is a great book on Tolkien. Tolkien and Faith. But think of a life without Love existing helped at least me. The alternative is transactional and life has no meaning.
01:29:59 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You on web site
01:30:41 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:30:43 David: Thank you father bless you and your mother!
01:30:45 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:30:47 Suzanne Romano: Pax!
01:30:49 Kathleen: Thank you
01:30:50 Jeff Ott: Thank you!
01:30:52 Julie: God bless all
01:30:57 Lee Graham: Thank you

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXXI, and XXXII, Part I

In their discussion of the struggle with the passions and in particular those associated with the bodily appetites and what we experienced through the senses, the fathers do not neglect to show us the effect that our thoughts and our lack of watchfulness can have upon the unconscious. Certain images and ideas will emerge from our dreams and often take on a form that can be agitating or of a subject matter that is disturbing spiritually. The fathers want us to understand that we are not morally culpable for what arises during the night in our dreams nor can the Evil One directly influence what happens because of our dreams such as nocturnal emissions. Yet, are not to ruminate upon the meaning or the content of these dreams during the day. To do so is to open ourselves “daydreaming”, where we openly allow ourselves to think about images thoughts and ideas that came to mind during the night. Such rumination then can be a source of temptation for us. It is best to set such thoughts aside and focus on fostering temperance and love. As long as we are focused upon God then what arises out of the unconscious will eventually be healed as well. However, if we are slothful or worse prideful we become more subject to the effects of such a dreams or their frequency will become more prominent in our life because of our lack of spiritual discipline.
In Hypothesis XXXII, our attention is drawn toward the work of contrition. Saint Gregory tells us that contrition manifest itself in many forms of spiritual beauty. This is striking if only because of the negative connotation that the word contrition sometimes holds. Saint Gregory tells us that ultimately it is a path to beauty, goodness and love. When a soul first seeks after God at the outset it feels contrition out of fear. It is humbled by the depths of its poverty and how contrary this is to that which is good and to our essential dignity. Tears begin to flow and as they do the soul begins to develop a certain courage in the spiritual life and is warmed by a desire for heavenly joy. The soul which shortly before wept from the fear that it might be condemned, eventually weeps bitterly simply because of how far it perceives itself from the kingdom of heaven. As the soul is cleansed, however, it clearly beholds before it what the choirs of angels are and the splendor that belongs to these blessed spirits. Ultimately, the soul begins to behold the vision of God himself. One then weeps for joy as it waits to experience this vision in its fullness. When perfect contrition emerges then the soul’s thirst for God is satiated; tears now turning in to the living waters of the kingdom.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:11:02 Lorraine Green: Fr., can you take a Mass request?  Where would we send that is so?  And the stipend?
00:11:33 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to I've got a (pet) rab... with "😄"
00:14:00 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 238 # A
00:21:21 Anthony: This is also an exercise of faith....if a person is hunted by fear of filth, and filth separates us from God, the fathers recommend the exercise of faith and ignoring false feelings of filth.
00:23:37 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "This is also an exer..." with ❤️
00:23:41 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "This is also an exer..." with ❤️
00:25:25 Suzanne Romano: St. Alphonsus recommends, for holy purity, three Hail Marys before sleep and three upon waking.
00:26:06 Suzanne Romano: TV opens up the portals of the passions.
00:27:32 Catherine Opie: There is nothing more enjoyable to do with kids than to read a book aloud.
00:28:06 Sheila Applegate: Quitting can feel like a drug addiction. It can release the neurotransmitter dopamine and it is so craveable.
00:28:50 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Quitting can feel li..." with 👍🏻
00:28:57 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "St. Alphonsus recomm..." with ❤️
00:29:01 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "This is also an exer..." with 🙏🏻
00:29:02 Marias iphone 14: Reacted to "There is nothing mor…" with ❤️
00:29:33 Bob Čihák, AZ: We gave up TV easily. After we drove 2 cars from WA to AZ and had my laptop brick and the AC in one car break, 7 years ago, we haven't yet bother to get a TV.
00:36:19 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "We gave up TV easily..." with 🤓
00:37:28 Anthony: Fyi....even common technology works against us. I have a program on my new cell phone that I don't know how to get off, and when I swipe to use my phone, I'm getting pornography and other ads that is the first thing I see.
00:38:05 Suzanne Romano: I think porn rewires the brain.
00:40:02 Wayne: Have heard one author say that men who have this issue  want to stop but seem powerless to stop the addiction
00:40:29 Myles Davidson: The book “Your Brain On Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction” looks at the science behind the rewiring process
00:42:17 Suzanne Romano: There's a spiritual warfare aspect to the addiction.
00:43:51 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "There's a spiritual ..." with 👍🏻
00:53:08 Catherine Opie: Replying to "Fyi....even common t..."
Is it a google app for news and advertising? I had that on my new phone. You can go to your apps and remove it. It will usually have some kind of media logo on it. So you can see what app it is. Also you can change the settings on your screen, it may just be a simple case of turning off the advertising notifications
01:06:12 Lindsey Funair: Maybe hardest part for me in recognizing the beauty and wanting of the divine is how it folds back on the weak spirit in the form of idolatry and covetousness of that which is so supremely beautiful simply because it reflects God's Love.
01:06:15 Anthony: Reacted to Is it a google app f... with "👍"
01:08:23 Forrest Cavalier: Life-giving repentance is in today's readings. “God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.” Acts 11:18 from today's mass readings (western church.)
01:10:20 Anthony: You also have to love yourself "through" feelings of deficiency, and convince yourself "God hates nothing He has made."
01:17:58 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:18:01 Sr. Mary Clare: thank you!
01:18:04 Lindsey Funair: thank you
01:18:04 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:18:07 Suzanne Romano: Pax!!
01:18:07 Marias iphone 14: Thank you
01:18:14 Catherine Opie: Deo Gratias Fr. Thank you and may God bless you
01:18:15 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father
01:18:27 Sr. Charista Maria: Thank you Fr. :)

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily II, Part IV

Life in Christ is not an abstraction and the gospel is not simply a set of teachings or an ideology. It is clarion call to “Follow Me” from He who is the Lord of life and love. We are invited to participate in the mystery of Divine Life. Just as the fathers  tell us that we are to “become prayer” and not simply engage in a discipline, likewise, we must become Christ. We must put on Him mind and our hearts must be animated by His Spirit of love.  It is for this reason that Saint Isaac the Syrian places desire at the heart of the spiritual life. There is one path that lies ahead for us – we are to long for Christ and for the life of the kingdom. Anything else is reductive; shrinking the faith down to what is manageable and acceptable to our sensibilities and understanding. It is no longer faith but a simulation or as Christ would say “hypocrisy“. 
The reality that Saint Isaac places before us is the need for the healing of the soul; afflicted by sin, we are dominated by the passion. Yet because we are made in the image and likeness of God we often unknowingly reach out to grasp what is greater than ourselves while neglecting purity of heart and the need for God‘s grace and mercy. Such a path only leads to greater darkness. Sin unaddressed, like illness undiagnosed only grows worse. We must seek the healing that comes through participation in the Paschal Mystery; that is, a dying and rising to new life in Christ. We must die to sin and self in order to have the purity of heart and the depth of faith that allows us to comprehend what is beyond the senses and reason. 
Central to Saint Isaac’s thought is the purification of the Nous, the eye of the soul. If neglected one simply becomes blind to the presence of God and his love. The words of Christ come to mind in this regard: “the eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is  bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” To neglect such a reality is like the man who shamelessly entered into the wedding feast with unclean garments. We seek to enter into the fullness of life and love while yet immersed in the mire of our sin and clinging to the things of the world.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:13:13 susan: wish I could be there  I am a piano teacher  lol
00:13:20 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 123, paragraph 11
00:27:04 Myles Davidson: Father, a week or so ago you mentioned private revelation, many of which seem to also fit into this category (ie. fantasies of the mind). There are a plethora of so-called seers around today, many of which have been shown to be fakes. How do the Orthodox deal with this phenomena? I’ve heard they have a policy of keeping private revelations as just that… private. What are your thoughts on this?
00:28:12 Anthony: If Christ on the criss is the Bridegroom,  then I can see a person who has desired impure thoughts is running to be like the Bridegroom but is not "ready" to be married. Although, the Gospel does tell us to take up the cross and follow Christ,  without reference to one's state of mind or holiness.
00:37:36 Ren Witter: In my notes from the last time we did Isaac, you said that this teaching is not harsh, but practical. Sin being understood as a sickness, a person who has not yet been purified through praxis simply would not have the strength to take up the cross in such a way as to ascend to theoria. Sounds a lot like the teaching on taking up fasting beyond your strength - you’ll just end up worse off than you were before.
00:44:14 Joshua Sander: My apologies if you've already covered this or if Isaac is about to get to this and I'm getting ahead of him, but how does one discern that one's own "senses have found rest from their infirmity" and that he or she is ready for theoria, especially given that temptations and struggles against sin will always be with us while we are in the flesh?
00:47:00 Nypaver Clan: What page are we on?
00:47:07 Ren Witter: 124
00:53:46 Anthony: I suspect a lot of us seekers are like St Teresa d'Avila who suffer much from bad advice until we run into clearer presentations of faith, hope and love.00:54:15 Catherine Opie: Replying to "I suspect a lot of u..."
Definitely my path 🤣
00:54:24 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "I suspect a lot of u..." with ❤️
00:54:52 Myles Davidson: add 😁
00:57:23 Myles Davidson: Christ as anchor"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  Hebrews 6:19
00:58:28 Ren Witter: The building where this happened was Pitt’s public health building, which is still nicknamed “Our Lady of Public Health”
00:59:11 Wayne: Reacted to "The building where t..." with 😂
00:59:21 Ben: Reacted to "The building where t..." with 🤢
00:59:21 Max Horcher: Reacted to "The building where..." with 😂
01:00:17 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "The building where t..." with 🤣
01:00:45 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Christ as anchor"We..." with 🙏🏻
01:01:11 Bob Čihák, AZ: Reacted to "Christ as anchor"We..." with 🙏🏻
01:01:32 Suzanne Romano: Hell on earth! 😆
01:02:07 Ben: Replying to "Hell on earth! 😆"
Health on earth?...
01:06:16 Myles Davidson: 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"Matt 6:22-23
01:06:21 Elizabeth Richards’s iPhone: Replying to "Hell on earth! 😆"““The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.6.22-23.ESV
01:06:23 Nypaver Clan: Matthew 6:23
01:12:35 Myles Davidson: Is the word used here “watching” the same as the Greek word ‘nepsis’? (A concept I’ve found very helpful!)
01:12:57 Anthony: Ok, this is where philosophy fails, for in philosophy I only recall being taught about "a priori" knowledge and "a posteriori" knowledge.  Isaac is in a different dimension altogether.
01:15:02 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Ok, this is where ph..." with 👍
01:15:18 Alex Underwood: Reacted to "Ok, this is where ph..." with 👍
01:17:25 Ben: Replying to "Is the word used her..."
Thanks for pointing that out...I had been understanding "watching" as "vigils"...but I guess in that case it would have just said "vigils". 😆
01:17:59 John Cruz: Come and see….
01:18:13 Ben: Reacted to "Come and see…." with 👍
01:19:53 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Is the word used her..."
Could be both… good point 🙂
01:21:22 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:21:30 Maureen Cunningham: Yay
01:21:48 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you Father. You'll never retire.
01:22:19 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:22:21 Elizabeth Richards’s iPhone: And with your spirit
01:22:21 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. very "enlightening" discussion as always, God bless have a wonderful week
01:22:23 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:22:28 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you Father!
01:22:29 Suzanne Romano: Pax!!
01:22:40 David: Thank you Father!
01:22:41 Kevin Burke: Thank you father!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part IX and XXX

The more that I read the fathers’ writings and about their spiritual struggles, the more I understand that what we need to see is the desire that is the foundation their life and driving force behind their behaviors.  Our life is to be an urgent longing for God who has given everything to us and revealed his desire to draw us into his life. Our spiritual life cannot be an abstraction; something that exist in the mind alone. Nor can it be a kind of rigorous moralism where one is driven by fear or an intense scrupulosity; rooted in the doubt of God’s compassion and mercy. 
We have had to read the Evergetinos very closely and with a critical eye; for the stories capture for us the fathers’ struggle to hold on to the one thing necessary while maintaining a balanced understanding of what it is to be a human being. This is a difficult thing for people to do in general and for the fathers we find that there withdrawal from society intensified and complicated this struggle. We have noted in past discussions the tendency to project the struggle within the human heart onto others as the cause of their anger, lust, etc. In reality, the battle lies within.
Having said this, we must understand that desire is the heart of the spiritual life. It is the one thing that we should be seeking to inflame from moment to moment and day to day. This the fathers understood; especially those who had experienced a radical intimacy with God and purity of heart. When one has tasted the sweetness of the kingdom, the life and love of the living God, then the urgency of one’s desire for God and holding on to what is precious becomes the goal of life. When one’s heart has been touched by the Beloved one can think of nothing else. And when one has lost that intimacy through ingratitude or sloth, the depths of pain in the heart is equally great.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:43 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: This is the best reflection I’ve read on Climacus’ description of the prison in The Ladder of the Divine Ascent:The visitation of the uncreated Light generates the most intense desire which does not allow man any rest on earth. When speaking to his monastic community, Father Sophrony indicated that the prisoners in The Ladder of Saint John Climacus were not ordinary people. They were not people to be despised as sinners who were expelled to be punished. They were people of unrestrainable desire for God, who had known the uncreated Light and then lost it after having sinned in one way or another. They voluntarily went to that prison, determined to die rather than to betray the covenant they had made with God in the beginning. As we read, some of them were so totally consumed by the pain of their desire and repentance, that they passed to the other life even before they had reached the tenth day of their abode in that prison.00:01:49 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: There is a verse from the Psalms which truly describes the state of those prisoners: ‘Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions: How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.’ In my humble opinion, there is not a more perfect expression of the gift of longing for the living God than this verse of prophet David. Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou “Monasticism”
00:12:35 Suzanne Romano: Nothing in chat
00:12:36 Maureen Cunningham: Nope
00:12:41 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: This is the best reflection I’ve read on Climacus’ description of the prison in The Ladder of the Divine Ascent:The visitation of the uncreated Light generates the most intense desire which does not allow man any rest on earth. When speaking to his monastic community, Father Sophrony indicated that the prisoners in The Ladder of Saint John Climacus were not ordinary people. They were not people to be despised as sinners who were expelled to be punished. They were people of unrestrainable desire for God, who had known the uncreated Light and then lost it after having sinned in one way or another. They voluntarily went to that prison, determined to die rather than to betray the covenant they had made with God in the beginning. As we read, some of them were so totally consumed by the pain of their desire and repentance, that they passed to the other life even before they had reached the tenth day of their abode in that prison.
00:12:49 Suzanne Romano: Yes
00:12:50 Julie: Yes
00:12:50 Maureen Cunningham: Yes
00:12:55 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: There is a verse from the Psalms which truly describes the state of those prisoners: ‘Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions: How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.’ In my humble opinion, there is not a more perfect expression of the gift of longing for the living God than this verse of prophet David. Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou “Monasticism”
00:12:59 Troy Amaro: Reacted to "This is the best ref…" with 👍
00:23:47 Adam Paige: Reacted to "This is the best ref..." with 👍
00:23:55 Julie: Beautiful
00:26:46 Bob Čihák, AZ: Reacted to "Beautiful" with 👍
00:52:14 Catherine Opie: Fr. with priests who are in the world they are working with young boys all the time mentoring them as servers and during the mass there is a lot of close contact holding vestments etc. I had never really considered this situation in this way. And we are told these days that human touch is necessary for good mental health as well.
00:52:15 Sr. Charista Maria: Fr. are you familiar with Aelred of Rievaulx, Saint of Holy Friendship? Some of what he shares is different than this. Yes it is scary out there though.
00:52:55 Sr. Charista Maria: St. Aelred is very personable though prudent.
00:56:35 Forrest Cavalier: Like most acolytes, nothing inappropriate happened as I served as an acolyte under many priests for 10 years. Nothing inappropriate. The number of abusers is a small percentage. Too many, but a small percentage. That means that this requirement is not difficult.
00:56:52 Sr. Mary Clare: Concerning priests with altar boys, It takes prayer and discernment to lead the boys to Jesus rather than to themselves. A holy reserve can go a long way. Loving others without any possessive love.
00:57:37 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Like most acolytes, ..." with 👍🏻
00:57:44 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Concerning priests w..." with 👍🏻
00:58:22 Lori Hatala: Do you think a lack of reverence contributes?
00:59:02 Sr. Charista Maria: Reacted to "Concerning priests w..." with 👍🏻
00:59:13 Dennis M: Reacted to "Concerning priests w..." with 👍🏻
00:59:24 Sr. Charista Maria: Reacted to "Do you think a lack ..." with 👍
01:13:54 Maureen Cunningham: Yes loud
01:15:44 Suzanne Romano: Isaac speaks about the senses being the conduits of a darkening of the soul. I think he says we have to starve them.
01:15:55 Maureen Cunningham: Desert Fathers went to desert fight the evil.
01:20:54 Sr. Mary Clare: Your beautiful explanations are very balanced. Thank you!
01:21:46 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You
01:21:47 Catherine Opie: It becomes clearer all the time how
01:21:51 Sr. Charista Maria: very good Fr.
01:22:06 Janine: It was great Father! Thank you!
01:22:28 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:22:35 Suzanne Romano: God bless!
01:22:36 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:22:44 Catherine Opie: God bless
01:22:48 Bob Čihák, AZ: You're always on target, Father. The targets change, thank God!
01:22:48 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.
01:23:05 Maureen Cunningham: We're do you listen

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily II, Part III

The experience of reading Saint Isaac the Syrian is something like being caught up in a vortex; not a linear explanation of the spiritual life or spiritual practices, but rather being drawn by the Holy Spirit that blows wherever It wills. It is not as though Isaac’s thought lacks cohesiveness, but rather he presents the life of faith and life in Christ to us as an artist painting with broad strokes. This is especially true in the first six homilies that speak of the discipline of virtue. Isaac seems to be more concerned about our breathing the same air as the Saints. He wants us to be swept up by our desire for God and in our gratitude for His love and mercy. Our life is not simply following a series of teachings or a moral code, but rather embodying very life of Christ. We are to love and console others as we have been loved and consoled by the Lord. If our spiritual disciplines do not remove the impediments to our capacity to be loved and to love others, then they are sorely lacking. 
In every way, our lives should be a reflection of Christ and the manner that we walk along the path of our lives should be reflective of His mindset and desire. In other words, we should desire to do the will of God and to love Him above all things, including our own lives. We are to die to self and sin and have a willingness to trust in the Providence of God that leads our hearts to desire to take up the cross daily and follow him. We begin to see affliction as something that not only shapes are virtue and deepens our faith, but that is a participation in the reality of redemption. We are drawn into something that is Divine and Saint Isaac would not have us make it something common. The Cross will always be a stumbling block when gazed upon or experienced on a purely natural level. But for those who have faith, we begin to see and experience the sweetness of God’s love and intimacy with him precisely through affliction. Isaac would have us know that joy in all of its fullness.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:10:51 Catherine Opie: Hi there, where are we in the text?
00:12:03 Lori Hatala: pg 122 Cover a sinner...
00:13:10 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "pg 122 Cover a sinne..." with 🙏🏻
00:13:53 Fr. Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064674224441
00:14:25 mstef: What's the best place to buy the text for Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian?
00:14:55 Fr. Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: Replying to "What's the best plac..."
https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/635/?srsltid=AfmBOop3vDmjuAXUXQSy7YsihYlEpKvTek3MiYqFazzowWu9fREOmiK3
00:16:24 Thomas: I think he is 44
00:17:52 Suzanne Romano: Charbelle
00:19:03 Una: Reacted to "Charbelle" with 👍
00:20:37 Ben: Replying to "What's the best plac..."
Found mine used on Abebooks.com...had study notes, so price was right!
00:22:07 Fr. Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: Reacted to "Found mine used on A..." with ❤️
00:29:15 Suzanne Romano: Cover a sinner as long as he does not harm you. How do we define harm? Is a person's obstinate refusal of the truth the kind of suffering we can relieve? Or can dealing with an obstinate person open our heart up to harm?  
00:35:56 Kate : Is there a difference between how the Eastern Church understands sainthood vs the Western Church?  In the Latin Rite you hear the term “heroic virtue” but it seems the Eastern understanding is more “Christ living within.”
00:38:18 Sr. Mary Clare: Reacted to "Is there a differenc..." with 👍
00:38:57 Sr. Mary Clare: That's a good question, Kate.
00:39:43 Anthony: It's important to avoid self-loathing in failure to pursue good things, but commend all things to God's disposition.
00:45:40 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you so true ,
00:46:55 David: It is easy to pray for deliverance or in thanksgiving but it seems as you draw closer it seems the only honest prayer becomes- Lord teach me your way I trust in you.
00:51:51 Ben: When Father's elected Pope...bye-bye, pews. 👍
00:52:11 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "When Father's electe..." with 😊
00:52:44 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "It's important to av..." with ❤️
00:52:46 Thomas: When he says to help the sinners in the first part how much are we supposed to do, because at some point wouldn’t you encroach on spiritual father type of stuff
00:53:02 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "It is easy to pray f..." with ❤️
00:53:09 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "When Father's electe..." with 🤣
00:54:05 Una: With my long-term fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue (severe) I simply could not keep up with Orthodox services, especially Holy Week. And the fasting. I was glad to come back to the Western rite and more relaxing fasting. God bless those who can do it.
00:54:48 Sr. Mary Clare: Unfortunately, covid became an excuse not to return to Mass. This has become a very sad situation. Watching the Liturgy online has become the norm. No doubt, this was a tactic of the evil one.
00:55:20 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Unfortunately, covid..." with 👍🏻
00:55:35 Eleana: I have seen more participation AFTER covid.
00:55:47 Jamie Hickman: This is how the TLM is in my experience. Yes, there are rushed low Masses out there, but my decades experience of Sunday Sung Mass is minimum 90 minutes, but usually closer to 2. The 10:30 in my area ends between 12:20-12:30 weekly. In Tampa this year, Easter Vigil began at 7 PM and ended around 12:30 AM...and the pastor actually began speaking some of the prayers in English that are permitted so to save some time.
00:56:07 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "This is how the TLM ..." with 👍
00:56:30 Ben: Replying to "I have seen more par..."
Trad. parishes *exploded* with growth, it's true. God brings good out of evil.
00:56:41 Catherine Opie: Interesting that
00:57:00 Myles Davidson: Replying to "This is how the TLM ..."
The Extraordinary Form is just that… extraordinary!
00:57:53 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Trad. parishes *expl..." with 👍
00:58:55 David: In my parish we are filled with millennials and Gen Z even daily mass it is amazing I hope they stay. Before daily mass was just me and a few older people now almost every pew is full. But my parish is very traditional and lots of silence in mass. Covid might have been an momentary issue but now at least where I am I am shocked to see sunday service flow into the atrium and people holding open the doors outside during feasts.
00:58:59 Catherine Opie: Sorry, pressed enter before ready, I find it interesting that existing Catholics might be doing that, avoiding going to mass in person by watching on line, while for converts like myself lockdowns drove me into the arms of Catholicism, and adult conversions doubled this year on last year.
00:59:31 Sr. Mary Clare: Reacted to "Sorry, pressed enter..." with ❤️
01:00:09 Sr. Mary Clare: Reacted to "In my parish we are ..." with ❤️
01:01:40 Una: Thank you. Very encouraging.
01:06:51 Catherine Opie: I see the physical pain that intensifies when at mass, praying etc as the level of my resistance to sit with God. I offer it up for the souls in purgatory and breathe through it. As well as having to suffer the perfume other people wear!!!!!
01:06:54 Suzanne Romano: Guadalupe
01:06:54 Anthony: Guadeloupe was 1500s
01:06:58 Ben: Guadalupe was 1531 - Aztecs
01:08:12 Myles Davidson: Replying to "I see the physical p..."
Perfumes = penance!
01:09:04 Ben: Reacted to "Perfumes = penance!" with 😲
01:11:32 David: Guadalupe did convert more Christians in the shortest period of time in history after decades of little success in the Americas. My son was baptized in the first stone font when we lived in Mexico,  the next year moved to a museum in Tlaxcala. The first Christians were other communities and the aztecas a minority in the territory were hold outs till Guadalupe.
01:16:57 Ben: Asceticism in the beginning of the spiritual life is basic to the Fathers, but today it's often treated as something for those who are already saints, with no reference to purity of heart.
01:19:05 Eleana: Reacted to "Guadalupe did conv..." with 😮
01:19:35 Lee Graham: Please explain the soul,s incentive parr
01:19:48 Lee Graham: Incentive
01:19:48 Anthony: Asceticism with little prayer and desire sounds similar to Jansenism
01:20:23 Ben: Right - we need all that.
01:23:11 Ben: It's a deep paragraph for 8:38pm
01:23:15 Sr. Mary Clare: What you have been saying is beautiful!
01:23:16 David: Why with all the ministries and works, committee's, Bingo, fundraisers isn't there more spiritual direction and an ER for the the spiritually sick. What I like most about the desert fathers is they identify the error and give a solution or solutions. I am dismayed by the latin approach to dealing with any of the evil thoughts.
01:23:20 Naina: Amen 🙏 Thank you Father 🙏✝️🤍
01:23:57 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:24:02 Elizabeth Richards: Peace to you
01:24:02 Catherine Opie: God bless Fr.
01:24:10 Francisco Ingham: God bless you Fr.!
01:24:11 David: Thank you father may God bless you and your mother.

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part VIII

What is the limit of our desire for God?  What conditions do we set on our pursuit of virtue, constancy of prayer and the avoidance of sin? What emerges from the writings of the fathers is their willingness to sacrifice themselves and comfort in ways that are unimaginable to the modern mind. Beyond that their actions seem to be absurd and extreme to the point of falling to the criticism of masochism or self hatred. It is very difficult for many to grasp the nature of such thirst and desire for God and to please Him. Equally, it is hard to imagine going to the lengths that these ascetic did in avoiding sin or overcoming temptation in the heat of the battle. They often treated the body harshly to prevent themselves from pursuing natural or disordered desires. Rarely do we consider the pretext that the Evil One is willing to use to draw us into sin. Therefore, we often will put ourselves to the test or engage in futile warfare that bears witness to pride within our hearts. Thus, even in our critical reading of the fathers we have to be wary of allowing our modern sensibilities to convince us that we see things with greater clarity psychologically and spiritually. If we are wrapped in the illusion of faith and comfortable with mediocrity, our sensibilities are going to be dulled and the Cross will remain for us as it has often been in every generation – a stumbling block rather than the revelation of selfless love.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:26 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 231 number 9
01:01:12 Suzanne Romano: This is the reason  why people should dress modestly.
01:02:40 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "This is the reason  ..." with 👍
01:03:02 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "This is the reason  ..." with ❤️
01:07:45 Kate : When children are formed in truth, goodness, and beauty from a young age, they are able to see the falsehood in secular culture.
01:08:37 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to When children are fo... with "❤️"
01:12:15 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "When children are fo..." with ❤️
01:12:28 Anthony: I often think: if these things against innocence are wrong, why does God let it happen? And I have to fight rising anger.
01:16:36 Suzanne Romano: That is a truly consoling answer!
01:16:58 Sr. Charista Maria: Wow, great response Father :).I
01:21:57 Tracey Fredman: I have tasted it - what Fr. is saying is so right - so true, transformative - and then He sends us -
01:22:18 Anthony: Reacted to I have tasted it - w... with "❤️"
01:22:27 Sr. Charista Maria: Reacted to "I have tasted it - w..." with ❤️
01:23:02 Sr. Charista Maria: Reacted to "When children are fo..." with ❤️
01:23:49 Suzanne Romano: Your soul is always young!
01:24:31 Laura: Reacted to "Your soul is always ..." with 👍🏼
01:24:51 Suzanne Romano: 😆
01:25:05 Lee Graham: What is your address
01:25:11 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:25:30 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:25:57 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:25:58 Catherine Opie: Deo Gratias
01:26:10 Julie: God bless
01:26:24 Catherine Opie: My dog has awoken

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily II, Part II

Gratitude is placing ourselves into the hands of God, trusting in His providence and allowing Him to guide us where He wills (without asking us for permission or our understanding His purpose). It is like having a bucket of cold water dumped over our heads. We are suddenly awakened and our whole being is set on edge. 
We realize in the words of Saint Isaac the Syrian that gratitude and faith are often not what we imagine or want them to be. To show gratitude to He who is crucified Love means that we embrace that Love in our lives, are driven by the same desires as Christ, and willing to bear affliction patiently and with joy. 
In the Scriptures, we hear the surprising words: “He was made perfect by what he suffered“. We see the perfection of love and the mercy of the kingdom most fully when Christ allows himself to be broken and poured out on the cross. Life allows himself to be swallowed up by death.  From the perspective of human understanding, it seems to be absurdity and failure.
Despite our acknowledgment and the celebration of the resurrection of Christ - trampling death by death, so that those in the tombs might be granted life, we do not want this reality to shape our experience of life in the world. Saint Isaac is not presenting us with anything different from the gospel and yet our almost infinite capacity for rationalization makes us avoid affliction at every cost and become resentful when we find it ever present in our lives. 
The kingdom of heaven is within. Salvation is now. The life that we are called to live and the love that we are to embody has been freely given to us. Not to embrace this life and love, not to allow it to shape the very essence of our lives is the height of ingratitude.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:01:11 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 120
01:10:34 Catherine Opie: I think that we have been indoctrinated into only being grateful when things go the way we want, I read a story about St Dominic that he took great pains to build a church on a hill. When it was finally complete the local king demanded it be torn down stone by stone until nothing was left. St Dominic upon finding this out declared joyously "Praise the Lord!". This really struck me deeply because it is so the antithesis of the attitude I was brought up in where we bemoan and curse God for misfortune and only are grateful when we get what we want. Or we see relationship with God only as a place to demand what we want.
01:10:56 Kathleen: Tall order. Very difficult.
01:11:35 Maureen Cunningham: Wow it hard but many rewards . That we can not see
01:11:36 Kathleen: It’s a decision one makes with complete awareness of the situation at hand
01:11:47 Rebecca Thérèse: Sometimes there's no option but to suffer. Uniting one's suffering to the redemptive suffering of Christ gives it purpose.
01:12:36 Art iPhone: Reacted to "I think that we have…" with 👌
01:13:48 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Sometimes there's no..." with ❤️
01:15:03 David: I don't remember who said it but " It is only in suffering we know we have faith and grow". When everything is easy or pleasurable there is always doubt if this is the ego or faith and virtue.
01:15:28 Elizabeth Richards: We so want to create meaning & give purpose to our suffering (make sense of it), but Isaac seems to be showing that entering into suffering is entering into Christ.
01:17:25 Joseph: The heart of asceticism is stripping away the palpable, to open up space for the noetic
01:18:38 Kathleen: Yes
01:18:48 Ren Witter: ALS
01:19:03 Kathleen: Yes
01:19:28 Kathleen: Yes
01:19:50 Kathleen: Thank you!!!!
01:20:03 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you Father
01:20:04 Julie: Thankyou
01:20:47 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:20:52 Catherine Opie: 🙏🏻❤️ Thank you
01:20:54 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you, happy Easter everyone🙂
01:20:56 Matt S: Thank you!
01:20:57 David: Thanks father!
01:20:57 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you!
01:21:08 Andrew Adams: Thanks everyone. Great comments tonight!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part VII

We see clearly within the struggles of the desert fathers how difficult it can be to avoid extremes in thought and action. We see in them those filled with desire for God and striving for purity of heart; maintaining watchfulness and fostering a hatred of sin. Yet, how is one form and develop a sensitive conscience and awareness of the power of our own appetites and desires as human beings, concern with demonic provocation, and yet to hold on to a true view of the beauty of creation and the dignity of the human person? As fully invested as the desert fathers were, and as psychologically and spiritually astute as they could be, this was no small task. We find in their language at times a tendency to project their fear of sin or temptation onto others. This can be uniquely the struggle of religious people; rather than humbly acknowledging the truth within our own hearts and the power of our own desires we will blame temptation upon others – on the things they say or do. Saint Philip Neri once said: “Man is often the carpenter of his own crosses”. We do not like to acknowledge the truth of that fact; that we are the source of our own temptation or that it arises out of our own imagination and memory.
Despite this, however, they did see very clearly that the Evil One can use every pretext to provoke a person into sin. The devil can appear as an angel of light, and the desert fathers would have us never forget this. Even that which is good - those bonds of love and familial affection, nostalgia for those relationships that have been so powerful - all of these things, the evil one will work on to distract us or pull us in a particular direction. One might argue, somewhat convincingly, that such a concern is extreme or neurotic. In this we do not want to defend the indefensible. However, we want to understand the changeableness of the human heart and mind, its fickleness and treachery. Demonic provocation can turn the mind and the heart toward things that we never imagined we would ever consider or do. May God have mercy on us and guide us.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:19:49 Wayne: page  again
00:20:09 Myles Davidson: Pg 230 L 4
00:20:30 Wayne: thnx
00:28:58 Anthony: This actually makes a lot of sense if we consider pagan myth. Monks strove to be like the descriptions of angels. But that desire to be "heavenly" can be perverted if we let the pagan myths distort our minds of the heavenly since sex was so often part of myth: like the relationship of Uranos and Gaiea, or the Olympians. We need a right view of God and creation and created things if we will truly strive to the true God.
00:52:05 Anthony: I saw it. Very good.  Also has scenes of temptation to love a woman who was attracted to him when they were young.
00:57:34 Catherine Opie: Being a new convert and coming from a non Catholic, mostly atheist family, and having a friend base who are not Christian I can relate in a small way how that might feel. I have had both friends and family become vitriolic over my change in belief. It can be challenging because I am no longer their ally in viewpoint.
01:03:01 Ashton L: I’d say a lot of people get fanatic and someone with genuine zeal confused
01:04:11 Anthony: Honest, not being a fanatic is a serious concern because some kinds of fundamentalism and truly nuts and malformed.  I don't want to be that guy.  I don't want to blow out of proportion stories of demons or private visions.  Then you're almost a solupsist, and insufferable.
01:07:29 Kate : There are a number of Western saints, men and women, who were great friends.  For example, Sts. John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, Sts. Francis and Clare, Sts. Francis de Sales and Jane Frances de Chantal, among others.  I wonder if you could comment on how to understand these great spiritual friendships in light of these writings.
01:08:02 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "There are a number o..." with 👍
01:08:11 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "There are a number o..." with ❤️
01:08:56 Vanessa: Replying to "There are a number o..."
Jesus also had female friends. Martha and Mary.
01:09:18 Nypaver Clan: St. John of the Cross
01:11:16 Myles Davidson: The Spanish Teresa of Avila mini serieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNBgLeqw6lxe_51ysMXFjR54sQf9LCl6j
01:11:30 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "The Spanish Teresa o..." with 🙏🏻
01:11:46 Ashton L: Reacted to "The Spanish Teresa o…" with 🙏🏻
01:13:58 Rebecca Thérèse: Therese asked that the sisters not put poisonous things within her reach lest she should take it in a moment of weakness
01:14:22 Anthony: Reacted to Therese asked that t... with "❤️"
01:15:01 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:15:03 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. God Bless
01:15:24 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you. Happy Easter everyone🙂
01:15:39 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Thank you. Happy Eas..." with 🥰
01:16:07 Ashton L: Reacted to "Thank you. Happy Eas…" with ❤️
01:17:04 Catherine Opie: Happy Easter!!!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily I, Part VII and II, Part I

After having spoken to us about the importance of being filled with wonder at the love and mercy of God revealed to us in Christ and desiring him above all things, Saint Isaac immediately stresses that what is born from the heart must be real and concrete. It is one thing for us to use beautiful words to speak about Christ and the faith. It is another to embody the love and compassion of Christ so vitally that our actions and words transmit virtue to others. In other words, for our actions to be life-giving, they must be rooted in the experience of the living God. Otherwise, our wisdom becomes a “deposit of disgrace”. Whereas righteous activity born of the love of Christ and the experience of his mercy becomes a “treasury of hope”. How do we engage the world around us and those in it except by embodying He who is reality, love and truth.
Our temporal life passes so quickly and Isaac tells us that if we love it then our way of life is defiled or we have been deprived of knowledge. He writes: “the fear of death distresses a man with a guilty conscience, but the man with a good witness within himself longs for death as for life.“  If Christ is the center of our life then we will have no fear or anxiety. The only thing that we take out of this world is our vice or virtue. Everything passes away like a dream disappearing in the morning.
All that we have received is pure gift; coming to us through baptism and faith where we are called by the Lord - called by name - to enter into his life and to love as he loved. Indeed it is an interesting thing that Isaac begins his Ascetical Homilies by emphasizing wonder, desire, urgent longing and God‘s desire for us as well how freely He has given us everything that is good. Isaac set us upon a path that helps us keep our focus upon God and God alone. All of our spiritual disciplines must serve to help us love and give ourselves in love or they are hollow. Likewise, all that we receive must be responded to with gratitude. There is only one thing that keeps us from experiencing the richness of God’s grace and mercy. It is our failure to turn towards him through a lack of trust or appreciation for His generosity.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:08:47 Catherine Opie: Apologies I missed last weeks zoom due to being offline. What page are we on today?
00:10:29 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 118 paragraph 34
00:19:12 Catherine Opie: Things move slower down here in Australasia 🤣
00:24:50 David: I find this part so beautiful my grandmother was an artist near Lake Superior and painted in water colors I spent my summers with her and while I love her paintings I remember more the scenes , smell of the wildflowers and of course being next to her. The painting is but a pale reflection. So to with talking about love but feeling that from my family/mentors special people illuminates long after the time has past.
00:29:18 David: In the end I found Christ seeing him in my grandparents and others not the years of studying, reading the Summa. He was there next to me living through them.
00:46:06 Ren Witter: Don’t worry Father, I’ll throw myself on your grave and weep ;-)
00:46:50 paul g.: Reacted to "Don’t worry Father, …" with 😇
00:47:25 Tracey Fredman: Sometimes we find ourselves in a position ... I have thoughts! I pray for everyone's prayers - don't know how to raise my hand on the phone! lol
00:47:51 Tracey Fredman: Reacted to Don’t worry Father, ... with "😇"
00:48:13 Tracey Fredman: I can unmute
00:49:23 Tracey Fredman: (or not , lol)
00:49:36 David: I nice thing to do is to take a picture and send it to them SMS. Someone did this for me and it is really comforting in bad times to see a candle lit, a thought shared etc.
00:51:53 David: We enter this life and leave the same way - no teeth, no hair and in diapers what is important is what we share in-between was a saying from my Grandfather.
00:54:46 Bob Čihák, AZ: I've given up saying, "I can't wait to be a burden to my children." too much static.
00:57:01 David: Reacted to "I've given up saying..." with 😂
01:00:09 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: HIs advice here would also apply to those who carry trauma memories.
01:01:39 David: When my Mom was in hospice at home dying I was also raising my sons alone and commuting to Chicago (4hrs driving). I had a lot of anxiety and listed to relevant radio on the way back. Father Simon said the only honest prayer is not asking for things but - God teach me your ways. When I started doing this most of the anxiety and frustration went away. I guess letting go of pride?
01:02:23 Bob Čihák, AZ: Reacted to "When my Mom was in h..." with 👍
01:03:02 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "When my Mom was in h..." with ❤️
01:03:14 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "We enter this life a..." with ❤️
01:03:45 Anthony: A problem is that these very remedies - Bible, sacraments, real theology - have been distorted and abused and therefore look ugly and repulsive.  That blockage needs to be overcome
01:03:58 Bob Čihák, AZ: My favorite is "Thy will be done." So much so that we're planning it for our gravestone.
01:05:16 David: Reacted to "A problem is that th..." with 👍
01:05:21 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "My favorite is "Thy ..." with 🤣
01:17:39 Ryan N: Father, How does one who struggles with giving gratitude arrive to such state. Is it left to the grace of God? Do we ask God for the grace to be grateful?
01:19:45 Naina: Thank you Father 🙏✝️❤️
01:20:30 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:20:30 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you!
01:20:42 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr, I will pray for you.
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part VI

Tonight‘s group consisted mostly of a monologue (out of necessity) about how it is that we are to read the Fathers. We have learned over these few years that one must read in a discerning and discriminating fashion, as well as prayerfully. There is great wisdom to be found within the ascetical writings, however, we must understand that the spiritual life and the personal struggle of each of the desert monks was unique. Furthermore, the desert itself was a laboratory like no other. In the deep solitude, the fathers saw with great clarity the workings of the human mind and heart as well as temptations that came from within and through demonic provocation. 
If there is one point that I wanted to make clear in pressing through this with the group is that our love of virtue, of God and our desire to be free of the passions can lead us not only into extremes of discipline but also into a kind of psychological violence. The sorrow over our own poverty and sin can lead us to repress certain parts of our personality and aspects of our life as human beings that are a source vitality and the capacity to love. We have often spoken about desire being at the heart of the spiritual life; we seek He  alone who can fill what is lacking within us.  Yet when the ascetic life is treated like a defense mechanism, we can project our struggles and responsibility for ourselves onto others or, in the intensity of the struggle, repress that which is essential to being fully human. This is not an ancient phenomenon. Those who engage in the spiritual battle today can be tempted in similar ways. Each generation is unique in regards to the nature of the battle but the same pitfalls remain.
It is for this reason that the ascetical life cannot be seen as an end in itself. It must begin with Christ, our relationship with him and our trust in his mercy and grace. Devoid of this relationship, the ascetic life can draw us into self focus that is destructive to us both emotionally and spiritually. Thus, our reading of the fathers places upon us a responsibility to be striving at the same time to draw close to Christ. Otherwise, the spiritual life can become a tragic distortion of the truth rather than the source of healing that it is meant to be. The current state of affairs within the life of the Church and the disconnect with this greater spiritual tradition points to such a distortion. When Christianity becomes a cultural phenomenon and whenever even its deepest and most beautiful forms of prayer become habitual and automatic, it becomes lifeless. Let us take heed then of this great responsibility and entrust ourselves to the grace of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. All things are possible with God, but without him there is  only darkness or a sad simulation of faith.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:13:17 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 230, K
00:23:29 Rachel: Is the connection instable for anyone else?
00:23:42 Rachel: unstable*
00:24:21 Monk Maximos: Replying to "unstable*"
Mine is fine
00:24:44 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Mine is fine" with 👍🏼
00:24:50 Bob Čihák, AZ: Reacted to "Mine is fine" with 👍🏼
00:25:38 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Mine is fine" with 👍🏼
00:27:02 Anthony: Would it be psychology healthier for people to be ordained or vowed religious as older people? St Paul suggests this, but the stories of saints romanticized young vocations (like St. Agnes).
00:27:55 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Would it be psycholo..." with 🤔
00:30:39 Sr. Charista Maria: Very important thoughts you are sharing Father. Holiness and Wholeness. Human/Spiritual integration.
00:31:30 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Very important thoug..." with ❤️‍🔥
00:32:10 Rachel: Reacted to "Mine is fine" with 🙏
00:33:19 Anthony: Right. Even St Symeon the New Theologian cracked mentally or emotionally as a young man.
00:35:58 Sr. Charista Maria: Pope Leo 13th spoke of the 100 years of satan which we have been in, hence such deep wound today and the need for longer formation for most.
00:38:48 Monk Maximos: The Servants of the Paraclete had a similar experience.
00:41:33 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Very important thoug..." with ❤️
00:44:42 Monk Maximos: Not only secular universities… some “catholic” ones are too.
00:44:54 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "Not only secular uni..." with 👍
00:45:57 Maureen Cunningham: We need the Holy Spirit an lots of joy
00:46:03 Rachel: I wonder if we are not still reeling from that but have only just begun to see the havoc modern psychology relied upon as if gospel truth has wrought upon civilization. The eye when not purified by a life in Christ views the world skewed through modern psychology no matter how good the intentions of those pursuing help though these means. How much though, do we see through this lens? How much doe it affect how we see ourselves, others and Christ Himself? How do we relate to each other?
00:46:18 Forrest Cavalier: Before going to secular college (CMU, late 1980s), I promised myself to always meet my Sunday obligation. I know without a doubt it saved my faith.
00:49:56 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Before going to secu..." with 🙏🏻
00:57:56 Kate : It seems we have to look at these stories not through a moralistic lens, otherwise we will end up thinking of this in terms or right vs wrong.  Rather, they we seeking healing of the soul and healing from the passions.
00:58:14 Sr. Charista Maria: I believe reading the desert Fathers and also being open to the graces that God is pouring out in our times. There is a great movement within the Church to encourage healing of the deeper heart, opening up the deep struggle or disorder, being so real with Jesus about the longing, and invite Jesus in to redeem, heal; Jesus then reveals the truth that it is really longing for union with Him (the God-sized void) underlying such disorders. Then the disorder becomes a portal to invite God in. Oh happy fault. and St. John of the Cross spirituality. Many are ashamed to invite God into such disordered longing, and they repress and thus close off the deeper heart to God.
00:58:54 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "It seems we have to ..." with 👍
01:02:10 Adam Paige: I see this in a positive light, that we should create spaces for men to be with one another in the church. I went to a men's retreat in Ontario in January and their homework for us was to start a men's group in our parishes if one doesn't already exist. At our last local men's group, we prayed Compline together and we've had Orthodox and Protestant men join us from time to time.
01:08:17 Maureen Cunningham: Monks had mothers I do not understand if Jesus was very close women when did all start
01:11:04 Anthony: In my opinion, some of the issues may be ethnic issues, not fully conformed to the Gospel. Norman's profoundly shaped the  Latin Catholic culture, but they had issues. The Greeks had issues (read the Alexiad...wow!). We all have probematic ethnic issues we are not fully recognizing.
01:13:50 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Father
01:13:51 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr. very thought provoking as always.
01:14:32 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:14:38 Sheila Applegate: Reacted to In my opinion, some ... with "👍"
01:14:57 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.
01:15:25 Nypaver Clan: Please pray for the soul of Cindy Moran, a member of this group.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily I, Part VI

Saint Isaac the Syrian begins his teaching with a gentle reminder that liberation from material things, that is, our attachment to the things of this world and placing them above God, is a slow process that involves great toil. Yet, this is the common order of things. In our journey, we often have to break loose of the mooring of those things that prevent us from loving. And so Isaac teaches us that righteous activity involves comprehending what God has revealed to us and then embodying it through action - praxis. Even as we make gains our memory of past sins and failures often brings grief to the soul. We shouldn’t be discouraged by this, St. Isaac tells us, but we must simply allow these recollections to lead us to greater repentance and gratitude for God‘s mercy.
Yet all of this is but a prelude to Isaac asking us an important question: Do you desire to commune with God by perceiving the love and the mercy that He reveals not just with the mind or the senses but through faith and experience?  Do you desire God? Do you desire Love? If our answer to this question is “yes” then Isaac tells us we must pursue mercy: “For when something that is like unto God is found in you, then that holy beauty is depicted by Him.“ We begin to see and comprehend the mercy and love of God by loving as he loves; by going beyond the limitations and the confines of our own understanding. 
Such spiritual unity once unsealed incessantly blazes in the heart with ardent longing. The soul‘s divine vision, Isaac tells us, unites one to God and the heart becomes awestruck; filled with wonder at what no eye has seen or mind could imagine outside of the grace of God. The path to divine love first begins by showing compassion in some proportion to the Father’s perfection. As Christ tells us, “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect, be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful“
The dignity and destiny that is ours, the life and love into which God draws us should be what we pursue the most in life. To desire God, to give free reign to an urgent longing for Him brings about our transformation. Desire is our path to the Kingdom within.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:15:08 Callie Eisenbrandt: I’ll take your books Father!! 😂
00:16:21 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 117 paragraph 26 starting "Liberation from...."
00:20:11 Eleana: I want Icons😁
00:30:39 Sr. Charista Maria: Amen Father. So very true. We so often fall so short of such communion with the indwelling presence of the Holy Trinity. Most don't realize the profound grace of our Baptism.
00:30:43 Anthony: This is interesting.....in Italian, a translation of "lust" is "desire."  Lust (the sin) must be misplaced desire.
00:31:53 Paisios: There's a phenomenal article by Cormac Jones about converting desire being the most important thing in the Christian spiritual life
00:31:55 Paisios: https://cormacjones.substack.com/p/converting-desire
00:33:38 Sr Mary Clare: Reacted to "https://cormacjones...." with 👍
00:34:19 Anthony: Reacted to There's a phenomenal... with "👍"
00:34:25 Anthony: Reacted to https://cormacjones.... with "👍"
00:36:16 Jamie Hickman: Replying to "This is interestin..."
concupiscence...think concupiscible appetite. we tend to think of it only in the negative (evil, sinful), but as you say: it is not in itself bad
00:41:56 Anthony: Too much asceticism leads to resentment
00:45:00 Nypaver Clan: Father, How do we balance Mercy with the Judgement of God?  Is it possible to rely too much on God’s Mercy?
00:50:05 Paisios: I once read, "God's judgement is mercy"
00:52:37 Maureen Cunningham: W hat about abusive act
00:55:43 Sr Mary Clare: There are many out there who constantly say, "Don't judge!. when a person may just be speaking about sins that hurt the heart of Jesus Christ. It is a constant cry of those who seemingly have problems with church teachings and the ten commandments.
00:59:45 Jamie Hickman: I might have missed it: to whom is Isaac intending homily? Was this preached in a church during Divine Liturgy? Looking for context and audience.
01:02:08 Anthony: Leaving their boats and family was leaving freedom and security of having your place where you belong.
01:02:20 Jamie Hickman: thank you, Father
01:02:37 Anthony: Also they left economic power
01:02:52 Sr. Charista Maria: There's a video called The Third Way, which is so beautifully done, that may reflect what you are saying here Father regarding love. Letting Love inspire in all things. The first way is Judging, the second is compromising, the third is Christ's way it seems.
01:04:42 Sr. Charista Maria: It is testimonies of some who were in the homosexual lifestyle, but then were drawn by love to the truth.
01:05:49 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The intensity of man's thirst for God determines his spiritual progress. Longing for God stands above all ascesis. Man's desire constitutes the small human part, which man offers to God, and God then adds to it the great part of His grace. It is essential to constantly rekindle our desire, and this should be the main concern of our life. God gave the same commandments to all, so if God's gifts are more abundant in some, this means that their thirst for God is greater and they renew their desire day after day. Spiritual thirst brings the whole heart of man to the source Christ, as He Himself said, 'Where your heart is there shall your treasure be also." Respecting man's freedom, however, God responds to man according to his longing, as Saint Silouan writes: ‘The Lord has love for all men but His love is greater for the one who seeks Him.' If we expect the Lord's visitation with all our heart, then, of a surety, we will attract the living waters of His grace.
01:06:28 Lee Graham: Life with Christ must be “experiential”,
01:08:22 Sr. Charista Maria: There's a video called The Third Way, which is so beautifully done, that may reflect what you are saying here Father regarding love. Letting Love inspire in all things. The first way is Judging, the second is compromising, the third is Christ's way it seems. It is testimonies of some who were in the homosexual lifestyle, but then were drawn by love to the truth.
01:12:05 Kathleen: HAHA
01:12:45 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Father
01:12:53 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:13:10 Maureen Cunningham: Yes
01:13:20 Lee Graham: Yes!
01:13:25 David: Thank you father!
01:13:26 Sr Mary Clare: Thank you
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part V

In our ongoing discussions of the Desert Fathers’ writings, especially upon sexual desire and sensuality as a whole, one comes to the realization that we have to read in a discerning fashion. In other words, we cannot be lazy while sitting at the feet of the elders. Their wisdom grew out of experience. However, it was the experience of the desert and of monks. What they discovered and understood is unparalleled in its value for the life of the Church and our understanding of spirituality.  Yet, although they saw so very much it does not mean they saw everything or that they articulated it in a way that is going to speak to every generation in the same fashion. Every generation, every person, must embrace and embody the fullness of the gospel through striving to enter by the narrow way. The ascetic life is our exercise of that faith and every generation will have particular struggles and battles that are unique to it. In a time like our own, when so many aspects of the culture have been hyper-sexualized, living a life of purity of heart can seem to be not only a difficult but impossible pursuit. While we can see that the dignity of human sexuality and women change radically with Christianity, those changes were not immediate or complete and we see lingering vestiges where women are seen as the cause of sin.
This implants in the spirituality of purity of heart and the struggle with temptation a kind of misogyny, a temptation to the hatred of the self and of sexuality. Inevitably this leaves a void in our understanding and practice of the faith that can be disastrous. Rather than seeing the dignity of the human person made in the image and likeness of God and our destiny in Christ to participate in the Divine life, we can drift into a lifeless moralism. Christianity must speak to the deepest part of a person‘s religiosity; capturing what it means to be a human being, fully alive and transformed by the grace of God.
Even as we sit at the feet of the Fathers, we must keep our eyes upon Christ; for it is in Him alone, that we can plumb the depths of mysteries of God and the kingdom, but also the mystery of what it is to be a human being. Purity of heart is much more about what we can see having removed the impediment of the ego or of disorder desires. Far from being restrictive, it gives us a greater capacity to love and be loved. What is needed in our day are saints who embody this reality so fully that their lives reveal to us the deepest truths about ourselves and God. Only saints stand transparent to the fullness of truth revealed to us in Christ.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:12:51 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 227, I
00:14:06 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 227, I
00:24:18 Una: Let the past stay in the past, in other words
00:24:32 Diana Sciuto: Reacted to "Let the past stay in…" with ❤️
00:24:49 Mary Clare Wax: This is why it is so important to live in the present moment. The past is dead, the future yet unborn. God is the God of "I Am", not "I Was," or "I Will Be."
00:25:05 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "This is why it is so..." with 👍
00:25:23 Diana Sciuto: Reacted to "This is why it is so…" with 👍
00:26:08 Una: The movie and book "Sophie's Choice" really illustrates the danger
00:26:44 Una: Her memories of trauma
00:34:19 Sr. Mary Clare: Very interesting that the First Reading at Mass today was about Susanna and the Elders lusting after her.
00:34:46 Una: Reacted to "Very interesting t..." with 👍
00:35:27 Sr. Charista Maria: It seems this was the issue with the Pharisees who confronted Jesus for being too close to women, such as the one who washed His feet with her tears. They were projecting their impurity of their hearts onto Him, whose heart is so pure.
00:36:17 Sr. Mary Clare: Reacted to "It seems this was th..." with 👍
00:37:56 Anthony: "Purity Culture"?
00:39:27 Nypaver Clan: Chastity ring or Promise ring almost like a pre-engagement ring
00:43:48 Sr. Charista Maria: Great point Fr.
00:52:51 Sr. Charista Maria: I think of the issue the Pharisees had who confronted Jesus for being too close to women, such as the one who washed His feet with her tears. They were projecting the impurity of their hearts onto Him, whose heart is so pure.
00:53:27 Sr. Mary Clare: Reacted to "I think of the issue..." with ❤️
00:59:27 Anthony: I wonder if any of the women here can enlighten us whether in a woman's general spiritual outlook, there can be a "negative anthropology" about men when they pursue purity? Or are the women in a different dimension in this regard?
00:59:40 Julie: I think it starts with our watchfulness of thoughts.
01:01:02 Julie: I taught my sons to see women as someone’s mother, sister or a daughter with that respect and love in their beauty
01:02:59 Sr. Charista Maria: Agreed Fr. Women bring the heart, such as Mary.
01:04:20 Sr. Mary Clare: It this day and age, it seems to be more of a Jezebel spirit among us.
01:07:45 Anthony: "You will be just like my horse, my dog and my falcon, only I will love you more and trust you less." Pharoah Ramses in The Ten Commandments
01:08:04 Bob Čihák, AZ: “Men and Marriage” by George Gilder is an excellent book for our  current times. He strips off the lies of radical feminist ideologies.
01:08:39 Sr. Charista Maria: Agree with you regarding the Theology of the Body needing more commentary on the transcending aspect of our sexuality.
01:19:04 Sr. Mary Clare: Well said, Father, you are so right concerning this.
01:20:08 Sr. Charista Maria: Reacted to "Well said, Father, y..." with 👍
01:26:11 Sr. Mary Clare: We are called not to be possessive in our love
01:27:26 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:27:27 Forrest Cavalier: Thank you so much!
01:27:42 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily I, Part V

As one reads the thoughts of Saint Isaac the Syrian the experience is almost like that of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: “Did our hearts not burn within us?” Isaac speaks to something so deep within the human heart that it ignites the very thing that he sets out to inflame: desire, wonder, awe at the love of God and the mystery of the Divine Life into which God invites us. 
One of the great struggles that we have as Christians is that we approach the faith and the spiritual life in a common fashion.  In our reading of the Scriptures, we approach them in a reductive manner, dissecting the gospels; pulling out for ourselves bits of wisdom to help us get through life. Yet, Isaac understands that we cannot over-scrutinize the words that are written or spoken to us, but rather must immerse ourselves humbly in Divine Wisdom. Isaac tells us that those who are filled with grace are led by the light that is running between the lines. It is this humble and prayerful approach not only to the scriptures but to the faith as a whole that prevents the heart from being common and devoid of that holy power that “gives the heart a most sweet taste through perceptions that awe the soul.”  A soul that is filled with the spirit is going to run toward God, driven by an urgent longing for the fullness of life and love that He alone can satisfy. Not every soul is awakened to that sense of wonder yet it is the pearl of great price, the treasure hidden in the field, and the one thing necessary. May God fill our hearts with a holy desire.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:09:28 The Recovery Community Hub of PBC, Inc.: Hey everyone, in Christ, my name is Ian, I am only using my former workers Zoom platform
00:11:17 Myles Davidson: Pg. 116 “Just as the heaviness of weights…”
00:11:50 Vanessa: I'm in Ontario too. Blizzard is bad here.
00:12:18 Edward Kleinguetl: I lived in Toronto for a year!
00:12:46 Ben: Replying to "I lived in Toronto f..."
I'm east of Ottawa.
00:14:16 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: When you desire to do something for the love of God, put death as the limit of your desire. In this way you will rise in actual deed to the level of martyrdom in struggling with every passion, suffering no harm from whatever you may meet within this limit, if you endure to the end and do not weaken. 
~ St Isaac the Syrian
00:20:34 Anthony: It appears Isaac uses "Liberty" of mind different than the Greek Fathers?
00:34:08 Ben: I remember reading "The Imitation of Christ" for the first time in my youth, and thinking, "Oh, boy, this totally demolishes everything we were ever taught about self-esteem!"
00:36:20 David: I am wondering if the Diatessaron which was the most common with Aramaic communities might have influenced idea of living the gospel instead of the legal way of the west?
00:38:06 David: St Emphrain wrote a discourse on that and I assume Issac was likely exposed where the separate gospels tend to compare and contrast and get far to analytical.
00:40:22 David: The other thing I find fascinating the Syrian fathers taught through poetry which moves emotions not just debates or arguments.
00:42:17 Anthony: Seeing the Word of God as the Divine Logos keeps us from the "fundamentalism" that makes categories of touchable and untouchable.
00:42:27 Jamie Hickman: Great podcast episode on the show Square Notes looking at Thomas Aquinas's poetry...too often he's only known by his Summas as though that's his only writing style
00:42:46 Jamie Hickman: hat tip to Fr. Innocent Smith, OP, for his contribution
00:43:11 Paisios: Next book/class should be Hymns on Paradise
00:44:14 Anthony: Reacted to Great podcast episod... with "❤️"
00:44:52 Paisios: yes
00:45:04 Zack Morgan: I feel like the over-scrupulous approach we are discussing works more towards an apologetic end than anything else.  We find it almost too easy to read the Gosepls and accept them in contrast to a world that wants to reject them, so we easily fall into the temptation to over-explain that which we have come to blieve by a gift of faith that is in contrast very simple.
00:50:04 Kate : Perhaps it is a lack of faith and trust in the grace of God and the workings of the Holy Spirit in the depths of the soul.
00:52:37 Jamie Hickman: In one of St Louis de Montfort's books on the Holy Rosary, he recounts that Our Lady apppeared to Saint Dominic and told him to preach a simple homily rather than the one he had prepared, which was super eloquent, because in his humility he would convert the souls in the church even though the academics wouldn't be impressed...apparently Our Lady told him to preach the same simple version repeatedly, which led many academics present to think less of him...I might have confused which Dominican, but I think it was Dominic and definitely it was a saint
00:52:40 Sr. Charista Maria: My experience in reading the desert Fathers has been that the purpose and heart of it all is an encouragement to strive to "become fire!"
00:56:53 lauren: Reacted to "My experience in rea…" with ❤️
01:00:12 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "My experience in rea..." with ❤️
01:06:37 David: "Virtue seen and lived inspires and virtue explained often makes others weary " was a saying of my grandfather. People were attracted to Christianity by seeing love among the followers not convincing arguments. My own path from being young and not sure of religion was seeing Christ along side me in my grandparents and parents living their faith in love and sacrifice.
01:11:20 Ben: I've thought of that...
01:12:18 Catherine Opie: ❤️🙏🏻
01:12:21 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:12:23 Jamie Hickman: thank you, Father!
01:12:23 Diana Sciuto: Thank you
01:12:25 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you Father!
01:12:26 David: Thank you father !
01:12:31 Catherine Opie: Deo Gratias
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part IV

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ENCOUNTERED TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THE AUDIO IN THE RECORDING OF THIS EPISODE. AS A RESULT, IT DOES SOUND GLITCHY. WE APOLOGIZE.
What is unique and distinctive about the Christian identity, perception of reality, and our experience of what it is to be a human being? How do we experience human sexuality and understand how it is shaped by the grace of God or how it can be distorted by sin or demonic provocation? 
If we are honest, we would have to say that it is the popular culture, modern psychology, and politics that shape our understanding of these things rather than an encounter with the living God. It is Christ who reveals to us what it is to be a human being made in the image and  likeness of God. Beyond this, it is the Grace that comes to us through baptism, the Eucharist, and the gift of the Holy Spirit that shapes are perception of reality most fully. The ascetic life, driven by our desire for God, seeks to remove the impediments to our understanding what it is to be a human being and “fully alive.” We are not simply seeking psychological peace of mind or self understanding. Rather, we are seeking to understand the mystery of our existence and our dignity and destiny in Christ. 
These realities should sharpen and intensify our sensibilities and how we engage in our day-to-day life and relationships. The writings and actions of the desert fathers may seem distorted, masochistic or misogynistic.  Yet, upon deeper reflection we discover they had a fuller experience and understanding of life. One Saint said: “HE who ceases to pray is no longer a human being.” In other words, when we turn away from God, we lose sight of ourselves and the truth. Our focus and our vision is turned downward, like animals, only seeing what is before us and what can be consumed or used to satisfy our own desires. The life and the writings of the fathers cry out to us saying: “See your dignity, O man. See your glory in Christ your Redeemer and embrace your true identity in Him.”
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Text of chat during the group:
00:11:32 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 220, paragraph starting "After these words...."
00:27:32 Sr. Charista Maria: So true Fr. Thank you for your vulnerable sharing regarding social media even if it's ministry; how important it is to be ever vigilant and conscienceous
00:36:27 Anthony: There are some special considerations regarding Arsenius. He fled imperial Rome to enter the Desert. And, he might have in mind the role women played in puffing up Arius.
00:44:39 Julie: This can be both ways.
00:44:55 Julie: For a women
00:49:09 Maureen Cunningham: Was this because it  is the early church. And it would have never lasted all these years.
00:49:18 Maureen Cunningham: Had they compromised
00:52:46 Kate : I don’t know if this is the proper use of the word “gluttony”, but curiosity seems to lead to a certain kind of gluttony for information.
00:53:22 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "I don’t know if this..." with 👍🏼
00:55:43 Forrest Cavalier: Fr. de Souza in his March 29 2025 column warns against the 3 "digital P's" online that often lead young men  away from Jesus: Porn, Pious conflict, Politics. Most are aware of the danger of the first, not the other two.
01:06:10 Sr. Charista Maria: It is interesting how some Bible passages, such as Isaiah
10:66, can seem so free in sharing images of bonding between Mother and Child "Oh that you may suck fully... nurse at her breasts", or even espousal union with God, such as Song of Songs, where there is such an underlying purity, which can be so beautiful and meaningful; but still how cautious one must be as spoken of in these writings.
01:10:37 Sr. Charista Maria: Isaiah 66:10 (oops)
01:11:35 Una: Sorry if this is a stupid question, but how does same sex attraction figure with these young boys?
01:12:43 Mary Clare Wax: Reacted to "Isaiah 66:10 (oops)" with 👍
01:12:56 Mary Clare Wax: Reacted to "It is interesting ho..." with ❤️
01:13:06 Mary Clare Wax: Reacted to "Sorry if this is a s..." with 👍
01:14:28 Sr. Charista Maria: Reacted to "Sorry if this is a s..." with 👍
01:17:21 Joseph Muir: The editors note, that immediately follows the last reading, from Ephrem, addresses some of the cultural contexts
01:17:27 Rebecca Thérèse: I heard an expert say that homosexuality used to be something people did now it's something they are which makes it seem immutable.
01:17:28 Sr. Charista Maria: yes, there can be a danger with an emotional bond between a mentor and other.
01:17:49 Sr. Charista Maria: I've heard it said our bonding area is near the genital area.
01:20:11 Mary Clare Wax: The evil one is quite an expert in drawing spiritual friendships into something other.
01:20:52 Sr. Charista Maria: I already posted
01:25:24 Anthony: The Church has been continually berated for its conduct in regard to so many different groups - which is exaggerated  - and that hammers at the resolve to BE Christian.
01:26:33 Una: Thanks for spelling this subject out in detail. I know we'll probably be revisiting it as we go along.
01:27:19 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You  ! Blessing
01:27:35 Sr. Charista Maria: Fr. Charbel, thank you for your classes. They are a wealth of blessings in delving more deeply into the early Church desert Fathers.
01:27:44 Mary Clare Wax: Reacted to "Fr. Charbel, thank y..." with 👍
01:28:14 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:28:16 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:28:27 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.
01:28:42 Sheila Applegate: Thanks Father!

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily I, Part IV

Again, already in these first paragraphs of Homily One what comes forward most powerfully in Saint Isaac‘s writing is that the ascetic life is driven by love and desire for God. More accurately, one might say that it is the soul’s response to God‘s revelation of His love, mercy and compassion to us in His only begotten Son. 
Therefore, Isaac can speak of things such as shame not in the sense of diminishing an individual’s self-identity but rather as a veil protecting the mind and the heart for Christ alone. As one purifies the heart one begins to see with a greater clarity those things that can diminish one’s capacity to love and to see that which is good in God and others. Thus, while shame mortifies us it also protects us from being led indiscriminately by our thoughts and desires. 
One of the blessings that God has given to us in order to purify the heart is the scriptures. We are exhorted to have a fervent love of instruction; to fill the mind and the heart with the words and deeds of Christ. In doing so we create a new habit of mind that directs the soul toward God in such a way that we put behind us and even forget everything that is a distraction from this greater reality. We are surrounded by the noise of the world and in kind of thoughtless fashion we allow ourselves to be led away from what endures unto eternity or what is uplifting. However, when the mind is captivated by the divine word, it can be filled with such wonder that it becomes unaware of even thoughts that are associated with our basic human needs - when our last meal was or how the night has passed away so quickly.
The ascetic life, therefore, is not about self perfection or endurance. Rather, it is a recognition of our identity in Christ. We are made in the image and likeness of God and by his grace and his redemptive love we are being drawn into the very life of the Holy Trinity. Isaac’s homilies are an invitation to enter into the wondrous depths of God’s love.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:14:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 115 paragraph 15 from start of homily
00:28:16 Jamie Hickman: Sorry, I had trouble with the keyboard...regarding the last paragraph that begins "Not he is chaste who...": just wanted to say that the saint we are reading would be guarding his own thoguhts, but I wonder: can we say confidently that he doesn't judge another? Instead, can we assume he regrets that another has fallen prey to evil one by not preserving his purity in thought, word, or action? My purpose: guarding our purity seems to include guarding us from judging others...something I struggle with for sure, shamefully!
00:30:53 Jamie Hickman: Thank you, Father 🤝
00:32:39 Anthony: Father, how does this differ from "quietism?"
00:39:34 Jessica Imanaka: Would Saint Isaac have memorized most of scripture? I wonder if such memorization would also facilitate driving out worldly memories.
00:43:12 Christian Corulli: How can one avoid being like the older brother of the prodigal son parable in all this? It is so easy to work and focus on ourselves and our own perfection in the spiritual life... there seems to be a fine line where we cross over into fixation on ourselves in the spiritual life.
00:48:52 Christian Corulli: Thanks 🙏
00:48:55 Alex Underwood: It is so profound that God offers us this practice of asceticism and hesychasm… these homilies are almost like an owner’s manual, that sadly not many people have. Yet it seems as if Isaac is saying that really everything he has found and has been shown about this practice can be deduced from the scriptures, if only one would look.
00:52:35 Ryan Ngeve: Father, if we memorize the scriptures as St. Isaac describes, how different are we from the Pharisees and where does the grace of God come to play in understanding and living the scripture?
00:53:46 Anthony: The new Syriac Divine Office book ("Book of Before and After") arranged by Fr Andrew Younan is pretty nice, especially while reading St Isaac the Syrian.
00:54:02 Alex Underwood: Reacted to "The new Syriac Divin..." with 👍
00:55:28 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "The new Syriac Divin..." with 👍
00:56:01 Jamie Hickman: Reacted to "The new Syriac Div..." with 🙏
00:57:16 Catherine Opie: I joined a class to study the Pentateuch and was surprised to find out that even though I had read the Bible several times I had never fully understood underlying meanings, patterns of language and numbers and foreshadowing within the scriptures in quite the same way it has opened up to me through doing this
00:58:02 Catherine Opie: Sorry pressed enter without thinking
01:00:14 Myles Davidson: Fr. Agapetos YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@FatherAgapetos
01:00:24 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "Fr. Agapetos YouTube..." with 🙏🏻
01:00:51 Lori Hatala: Reacted to "Fr. Agapetos YouTube..." with 🙏🏻
01:01:18 Jonathan Wiseman: Reacted to "Fr. Agapetos YouTube..." with 🙏🏻
01:09:57 Julie: Reacted to "Fr. Agapetos YouTube…" with 🙏
01:10:15 Alex Underwood: “To suffice the mind firmly to pinion it’s thoughts to a single thought of wonder”
01:10:31 Julie: Reacted to "The new Syriac Divin…" with 🙏
01:10:44 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "“To suffice the mind..." with 🔥
01:12:02 Jamie Hickman: Reacted to "“To suffice the m..." with 👁️
01:12:23 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "“To suffice the mind..." with ❤️
01:12:24 Christian Corulli: Reacted to “To suffice the mind... with "🔥"
01:12:36 Jamie Hickman: thank you as always, Father
01:12:40 Alex Underwood: Excellent insight, thank you
01:12:57 cameron: Thank you Fr
01:13:37 Julie: God bless you are in my prayers 🙏🏻
01:13:38 Ben: Thank you very much, Father! God & Mary keep you.
01:13:41 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:13:47 Elizabeth Richards: Amen 🙏🏼
01:13:51 Jamie Hickman: wow!
01:13:52 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you Father!
01:13:57 Rachel: Thanks be to God!
01:14:06 Rachel: Thank you
01:14:25 David: Thank you Father!
01:14:36 paul g.: God Bless Father
01:14:37 Catherine Opie: Thank you

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part III

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.“  As we read through the stories of the desert fathers and the trials and temptations they experienced in relation to their passions, we began to see with greater clarity how we must cling to God and rely on His grace. No matter how disciplined or virtuous an individual may be the wiles of the devil are always going to be relentless and fierce. If the Evil One can appear as an “angel of light”, then he most assuredly can present a thought to the mind that leads one to assent to sin or present himself as the very object of temptation. In the stories of the fathers tonight, the object of temptation was women or thoughts about them that arise through direct contact, conversation or imagination. 
It would be very easy for us and it is often a danger when the Fathers are read out of context to have our thoughts devolve into a negative anthropology - a negative image of what it is to be a human being as well as a sexual being. In hearing some of the stories, one might think that the monks simply sought to destroy this part of themselves or to bury it whether consciously or unconsciously. Perhaps it was simply a manifestation of masochistic repression.
Thus, we must read these stories in a discerning fashion. Yet, even more so, we must read them in context; not only in the context of the larger corpus of the writings we are considering, but in the context of our spiritual lives. For it is only within our own hearts that we begin to understand the nature of human desire as part of our identity and experience of the world. It is also only within our hearts that we understand that desire gives us the capacity to love and give ourselves in love. The ascetic life must reveal that we understand that we are created in the image and likeness of God and that with which He has endowed us is good. It only becomes destructive when it is distorted by sin and selfishness. We must also understand that these desires are very powerful – capable of leading us to great good or, outside of the grace of God, to become something that brings us unending grief.
We must read the Fathers writings, then, within the context of interiorizing the worldview rooted in faith that they put forward. Do we desire what they desired? Are longing for God and the desire to please him the reality that drives us forward in our day-to-day lives? Do we understand that it is only by living in the grace of God, living in Christ, that we become fully human?
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Text of chat during the group:
00:19:21 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 221 # D
00:28:08 Rebecca Thérèse: Do you think that lack of asceticism is a cause of clergy or monks perpetrating abuse or could it  an indicator that perhaps abusers have entered these vocations/occupations with nefarious motives hence they would not be committed to the more challenging aspects of these ways of life?
01:01:49 Forrest Cavalier: Father, I expected to see the mention that desire for sexual relations outside of matrimony is irrational selfishness (especially victimizing women and offspring), and use the contemplation of that realization to dissuade the passions. But I haven’t noticed that in any of these stories so far, which combat the temptation with physical activity (fasting, fleeing, burning) only. Am I missing it? It seems the intellect is ignored.
01:06:47 Mary Clare Wax: The tender love of a perfect Mother, the Mother of God, and consecrating ourselves to her Immaculate Heart is very powerful in this day and age. When we do this, it is like riding the waves of grace rather than being tumbled underneath them.
01:07:11 Sr. Charista Maria: Reacted to "The tender love of a..." with 👍
01:09:09 Sr. Charista Maria: It seems that the more one grows in purity of heart and human/spiritual integration, the less one has such intense struggle or temptation when with a beautiful young woman or a young boy. I believe Pope St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body is a great aid to this. And, yes, I believe our Holy Mother and the Rosary are a GREAT aid!
01:09:47 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "The tender love of a..." with ❤️
01:13:37 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "It seems that the mo..." with 🙏🏼
01:15:03 Adam Paige: Reacted to "It seems that the mo..." with 📿
01:15:22 Adam Paige: Reacted to "The tender love of a..." with 🧕
01:15:42 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Father, I expected t..." with 🧠
01:15:44 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "It seems that the mo..." with 🙏🏻
01:20:34 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing
01:21:08 Mary Clare Wax: Reacted to "It seems that the mo..." with ❤️
01:21:11 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:21:12 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr.
 

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily I, Part III

Holy inebriation! We are to become drunk with faith.  For those inebriated with alcohol there is often a loss of the capacity to think about things or see things clearly. For those inebriated with faith, there is a loss of sight of the things of this world and attraction to them because one’s gaze is fixed upon the Beloved. Love alone draws the soul forward. Indeed, it is by the grace of God that we make that initial turn towards Him and so begin to see with a greater clarity the inconstancy that sin brings into our life and the healing, the hope, and the joy that faith alone provides.  
Our senses and our natural faculties that we use constantly to perceive the world around us often become a source of distortion because of the weakening of our will and the darkening of our intellect. And even if these faculties should function perfectly, they still are incapable of comprehending God as he is in himself.  
When faith begins to grow, we begin to see the presence of God in all things and his Providence acting on our behalf. Love, seeks union and communion and perfect Love is present in our lives in a transformative fashion. We need not fear affliction, poverty, or the hatred of others knowing that we are loved with a perfect love. We are never in isolation when we are in Christ through faith and the grace that he provides us. The inconstancy of sin is replaced with the stability and fearlessness of faith. The world can take everything from us, including our honor, and yet we find no loss in it. With St Paul we count all things as refuse in comparison to knowing Jesus Christ and him crucified. Isaac wants a to understand the need to be fully immersed in this love, to be inebriated by it and permeated by it so that it shapes our entire existence.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:02:32 Paisios: Baptismal. One moment I'll get headphones.
00:09:33 Una: I see we have a dog and cat in attendance tonight
00:09:45 Una: Very Franciscan
00:09:59 Una: Are they keen on Isaac?
00:14:26 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 114, # 7
00:16:53 Paisios: Reacted to "Are they keen on I..." with ❤️
00:22:00 Eric Jobe: There is an emphasis here on “perception” (rgeshta), which he repeats, a perception of the power of faith versus the perception of visible matter. I think this keys into the notion of being drunk. When we are drunk, we lose perception. If we are drunk with faith, we lose perception of worldly things and become perceptive to spiritual things.
00:22:07 Una: How does this paragraph fit with the essence/energy ?
00:23:10 Una: Thank you
00:23:40 Jamie: Reacted to "There is an emphas..." with 👍
00:23:42 Lee Graham: Reacted to "There is an emphasis…" with ❤️
00:27:50 Alex Underwood: Reacted to "There is an emphasis..." with 👍
00:36:46 Bob Čihák, AZ: Just over the last few days, my nous perceived than I am a reflection of God in that He created me in His “image and likeness.” Other people are also blessed in this way. I’m seeing Christ more easily in others.
00:37:18 Rachel L.: Is it wrong then,to want to be comfortable around people,  want friends, and have relationships with others outside of my family?
00:37:50 Anthony: Our parish priest said something very important: it is very difficult to commit a mortal sin. This counters a tendency to fear we will lose God, that is kind of common among "traditional" ways of thinking.
00:37:58 Rachel L.: I'm confused about the practical application of this
00:42:35 Eric Jobe: St. Isaac makes a contrast between fear of death and fear of God (who destroys death by death). It seems we are controlled by one or the other, as if some type of fear is necessary. Why? Perhaps because we lack perfect love that “casts out all fear”. I believe it is something that Diadochos of Photiki talks about in Philokalia Vol. 1.
00:42:44 Joshua Sander: I've been reading commentary on the book of Job, and it seems to correspond well to this paragraph, especially demanding investigation due to a lack of faith, and then moving from that to a faith that is born of grace and viewing God relationally rather than legalistically. Do Isaac or any of the other Fathers view Job's journey in this way?
00:45:14 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "There is an emphasis..." with ❤️
00:45:45 Kate : Is this trust in the providence of God something that we bring about in ourselves, or is it a grace that we must pray and beg God to give to us?
00:56:36 Art: This paragraph calls to mind St John of the Cross “…if the desire of the will be dispersed among other things than virtue, it must be weaker as regards virtue.  And thus the soul whose will is set upon various trifles is like water…never rises.”   Ascent of Mt Carmel.
00:59:50 Paisios: "Silence is the womb of wisdom"
01:00:07 Paisios: I don't
01:11:13 Kathleen: Can’t find raise hand. But can you elaborate more on #13?  Examples? Perhaps next week if no time.
01:14:00 Una: Look under "reactions" on the tool bar on the bottom. It's an icon of a heart
01:14:20 Una: Right beside "chat"
01:15:00 Anthony: Sorry I can't find the raise hand button.  I sense now the same sense of rage and vengeance as in 2001
01:17:19 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Can’t find raise han..."
Maybe repost your question so Fr. sees it
01:19:03 Paisios: In my rage, whose heart will I change?
01:19:25 Jessica Imanaka: Reacted to "In my rage, whose he..." with 👍
01:19:43 Carol Roper: Reacted to "In my rage, whose he…" with 👍
01:20:04 Edward Kleinguetl: “God’s love is powerful enough to heal everything, but you must find the courage to decide to pass through the ‘narrow gate’ of forgiveness. This choice is more demanding than the spontaneous reaction of resentment and accusation, but it is a decision in favor of true life.” (Fr. Jacques Philippe)
01:20:28 Elizabeth Richards: Reacted to "“God’s love is power..." with ❤️
01:20:32 Fr. Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: Reacted to "“God’s love is power..." with ❤️
01:20:54 Mary Clare Wax: I think of the movie, "The Mission," where some of the priests decided to fight back, and in the end, they were all killed. It was a very sad thing to see. I so hoped they would change their minds and pray until the end like the Superior of the Jesuits did.
01:23:28 Edward Kleinguetl: Reacted to "I think of the movie..." with ❤️
01:23:52 Edward Kleinguetl: Reacted to "In my rage, whose he..." with 👍
01:25:42 Catherine Opie: Since I have become Catholic and humbled myself before God the anxiety and restlessness I always felt has disappeared. Now I find I am  even more humbled by becoming an outsider in my family and with old friends because of this choice. I feel grief but not anxiety. Because
01:25:58 Gina Marie: Reacted to "“God’s love is power..." with ❤️
01:26:24 Tracey Fredman: Reacted to "Since I have become ..." with ❤️
01:27:04 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:27:07 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:27:13 Gina Marie: Thank you, Father!
01:27:17 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you!
01:27:20 Joe: Thank you Fr. Charbel
01:27:23 paul g.: Excellent tonite
01:27:25 David: Thank you Father. May you be blessed with good health
01:27:50 Catherine Opie: Thank you Fr.
01:28:25 David: Meeting Planner – Find best time across Time Zones

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part II

Fear and hope! These are the two realities that are put before us by the writings of the fathers on the struggle with lust and fornication. They are hard stories to listen to for in them we begin to see the poverty of man and what we are capable of doing not only in our lesser moments, but when we turn away from God in the slightest fashion. Whatever one’s religious identity might be or how vigorously one has embraced the ascetic life, what brings an individual to the depths of sin is hubris; trusting in our own understanding or following our own desires in such a way that we put ourselves in God to the test. 
Thus, the stories should give rise to fear within our hearts in order that we might place our trust only in God and cling to him through constant prayer. However, we are also give that which provides hope of salvation through the very same stories. God does not abandon us even when we have turned away from him. He will use every means possible (other people or affliction) to draw us back to himself. He will turn the world upside down if it gives rise to a spirit of repentance within our hearts. It is this repentance that draws us out of the mire. 
The fathers are quick to instruct us that we are not to abhor human sexuality or members of the opposite sex. However, we must respect the power of natural desire, especially when it is paired with concupiscence. The darkness brought to our minds because of our sin often leads us to objectify the other; to lose sight of their dignity and to focus simply on ourselves and the satisfying of our needs. The fathers would have us understand the great power of the demons. We are told in one story this evening where all of the forest in the place were consumed by the flame that came from the serpent being cast out.  We must understand, then, that we are not simply struggling with our natural defects and flaws but rather with principalities and powers. 
Sin is a fearful thing and true faith allows us to see its ugliness and destructiveness. This same faith allows us to see the only source of our true hope – Christ. With humility let us cry out to him that he might show us his abundant mercy.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:38:06 Forrest Cavalier: Hard topic1
00:38:59 Forrest Cavalier: I've heard bits and pieces of what you have said, from different people, who were not prelates. The 1970's approach of trying a cure was disastrous.
00:54:15 Forrest Cavalier: Teach us to strive from the pulpit. Hebrews 12:9-12 Besides this, we have had our earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not [then] submit all the more to the Father of spirits and live? They disciplined us for a short time as seemed right to them, but he does so for our benefit, in order that we may share his holiness. At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.e
00:59:41 Forrest Cavalier: A fire poker
01:00:43 Maureen Cunningham: If he would have fell and a chid would came then he could not be a church Father .  What would happen
01:04:32 Anthony: I worked for a firm that worked in divorces and in child protection....even in the Bible Belt, divorce is a SERIOUS problem. We don't have much understanding beyond flesh, and that is reinforced by ads and movies and cartoons and songs.
01:08:49 Maureen Cunningham: Always a Blessing  Thank You
01:09:36 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:09:36 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:09:51 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.
01:12:09 Maureen Cunningham: Yay for you Father ,  and for all those who listen
01:13:06 Arthur Danzi: Thank you, father

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily I, Part II

How we begin something often determines how it will develop in later stages and the fruit that it will bear. Thus, Saint Isaac tells us, that the beginning of the path of life is our immersion in the word of God and to live in poverty. This is strikingly unlike how other ascetic/mystical writers begin speaking about the discipline of virtue. Isaac immediately encourages us to take the focus off of ourselves, of our own judgment of the world as well as to remove our attachment to the things of this world. Our identity is rooted in God. We have been made in his image and likeness and we only find the fulfillment of love and life for which our hearts long in him. To exercise the mind in the words of God is not like reading a book on history. It is opening the heart to receive the fullness of what God has revealed to us and when we approach this word in faith and silence, it allows God to speak a word that is equal to himself. It allows that Divine word to be born in our hearts. This encounter is what transforms us and fills the heart with desire for what we are promised in Christ; that is, theosis, deification, being made one is with God by grace. The more this desire grows within us the less we are attached to the things of this world.  We seek to simplify our lives.  To become poor in the things of this world allows us to become rich in that which endures. Free from the anxiety that our attachment to the things of this world brings we are able to immerse ourselves in the eternal word of God. Lacking this, Isaac tells us, no one can draw close to God. The more occupied we are with the things of the world the more susceptible we become to the passions. When we surround ourselves with the noise of the world all of the senses are flooded and we are in a constant state of receptivity. Thus, we become less receptive to the one thing necessary and that is sanctifying. What we find in Isaac then and what makes his writing so captivating is his understanding that love is the most powerful source of motivation and transformation. It is Christ who raises us up out of the poverty of our sin and when we have Him, as St paul reminds us, everything else appears to be mere refuse.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:07:20 Una: Where is the hand button?
00:07:58 Una: Mine is a heart icon
00:10:21 Una: I feel like Isaac the way I felt when I first discovered the Bible. Total immersion
00:11:48 Una: Replying to "I feel like Isaac ..."
I have not been able to stop listening to the audiobook
00:11:53 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 113, # 4
00:11:55 Daniel Allen: i am but my camera and mic aren't working
00:11:57 Daniel Allen: yes
00:11:59 Daniel Allen: confirmed
00:12:13 Daniel Allen: on a laptop instead of ipad tonight and i can't seem to figure out zoom on this
00:12:34 Daniel Allen: not sure if you can see my typing
00:13:07 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 113, # 4
00:16:56 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 113, # 4
00:29:27 Kathleen: Rationale thought
00:34:38 Lee Graham: No
00:46:20 Maureen Cunningham: I find everyone seems so Angry these days.
00:46:40 Maureen Cunningham: Silence is the only way
00:51:16 Daniel Allen: It's hard to leave Christ for Christ, to see it as such. As a parent, sometimes the last thing you want is a kid asking you a question, or really anyone needing you. And inevitably when you try to find time to pray, that's when you're needed without fail. The natural reaction, especially after awhile, can be frustration. So to "leave Christ for Christ" is a challenging thing to actually do.
00:54:20 Joshua Sander: Forgive my question for going back a paragraph in the text, but when Isaac speaks of "the word of God," is he simply speaking of the formal canon of Scripture, or is he extending this to the holy writings of the Fathers as well?
00:56:36 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "It's hard to leave C..." with ❤️
01:00:14 Anthony: If St Neri is an example, this becoming prayer comes gradually, organically. It isn't grasped at with ambition.
01:00:41 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "If St Neri is an exa..." with 👍🏼
01:07:09 Nick Bodmer: We are amusing ourselves to death
01:08:16 The Recovery Community Hub of PBC, Inc.: At our wedding our priest had this line that stuck with me, that every single struggle in marriage will ultimately lead to the cultivation of a virtue that each of the spouses needs to attain heaven
01:08:36 Alex Underwood: It seems like Isaac’s concept of “separation” here could be a direct lesson from and emulation of Jesus when he would remove himself into the wilderness or desert to pray and commune with the Father?
01:18:36 Kevin Burke: Thank You Father, this is awesome !
01:18:38 Elizabeth Richards: Thank you Father!
01:18:41 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You
01:18:44 santiagobua: Thank you Father!!
01:18:46 Nypaver Clan: Sorry to disagree with Lord Byron…If I thought “marriage was hell” I wouldn’t have stuck with it for 41 years.   🥰
01:18:47 Una: That's very tempting to do Isaac more than once a week
01:18:52 Francisco Ingham: Thank you father!
01:18:52 Una: What about Friday?
01:18:53 Daniel Allen: Thank you Father!
01:19:32 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:19:35 Joe Mugo: Thank you Father.
01:19:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: Bless you, Father!
01:19:37 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:19:56 Catherine Opie: That sounds wonderful
01:20:01 Elizabeth Richards: Lenten group sounds good!!
01:20:03 Anthony: Ok sounds good.
01:20:04 Maureen Cunningham: Ok Saturday is wonderful
01:20:07 ANDREW ADAMS: That sounds great!
01:20:09 Kevin Burke: Reacted to "Ok sounds good." with 👌
01:20:14 Dave Warner | AL: Thank you Father! Would like to participate in a Lenten group.
01:20:17 Joe Mugo: Reacted to "Ok sounds good." with 👌
01:20:17 Catherine Opie: 🙏🏻

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXIX, Part I

As we are drawn more deeply into the spiritual warfare of the Desert fathers and learn from their stories of how the demons will provoke a soul and lure it into sin, we begin to see how important it is to put on the mind of Christ; that is, to embrace fully the mindset of the person of faith and the life that we are meant to embody. One of the beautiful aspects of the Evergetinos is that it does not simply present us with teachings but also with the concrete struggle of the fathers and the nature and subtlely of demonic provocation. 
We begin to understand that there is no room for pride in the spiritual life. In particular with the passion of fornication, it is the coward who is the victor; that is, he who flees. Our strength is found only in the Lord and clinging to him. We must have no illusion about the strength of our virtue, no matter how long we have engaged in the spiritual life or how virtuous we may seem to be. “Pride rideth before the fall”. 
We also see in these stories how the demons sing out to the soul in order to present the temptation as the most attractive and beautiful of things. They can draw even the most seasoned of ascetics into a kind of crazed frenzy or mania. Therefore, we are taught that we must turn immediately to the Lord, raising our hands to the heavens and falling on our knees, begging for his protection. 
The demons will show no mercy. In fact, their goal is not simply to draw an individual into sin, but also to draw them into despair where repentance is stymied. After a fall, they become the soul’s accuser and will even use scripture to mock her in such a way as to drive her into greater darkness. Their desire is to make us lose confidence in the mercy and compassion of God.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:05:21 Bob Cihak: P. 212 # 8
00:13:45 Bob Cihak: P. 212 # 8
00:20:40 Wayne: What page?
00:20:53 Nypaver Clan: 213
00:21:00 Nypaver Clan: top
00:21:05 Wayne: thanks
00:28:27 Fr Marty, AZ 480-292-3381: It's interesting to consider that we can till the soil for this temptation by giving into other passions. Just reminds me to be vigilant, especially in how I consider others. And in fleeing too. Valuable insight to help me realize that I'm not as blindsided as I thought but I'd been opening doors to weaken me in temptation.
00:32:14 Anthony: Sometimes it takes getting sick and tired of the situation to develop a contempt for it.
00:35:04 Fr Marty, AZ 480-292-3381: Did you say the mindset is called phronema?
00:35:48 Kate : The mindset you describe is like nothing I have ever heard or experienced being a Latin Rite Catholic.
00:39:49 Anthony: The West co.es by it honestly...having to know by size, weight a day number, which medieval texts extrapolate I think from Sirach.  I prefer St Ephrem's poem on the Hidden Pearl taken as a unity.
00:40:12 Anthony: Comes
00:42:19 Nina and Sparky: Phil 2:2 πληρώσατέ μου τὴν χαρὰν ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ φρονῆτε     "fill up my cup of happiness by thinking with the same mind"  See the last greek word phronete. In modern writing, I have heard the phrase "according to the mind of the church"
00:42:25 Myles Davidson: The word “re-enchantment” is being used more amongst some Catholic circles. The need to return to a more poetic pre-Cartesian worldview
00:44:00 Anthony: Reacted to The word “re-enchant... with "👍"
00:44:11 Nina and Sparky: Sorry, it is me, Forrest Cavalier.
00:51:36 Myles Davidson: The Jesus Prayer is the fastest way to shake off unwanted thoughts, in my experience.
01:04:33 Anthony: But if we can trust what demons say (something I really don't like) their mockery gave a clue of the problem....Exaltation by arrogance.  So, do the opposite.
01:08:20 Fr Marty, AZ 480-292-3381: This seems to reveal that the devil's plan is more than just sin, from which we can again stand and receive forgiveness, but the devil, through sin stirred by pride, attempts  to poison our mind into despair or to forget God and his love for us and our vocation.
01:09:56 Anthony: The devil made himself a bastard in relation to the Creator and wants to bastardize and neuter us.
01:14:26 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:14:28 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:14:34 Bob Cihak: Bless you, Father.
01:14:55 Bob Cihak: I forgive you.

The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily I, Part I

It bears saying that we find ourselves upon a privileged path as we begin this new journey with Saint Isaac the Syrian. To have access to his writings and access to such a translation in the West is a recent phenomenon and one not to be taken lightly. Further it is often said that Isaac is the greatest of the Desert Fathers in that through his writings one can move from being a novice in the spiritual life to the heights of contemplation.
Immediately, one discovers that Isaac is unique and distinctive in his manner of approaching the spiritual life. He appeals to our capacity in faith to comprehend divine love and what has been revealed to us through Christ. It is what we comprehend in faith that fills the heart with wonder; that we are embraced by a love that never ends and that only seeks to raise us up out of the darkness of sin to the fullness of light. Isaac understands that, made in the image and likeness of God, we are going to be driven by desire; that is, a sense of lack and incompleteness. God has made us for himself and we only find our identity and the fullness for which we long in him.
Our struggle is our attachment to the things of this world, including our own ego – the self. There are so many things that vie for our attention that the “one thing necessary” is often pushed out to the margins of our life or out of mind altogether. The love out of which we have been created and the lavish love through which we have been redeemed is often supplanted by that which eventually turns to dust.
Our awareness of this should produce within us a fear that creates a movement toward God. Repentance is simply or acting on that awareness; turning away from our sin and our attachment to the things of this world and opening ourselves up to the healing grace and mercy of God. It is for this reason that Isaac does not focus on the development of virtue and the overcoming of vice as others do. For ultimately, we are not seeking the perfection of natural virtue or even to exceed what we understand as the heights of virtue. Rather, we are to understand the ascetic life is radically tied to being “in Christ”. In other words, the radical transformation that takes place through the grace that we receive through baptism, the Eucharist, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit leads to our participation in the life of the Trinity. Deification is what has been promised to those of faith. It is divine humility, divine love, divine compassion, and divine vulnerability that we are to embody. This takes place not through raw grit but rather through abandonment to Christ in a spirit of humility. As we let go of the illusion of self identity, independent of Christ, the true self begins to emerge. Thus if we take anything away from this evening’s discussion and reflection it should be the sense of wonder and desire that Isaac seeks to cultivate within the human heart. Love alone endures and the desire it produces inflames the heart to pursue the Beloved and the Life of the Kingdom.
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Text of chat during the group: 
00:15:34 Bob Cihak: Father's Substack comments are another blessing for me. The come by email to me, several times daily and are beautifully succinct, most of the time.
00:17:15 Sr. Mary Clare: Thank you, Father!
00:36:18 Ren Witter: Sr. Barbara - would you mind sending your question to the whole group in the chat so that the people reading/listening to the podcast know what you asked? (I think your question must have been sent directly to Fr. Charbel).
00:36:30 mflory: The whole first paragraph is a chain of practices/virtues: reflection on the “restitution” (providence/the second coming) leads to withdrawal from the world which leads to control of thoughts which leads to faith which leads to fear of God which leads to virtue.
00:36:33 Jamie: Reacted to "Sr. Barbara - woul..." with 👍
00:37:26 mflory: Mark
00:38:37 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Sentence two begins with "It"  - referring to fear of the Lord or to faith?
00:38:42 Eric Jobe: Some comments:The fear of God - it strikes me like the Freudio-Lacanian notion of symbolic castration, whereby we are inscribed into the divine order of virtue.
In Syriac, St. Isaac specifically says that one “takes the opportunity to withdraw his mind from the world” This is important I think - we have an opportunity that we must deliberately take.
…00:39:21 Ren Witter: Reacted to " Sentence two begins..." with 👍🏼
00:40:19 Eric Jobe: This “reflection on the restitution to come” is more evocative in the Syriac. There is a kind of dazzling imagination - sharagragriatha. And “restitution” is the order of the age to come - tuqana. It is a positive thing to meditate on imaginatively, not the judgment to come.
00:41:15 Josh: Would it be possible to get a link to the copy of the book that is being used? I missed the email that may've said it.
00:41:47 Ren Witter: https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/635/?srsltid=AfmBOorJmXoZG7njKJoH-E9BPgTnoNHhClUY3JtkWMW_1R4AAeZ_fCRp
00:41:47 ANDREW ADAMS: Replying to "Would it be possible..."
https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/cPath/75_105/products_id/635
00:41:55 Jamie: Can we interpret fear as aligned with awe? By that I mean: fear implies awareness of unknown about the object we fear. God is the ultimate mystery...we can't know him perfectly, so the fear is a healthy appreciation for "other". It's living in the reality that God is entirely other than creation. We appreciate how utterly other God is as object, so we fear God in awe and wonder. We will never fully know God, even as we grow in intimacy with him, so we continue to fear / awe God. It's a healthy thing. Is this a workable interpretation? If this is workable, it would seem the beginning of virtue is to appreciate God as not me, akin to he must increase and I must decrease. It's a fear that leads me closer to God -- not driven away, because this Utterly Other is the object who can provide for me all my needs.
00:42:04 Niño: I think the modern day problem is that we often associate the Love for God with emotionalism or sensationalism ...but like what you said father..the discipline, the virtues are ways of showing and increasing our love for God 
00:42:05 David: Is the focus on fear of the lord similar to training wheels to focus our attention on God and push away the work of the evil thoughts often using fear. I see later writings say once you have mastered the fear then you focus on love of God and each moment and expression of love possibly leaving fear like training wheels behind?
00:42:07 Josh: Replying to "Would it be possible..."
Thank you!
00:42:15 Josh: Replying to "https://www.bostonmo..."
Thank you!
00:43:21 Eric Jobe: Replying to " Sentence two begins..."
“Fear” most likely. It’s ambiguous in Syriac, but “fear” is the grammatical topic.
00:44:16 Ren Witter: Standard procedure for questions: If you have a question you would like Fr. Charnel to respond to in the group, please type your question, and then “raise your hand.” Once Father sees the hand, and calls your name, send the message.
00:45:47 Anthony: So "restitution" is like "restoration."
00:45:54 Niño: Reacted to So "restitution" is ... with "❤️"
00:46:12 Jamie: Reacted to "Standard procedure..." with 👍
00:48:09 Anthony: A spirituality of "The Song of Songs."
00:48:34 Jamie: Reacted to "So "restitution" i..." with ✍️
00:50:34 Gina Marie: Reacted to "Standard procedure f..." with 👍
00:50:45 Rebecca Thérèse: I don't know about Syriac but in biblical Hebrew (a closely related Semitic language) "fear" as in "the fear of the Lord" can also be translated "reverence".
00:57:39 Anthony: $ for land too. 😉
00:58:08 Ryan Ngeve: Father is there a connection between Isaac’s phrase on the fear of God and proverbs 9:10?
00:59:04 David: Reacted to "Father is there a co..." with 👍
00:59:35 Nick Bodmer: People are realizing that they aren't fulfilled, so they are trying all these things to have a chance to fill the void within themselves.
01:00:22 Niño: Reacted to People are realizing... with "❤️"
01:01:48 Eric Jobe: “Contain himself” could be translated from Syriac as “recollects”, which brings up the prodigal son as well as the myriad of statements of the Fathers on the notion of recollection.
01:04:00 Eric Jobe: “Honor” is plural in the Syriac. It likely refers to many instances of others giving honor, like we may say in English: “He received many honors from the military.”
01:06:07 Jamie: In his high priestly prayer, Jesus prays that the Father would glorify him. Jesus can handle being honored, but he does NOT seek honor from men...he seeks it from his heavenly Father. If we are to imitate God in fear, healthy appreciate and awe for God as the provider of all our needs, then we should seek the glory God wishes to give us, which likely means Cross in this world and heavenly paradise in the next (because heaven we will see him face to face...the ultimate honor).
01:07:19 Catherine Eisenbrandt: Father how do you tell the difference between when you need to be obedient and accept “good” active things as service and when not to engage
01:12:13 Niño: Without Love for God, there is no real love for neighbor
Christ showed His love for us by dying on the cross to save us from sin death and hell... Therefore the Love of a neighbor also means to admonish them of obvious sin and to help them, if they are willing, to go to confession 
01:13:49 St. Stanislaus Kostka Religious Education: Next Sunday's Gospel includes being concerned more abou the splinter in the other's eye rather than the beam in our own.
01:17:04 maureencunningham: Thank  You Father Blessing
01:17:21 Jamie: Reacted to "Thank  You Father ..." with 🙏
01:17:40 Niño: Salamat Padre (Thank you Father-Filipino language)
01:18:34 Julie’s iPhone: Thank you Father You are in my prayers
01:18:53 Laura: Reacted to "Thank you Father Yo..." with 👍🏼
01:19:14 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:19:15 Dave Warner | AL: Thank you Father!
01:19:16 David: Thank you Father. God bless you and your mother!
01:19:17 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:19:24 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you!
01:19:25 Mari: Thank you
01:19:31 Tommie’s iPhone: Glory to Jesus Christ
01:19:32 Gina Marie: Thank you, Father!
01:19:35 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Thank you!
01:19:45 Ben: Thank you, Father! God bless.

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXVIII, Part VI

Once again, we are blessed by the practical counsel of the fathers in regard to the struggle with the passion of lust and fornication. What becomes evident is that the struggle is primarily with the thoughts and how we address them in our lives. The origin of such thoughts may be from ourselves and our own memories, what we experience with our senses in the present moment or from demonic provocation. Whatever their origin, our asceticism must be such that we are willing to lay all such thoughts aside in preference for remaining in stillness with our focus set upon Christ. 
It is always best not to engage the thoughts that rush upon us understanding that we will be overwhelmed, especially if their origin is from the demons. We are not to argue or wrestle with the thoughts but rather call upon the holy name of our Lord and to plead for his help and strength. 
This is the source of our healing, even in ways that we do not comprehend. The more we call upon the Lord, the deeper the healing becomes and the more free we become from our attachment to the things of this world. The Jesus Prayer in particular can be used as a gentle weapon to cut away the thoughts as they come upon us. When we are able, it is beneficial to say the prayer in an audible fashion making use of multiple senses. Having a chotki in hand as we say the Prayer and making prostrations repeatedly involves the whole self in the spiritual battle. When we humble ourselves in mind and body before God, He rushes to our aid. 
Thus, humility, vigilance and constancy of prayer must be the foundation of our ascetic practice. Furthermore, we must be simple and not count ourselves as clever in this battle. The wiles of the evil one can turn even our conversations about piety into instruments that agitate and stir up the heart. Let us examine our hearts well as we approach the Great Fast and ask the Lord to be our strength.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:11:46 Niño: Have a nice day everybody 💞 it's 830 am Feb 25 Tuesday here Philippine time
00:15:10 Bob Cihak: P. 210, # G
00:15:46 Kathleen: What is the name of teh beginner’s book?
00:16:07 Kathleen: Thank you
00:16:28 Myles Davidson: https://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Introduction-Philokalia-2016/dp/1880971798
00:16:39 Kathleen: Thank you Myles
00:17:05 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Thank you Myles" with 🙏
00:20:50 Josh: Can anyone tell me what page we are on tonight? Thanks.
00:21:03 Bob Cihak: P. 210, # G
00:21:10 Josh: Thank you
00:28:40 Maureen Cunningham: Maybe it was to protect women. It seems that women were used like property and could be cast away and killed.
00:39:46 Myles Davidson: This advice at the end of this saying reminds me of this quote you posted today Fr.“Unceasing calling upon the name of God cures one not only of passions, but also of actions; and as a medicine affects a sick man without his comprehension, similarly the invocation of the name of God destroys passions in a manner beyond our comprehension."
00:40:25 Adam Paige: We have to choose: the news or the nous ! ;)
00:40:30 Maureen Cunningham: Beautiful movie free
00:40:48 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "We have to choose: t..." with 😊
00:40:49 Bob Cihak: When I decided, a long time ago, to let passionate thoughts just go by me, and ignore them, it lightened me a lot. I call this my toreodor defense.
00:40:49 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "We have to choose: t..." with 👍
00:40:55 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Beautiful movie free" with 👍
00:43:27 Niño: Is there a prayer before and after doing a prostration? I used to do prostrations 33 times while meditating on the passion of Christ ...
00:46:08 Niño: Reacted to We have to choose: t... with "❤️"
00:47:08 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Beautiful movie free" with 🎞️
00:47:24 Niño: The power of the name of Christ is calming the storms within and without ...
00:48:13 Maureen Cunningham: What is the nous
00:48:32 Nypaver Clan: Replying to "What is the nous"
The eye of the soul
00:48:39 sr charista: As well, regarding main stream news it is said that 6 people own all the stations, it is the deceptive mockingbird media with an nefarious agenda it seems.
00:50:03 Niño: Yperagia Theotoke Soson Imas
00:50:41 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to We have to choose: t... with "😊"
00:54:05 Adam Paige: Replying to "Yperagia Theotoke So..."
Yperagia Theotoke Soson Imas  ΥΠΕΡΑΓΙΑ ΘΕΟΤΟΚΕ ΣΩΣΟΝ ΗΜΑΣ// Most Holy Mother of God save us
01:01:17 Niño: Thus having an icon that would remind us of our goal and skull to remind us of death would help our imagination to focus on the things that are eternally true
01:02:05 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Thus having an icon ..." with 💀
01:07:20 Kathleen: You mentioned earlier about conversations that go in an unholy direction…it’s awkward at best finding ways to change the subject or exit or be silent without any body language or gestures that may indicate approval of the conversation.  i find myself in these situations so looking for ways to handle
01:07:38 Niño: Reacted to You mentioned earlie... with "❤️"
01:08:06 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "pic-a711b3ac-351b-4294-8af5-576d965386f4.jpg" with 👍
01:09:31 Josh: Reacted to "You mentioned earlie..." with ❤️
01:09:40 Josh: Reacted to "pic-a711b3ac-351b-4294-8af5-576d965386f4.jpg" with 👍
01:12:02 Adam Paige: Replying to "You mentioned earlie..."
"7. Do not regard the feelings of a person who speaks to you about his neighbour disparagingly, but rather say to him: ‘Stop, brother! I fall into graver sins every day, so how can I criticize him?’ In this way you will achieve two things: you will heal yourself and your neighbour with one plaster. This is one of the shortest ways to the forgiveness of sins; I mean, not to judge. ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’" - THE LADDER OF DIVINE ASCENT, St. John Climacus, Step 10 - On slander or calumny
01:13:35 Kathleen: Haha
01:14:27 Maureen Cunningham: Praying for you when do we start fast
01:15:30 Niño: Grateful always to be part of this group 🙏 thank you Padre For making this platform public(what I mean free)
01:15:40 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:15:41 Bob Cihak: Thank you, father.
01:15:42 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:15:50 Adam Paige: Replying to "Praying for you when..."
Praying for you when do we start fast depends on your rite !
01:16:06 Kathleen: I have no books yet. Is this info on your website?
01:16:15 Niño: Pls pray for me ..I'm planning to go back to the sacrament of penance after a long time of being away 🥹
01:16:22 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Pls pray for me ..I'..." with 😇
01:16:26 Josh: Reacted to "Pls pray for me ..I'..." with ❤️
01:16:26 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Pls pray for me ..I'..." with 🙏🏼
01:16:29 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to Pls pray for me ..I'... with "🙏🏼"
01:16:39 Kathleen: Hahaha
01:16:44 Niño: Reacted to Hahaha with "😂"
01:17:05 Francisco Ingham: Thank you father! Let’s all offer our prayers and fasts for the Pope this week 🙏
01:17:14 sr charista: what is the name again
01:17:45 Adam Paige: I have no books yet. Is this info on your website? https://www.ctosonline.org/patristic/EvCT.html
01:18:10 Anthony: Reacted to When I decided, a lo... with "👍"
01:18:26 Adam Paige: I have no books yet. Is this info on your website? https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/635/?srsltid=AfmBOooAjdCUbwFztCJTIdrREtqfZwwp9RRgofV0q8U344Uov_z8_8q5
01:18:28 sr charista: Replying to "I have no books yet...."
thank you much :)
01:18:46 sr charista: BEAUTIFUL
01:18:46 Nypaver Clan: zacharias zacharou

The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Appendix "To The Shepherd", Part XI

We come to the end of this journey with St John Climacus knowing that it is also only the beginning. What joy has come through sitting at the feet of St. John for these few years and to be led along the path that brings us to Christ and the freedom to give ourselves in love and receive love. 
In these final paragraphs about the qualities and the responsibilities of a spiritual elder, what shines forth most brightly is the absolute and complete love that the elder must have for those in his care. The love of Christ that burns within his heart must embrace and give warmth to all those he guides and be a true source of light for them. There are times where he may have to be strict and forceful yet the love dwells within his heart, like divine love, is curative not punitive. Divine love offers itself completely, lavishly, allowing itself to be broken and poured out for others. Thus, the elder must have ever before him those in his charge; so much so that purity of heart allows him to see their needs and suffering and compels him to come to their aid. 
There will be many times when he must carry those in his charge to the Lord through his own example, his hidden sufferings and constant prayer. Like a parent, there will be moments when he must take them by the hand and guide them one step at a time along the narrow path that leads to the kingdom. Despite the fact that the kingdom of heaven dwells within us, the journey is often toilsome.  Left to ourselves, we may never find the narrow gate or enter. 
The elder must be long suffering; that when the lack of dispassion in others pierces his heart like a sword his response is like the Divine Judge - restraining himself and looking at others only with compassion. He must be willing to receive and take up upon his shoulders of the burden of his office as Christ took upon himself the burden of the cross and he must not despise the wounds that may come through rejection and betrayal.
The elder’s love must run so deep that intuitively he knows the sufferings of those in his care even before they speak of them to him. Without hesitation and quickly, he seeks to apply the healing balm. 
And perhaps most powerful and beautiful of all - - in the end, the elder must acknowledge that he must decrease in order that Christ might increase within his children’s hearts. There will come a time when they no longer need human instruction because they have given their hearts to the Lord and are guided by His Spirit. Blessed are those who bring others to Christ and whose guidance passes on from generation to generation.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:12:41 Bob Cihak: P. 260, # 89
00:17:46 Anna Lalonde: It was a complete blessing the four months I was in religious life! Transformed my prayer life.
00:19:12 Joanne Martínez : Joanne Martínez here, just signed on
00:19:55 Bob Cihak: P. 260, # 89
00:20:13 Joanne Martínez : Reacted to "P. 260, # 89" with 👌
00:31:14 Kate : In order to be broken and poured out in love for others, does it necessitate allowing ourselves to be broken first by God, so to speak, and to have received the Love of God poured into us?
00:31:58 Rebecca Thérèse: Nathan
00:32:59 Jeffrey Ott: The daily meditation of Gaston Courtois was on that very thing…profiting first from God’s love so that we may reveal that love to the multitude of other souls
00:33:58 Tracey Fredman: Sometimes willingly pouring ourselves out for others is the way we are broken by God, particularly when we don't feel like doing whatever it is for others whether in ministry or simply serving another.
00:44:53 Joanne Martínez : In reading about the lengths to which the people of Mesoamerica went to receive baptism after the apparition of Guadalupe, I have a new understanding of the gift that sacrament truly is
00:57:21 Maureen Cunningham: There is a short you tube called  The 21 remembering Martyrs who died in February 2015. The faith of  these men  was moving
01:01:58 Anna Lalonde: Fostered about 130 teens. 😂
01:22:16 Sr. Mary Clare: That is certainly a love that is not possessive
01:22:58 Joanne Martínez : Thank you! These last two years journeying with you all has been extraordinary.
01:23:02 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Father
01:23:55 Zachary Morgan: This was wonderful - thank you Abouna!
01:24:37 Sr. Mary Clare: Beautiful
01:24:40 Janine: Thank you Father Charbel…looking forward to St Isaac
01:24:43 Jeffrey Ott: It’s been a joy. Thank you Father.
01:24:52 Lee Graham: Thank you, this has been wonderful
01:25:42 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!
01:25:45 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:25:45 David: Thank you Father God Bless you and your Mom!
01:25:58 Art: Thank you for this wonderful journey with John Climacus!
01:26:08 Cindy Moran: Than you Father

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXVIII, Part V

Tonight we follow the thought of Saint Isaiah, the Solitary and St. John Cassian on the struggle with the passion of lust and fornication. One things stands out clearly: we must be fully engaged in the formation of the mind and the heart in virtue - for the devil is fully engaged in seeking to provoke us to sin. Therefore, we must guard all of the senses with great attentiveness. With this particular passion, we must engage in the battle both physically and spiritually. Thus, we must be attentive to both prayer and fasting; that is, humbling the mind and the body in such a way that we turn to God for our nourishment and strength. In shaping the habit of virtue, we must study the scriptures, engage in fervent prayer, and labor with our hands; in other words, we must keep our focus simple in order that we might be aware of what is going on within the heart. 
Cassian makes it clear that the heart is the place where the disease is hidden – the depths of the soul. Yet, it is also here that the remedy is found. We must open our heart fully to God by guarding the senses and directing all of our energies towards the formation of virtue and the love of the things of the kingdom. 
Humility is the foundation of all of these pursuits. In it, we recognize our poverty and so cling to God. As we cling to him, we experienced that he alone can bring not only healing where there has only been sin but also fill the heart with the love that he alone can satisfy.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:02:12 Anna Lalonde: Hello! We missed last week due to sickness. Glad to hear Father Charbel you've gained 11 new brothers in the monastery!
00:20:51 Joseph Muir: What page are we on?
00:21:07 Bob Cihak: P. 207 E
00:22:00 Joseph Muir: Reacted to "P. 207 E" with 👍
00:27:58 Joseph Muir: After a period of my life of living in rampant sin, upon my reversion, returning to the sacramental life of prayer and repentance, I really struggled with talking about my past without ultimately devolving into my bragging about my past. This was something that I took to confession probably every week for a period, until the priest, whom I personally knew, eventually asked me, “Are these people asking to hear about your past? Or are you shoehorning it into conversation?” It was obviously the latter, stemming from a misplaced sense of zeal for my return to God, though the priest exhorted me to practice biting my tongue instead, and that it would afford me the silence so as to healthily discern when and whom to share certain bits regarding my past, if at all
00:30:59 Joseph Muir: 😂
00:31:56 Anthony: I recommend "Hope," Pope Francis ' memoiore released this year.
00:32:16 Anthony: He deals with his own shame
00:35:25 Anthony: Ossuary
00:36:08 Myles Davidson: There’s a great scene in a Mt. Athos doco of a monk moving a wheelbarrow full of skulls to a new home they were building for them
00:37:48 Joseph Muir: “Keep your eyes on your own plate”, as an old monastic maxim goes
00:49:14 Adam Paige: https://philokalia.podbean.com/e/to-love-fasting/
00:49:33 Anthony: There's a related issue: I was working with a church youth group, and so, wanting to relate to their culture as other adults could, I watched a lot of movies like the Marvel Universe.  That was a bad idea.  That just uploads other people's malformed imagination into mine.
00:50:57 Myles Davidson: Replying to "There's a related is..."
Hollywood in general is very toxic
01:05:54 Niño: It's really hard to practice these disciplines especially if someone experimented with living a life of sin out of curiosity... I'd been away from the sacraments for 2 months to satisfy my lower appetite...but now I regret everything ...it's a foolish thing to give a chance to the devil in the name of "choosing" between evil and good ... Now, I'm beginning from zero again 😔 it's good thing to find this meeting.thanks Fr.
01:06:22 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "It's really hard to ..." with 🙏
01:08:09 Myles Davidson: Oscar Wilde said the best way to get rid of temptation was to give in to it
01:08:16 Forrest Cavalier: Welcome back to the fold, N!
01:08:26 Joseph Muir: “[E]ach person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.”—James 1:14-15
01:09:05 Adam Paige: Oscar Wilde also said the only feast of the church he kept was Septuagesima haha
01:09:18 Anthony: Mayne Wilde meant that temptation is a part of life, don't just roll over to temptation and play dead
01:09:41 Julie: Like Eve who had a dialogue with the devil
01:10:13 Cameron Jackson: Oscar Wilde is a contrary indicator.
01:15:23 Cameron Jackson: Thank you Fr Charbel!
01:15:31 Niño: Replying to "Welcome back to the ..." 
 I don't know...but, deep within me and every event that took place these past few days is like a deep calling from God to return ..I don't know and I'm not sure
It seems to be overreacting for me ..but, the events really are clear to me that God is calling me back
I know how to return..but I don't know if I am really sincere in my conversion 
How will I know that I am really sincere ...one of my concerns is that I only have the feeling to return because of guilt but really deep inside me I am not repentant ...I cannot abuse the Mercy of God 
I am sure of the Mercy of God but not sure about myself ..pls pray for me
01:15:42 sr charista: Blessings to you Fr.! Thank you :).
01:15:55 Jacqulyn: Pray for me! Tomorrow is my birthday! 🎉
01:16:07 ANDREW ADAMS: Thank you, Father!
01:16:11 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:16:15 Aric B: Thank you Father!
01:16:16 Forrest Cavalier: Replying to "Welcome back to the ..."
Go to confession!
01:16:20 Laura: Replying to "Welcome back to the ..."
👍🏼
01:16:22 Bob Cihak: God be with you.
01:16:27 Laura: Reacted to "I don't know...but, ..." with 👍🏼

The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Appendix "To The Shepherd", Part X

St. John does not hesitate to speak to us about the beauty and the extraordinary responsibility of the spiritual elder. To find oneself with the care of souls one must take up the work without question. One cannot approach the care of the flock as a hireling. As we have received so we must give. If God has given us the particular gifts to guide others in the spiritual life, then gratitude must compel us to offer the same consolation to others. 
One cannot stress enough how great the responsibility is that is placed on the shoulders of the elder. He must be especially sensitive to the most vulnerable and the weakest within the community and understand how to offer guidance to multiple individuals at the same time. He must be able to strengthen the resolve of all the men in his community through timely rebukes and humbling the stronger members of the community even though their actions do not warrant such correction. An elder cannot set aside his identity, even while always seeking to be tender and gentle with those in his care. They must respect him and his life must be respectable in regard to his virtue if they are going to follow his counsel and if they are going to remain obedient. Only in this way will his monks have absolute confidence in his guidance. 
He must hold their trust by also holding everything they say as private and not to be shared among others. Such trust is hard won and can be lost in an instant if the elder acts indiscriminately. While he is forbearing, he must deal directly with the disobedient. His failure to do so may, in the end, weaken their commitment or cause them to despise him when they are unable to endure.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:09:32 Adam Paige: https://youtu.be/0uBTKGd3L_g?si=1t1YtY9_ACx02Pd7
00:10:54 Suzanne Romano: Thank you, Adam! That's it!
00:11:44 Zachary Morgan: I love your substack!!
00:12:04 Jacqulyn: Reacted to "I love your substack..." with 👍
00:12:20 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Thank you, Adam! Tha…" with 📽
00:12:33 Una: Reacted to "I love your substa..." with 👍
00:13:44 Zachary Morgan: I find that substack is more for other writers/contributors outside the now-prevalent "shorts" we see on other platforms
00:33:49 Anthony: I think this is helpful.  When I'd read something like Desert Fathers and come across confessing thoughts, I thought it was literal.
00:53:50 Zachary Morgan: Speaking of openly wearing clerical garb, one of the biggest arguments that I have experienced among clergy is whether deacons should wear their clerics openly because not being a priest, they shoudn't be seen in "spiritual way" in public or be confused as potentially being a priest by others - almost as if the Deacon cannot be a source of spiritual good outside the service of the altar.  Can I ask what your thoughts are on this?  I think it is much more of a Western struggle.
00:58:25 Margaret: Thank you for your comments on Priests and Sisters wearing their clerical garb in public. I bristle when I see sisters that aren't in "clerical garb". It makes me think they are ashamed to be Brides of Christ
00:59:47 Suzanne Romano: It's not rigidity. It's zeal and lov ae.
01:02:05 Sr. Mary Clare: When I walked into a store with another sister, two Protestants said, "What a breath of fresh air to see Catholic Sisters wearing their long garb. We have seen them running down the street in shorts. We just smiled.
01:02:18 Suzanne Romano: All your comments on wearing the habit are spot on!
01:03:23 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "All your comments on..." with 🥰
01:03:49 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "When I walked into a..." with 👍🏼
01:04:09 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to When I walked into a... with "👍🏼"
01:07:38 Sr. Mary Clare: Why "Fear in our presence?"
01:09:53 Sr. Mary Clare: Thank you for explaining. I was a little confused
01:12:40 Sr. Mary Clare: Absolutely correct!
01:14:00 Suzanne Romano: Love cannot be divided from authority. Love requires authority.
01:20:16 Una: Reacted to "When I walked into..." with 👍🏼
01:20:20 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you Father
01:21:03 ANDREW ADAMS: Thank you, Father!
01:21:05 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:21:15 Margaret: Thank you!
01:21:46 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you! Great to be with you all!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXVIII, Part IV

The spiritual life is not lived out in the abstract. Among the fathers, we find a distinct emphasis on praxis; that is, the practice of the faith. We come to know God and to love virtue not through reading but rather through experience. 
As a defense, often used to hold onto attachments, we make our faith into something that is purely intellectual or notional. Yet in this hypothesis, hearing tonight in particular from Saint Ephraim, the Syrian, we are presented with the experience of those tempted by the demons to minimize the effects of the embrace of sin and the loss of grace. Rather than holding onto our virtue as precious and maintaining a clear vision of our identity as temples of the Holy Spirit, we cast it all aside thoughtlessly for a moment of pleasure.
The struggle with sensuality in particular is challenging because of how it is experienced. We covet what we see and when something is seen it is held within the imagination and the memory. It remains with us even if for a moment we are drawn away from it. When we indiscriminately expose ourselves to what stimulates the passions, we make ourselves more vulnerable. Once the demons have been successful in leading us to embrace such thoughts and actions, then the images seep into the unconscious and emerge later in our dreams.
The loss that comes to us is immeasurable, and it is only by the grace of God that healing can come. Saint Ephraim counsels us to keep our eyes downward in their focus and not allow our vision to rove around indiscriminately. On the other hand, we must keep the eyes of our soul constantly turned upward toward God. Only when He fills us with his grace when we turned to him in a spirit of repentance can the imagination, memory and unconscious be healed. The more we fill our hearts with the love of virtue and the things of the kingdom the more we are transformed and begin to experience, once again, the freedom of those who have been made sons and daughters of God.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:12:48 Suzanne Romano: It's certainly been a bad flu season for the chickens... 🥴
00:15:35 paul g.: Whoa. Great !
00:31:28 Forrest Cavalier: Priests can be more firm at setting limits. My wife was confirmed in the 1980's only because Fr. Vanyo at the cathedral refused to baptize her youngest sibling unless all were in catechism. I pray for him often.
00:32:11 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Priests can be more ..." with 👍🏼
00:41:59 Mary and Al: Yes scary!
00:55:13 Forrest Cavalier: That reference to wax in this paragraph sounds like a reference to Ps 68:3 "As wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God"
01:03:23 Sheila: I find this holds the same when people tell you gossip about others. It changes how you see the person whether you wanted tonor not.
01:03:29 Sheila: Or not
01:05:13 Sheila: These images, can they be purged? Or are they truly as you say permamently there to be used against yourr charity and thoughts?
01:17:06 Lee Graham: The many “good” things we could do are enemy of the “best”.
01:22:45 paul g.: Yes
01:23:00 Forrest Cavalier: everge Teen o's
01:23:08 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "everge Teen o's" with 😂
01:23:10 paul g.: Reacted to "everge Teen o's" with ❤️
01:23:56 Bob Cihak, AZ: Preach it, Father!! Please! and Thank you!!!
01:23:59 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:24:14 Sheila: Thanks Father!
01:24:16 Forrest Cavalier: No fasting this week, though!
01:24:23 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Appendix "To The Shepherd", Part IX

I was struck this evening not only with the wisdom of St. John’s counsel in regard to the care of souls, but also the beauty of the heart of the Shepherd that emerges as we read through the text. Only a heart that has been conformed to Christ and a life that in every way has become prophetic in the sense of bearing witness to the love, humility, and obedience of the kingdom can give itself over to the care of other souls. The role of an elder is not simply to instruct, reprove and guide but above all to love. His affection for those in his care as well as for all people must lead him to console others as he himself has been consoled. He approaches this reality not with a spirit of condescension but rather as one who has been humbled by life and his own poverty and lifted up by the mercy of Christ. It is a spirit of gratitude that leads him to enter into the struggle of others with a spirit of generosity. He feels no revulsion at the sight of sin or weakness. Rather, it draws his attention and draws forth from his heart, compassion and mercy. 
One of the most striking things we considered this evening was the nature of obedience. St. John tells us that it is the very definition of obedience to be fearless and to have no anxiety about anything at all. The truly obedient heart of an elder can calmly guide, direct, and comfort others without saying a single word.
It is this reality that we are to embody in our lives; whether priest, religious, married or single. The best and the beautiful are meant for all and that which comes to us from the hand of our Lord must be freely extended to others. Thus, to have the care of souls is part of the very nature of Christian life.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:08:38 Bob Cihak: P. 257, # 64
00:15:03 Wayne: The idea of repentance is the major focus of the Eastern practise.
00:21:51 Myles Davidson: "Flee from discussions of dogma as from an unruly lion" St. Isaac the Syrian
00:23:43 Bob Cihak: Reacted to ""Flee from discussio..." with 👍
00:31:34 Daniel Allen: That’s the best definition I’ve ever heard of obedience. Applicable even to mundane things, unafraid of the death of the ego in order to obey on a whim.
00:32:00 David: Obedience is often faith and humbling of the intellect. What one believes can be based on feelings what one knows is very little
00:33:06 Anthony: An acquaintance told me theology is or should be like chemistry: predictable,  according to something like law.   I think it's more like cooking: the artful and beautiful and surprising use of "chemistry" without necessarily "knowing" the "rules" in depth.
00:36:58 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: I often find myself rejoicing as I do physical labor that because of my religious vows/dedicated life, even cleaning offers worship to God!
00:37:39 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to I often find myself ... with "❤️"
00:40:19 David: Reacted to "I often find myself ..." with 👍
00:41:48 Rebecca Thérèse: Reacted to "I often find myself ..." with 👍
00:42:10 Lee Graham: Reacted to "I often find myself …" with ❤️
00:44:44 Thomas Dilts: For me, Brother Lawrence best demonstrated day to day labors as service to God.
00:50:21 St. Stanislaus Kostka Religious Education: St. Andre Bessette...sickly and poor, orphaned and seemingly of a lower intellect
00:53:21 Adam Paige: All the T’s are pronounced in Bessette
00:53:30 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "All the T’s are pron..." with 👍🏼
00:53:37 Anthony: It maybe would be good to have a "Sons / Daughters of the Covenant" arrangement of single people to live within and among parishes.
00:54:44 Adam Paige: Pronounced like “buh-set”. We call him Saint Brother André locally (I live a 40 minutes walk from his tomb)
00:59:35 Anthony: In the Gospel,  Jesus told a demonic Not to be a "traditional disciple" but sent him on his own mission among his peopl.
01:00:43 David: A convent I used to visit in Tlaxcala Mexico used to put a mirror in every room and waited till anyone that came asked for it to be removed as a sign they were ready to actually leave vanity and focus on Christ.  I was really stuck by something that simple being used with novices.
01:03:39 Bob Cihak: Be careful about mud huts. My father was born in one. My uncle Frank lived in a mud hut when he got his own lad to farm. When he married, he built and outhouse so that his new wife wouldn't have to go to nature to do those natural things.
01:09:52 paul g.: My birthday is Feb 4th too😊.
01:10:13 Suzanne Romano: I was baptized on Feb 4!
01:10:20 Francisco Ingham: We love you Father
01:10:25 Anthony: ❤️
01:10:28 Francisco Ingham: You are the absolute best
01:11:11 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:11:17 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you! Great to be with you all
01:11:21 David: Bless you father and your Mom!
01:11:21 Mary Clare Wax: thank you
01:11:28 David: Thank you
01:11:29 Art iPhone: Welcome all
 

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXVIII, Part III

The struggle with impurity and fornication in our day is so fierce - as well as accepted and embraced by most of the secular culture - that those seeking purity of heart not only have to engage in the ascetic life deeply but also have to embrace a living martyrdom. 
The fathers understood how powerful our natural desires can be; in particular our sensuality. They also understood the devil‘s machinations and the relentless nature of temptations that also come to us  from our own imagination and memory. What is captured for us in the writings of this hypothesis is the necessity of engaging in the spiritual battle. We must of course cling to the grace of God and engage in constant prayer. Yet knowing the devil‘s actions, we must embrace many different remedies; such as doing violence to the self and depriving ourselves of the things that the culture freely embraces.  
What we heard tonight from multiple writers is the need to remember our own mortality. What we behold as beautiful and covet with the eyes quickly turns to dust. With salvation in the balance, the devil can often tempt us to give ourselves over to satisfying a passion “just once” - as if that would resolve our need. We have to understand that desire does not work in that fashion. The more that it is fed the more its longings increase. 
If we could only understand this in light of our desire for God! The more that we desire him in love, the more that we pursue him through prayer, the greater our longing becomes. Soon our attachment to lesser things begins to diminish and we are freer to pursue the Beloved. 
Finally, we are encouraged to look to the heroes of our faith; in particular those who wage war against this particular passion or who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their purity. In them, we see those whose hearts belong to the Lord and to Him alone. May God give us the grace to imitate them.
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:03:25 Tracey Fredman: I apologize if I'm in and out this evening. I'm on call for work and may need to in/out.
00:13:39 Anthony: Well, some of the women were looking for a female take on 6th commandment concerns...here is a lead...
00:13:56 Bob Cihak: P. 202, top of page
00:24:32 Lee Graham: Brother Sun and Sister Moon
00:24:46 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Brother Sun and Sist..." with 👍🏼
00:26:50 Anthony: This reminds me of an apocryphal story that after Adam and Eve sinned, they withdrew from each other for the sake of doing penance. They had the right to each other, but living a time of repentance is withdrawing from comfort - which is what vowed religious have chosen. 
00:31:26 Forrest Cavalier: Father, I am wondering how to see this advice to control the imagination to see horrible things as being honest and pure of heart. I understand how it can be effective, but it seems to be contrary to reality and second, to rely on willpower, which is less admirable than a more excellent submission to grace, (as previous warnings we have read recently here.)
00:41:07 Una: The Buddhists have a meditation on rotting corpses too.
00:48:51 Kathleen: Interestingly Sirach 11:27-28 speaks about how death brings full understanding of one’s life
00:53:57 Anthony: Thomas Sowell wrote about the violent, irreverent character of the Scots and English Colonists in the South during the time of the American colonies.  They have left their mark on American character and culture.  There's an audiobook version of his book on YouTube where I heard it.
00:54:19 paul g.: Reacted to "Thomas Sowell wrote …" with ✔️
00:56:53 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Thomas Sowell wrote ..." with 🥰
00:57:35 Nypaver Clan: Replying to "Thomas Sowell wrote ..."
Thomas Sowell is so gifted!
00:58:03 Bob Cihak: Replying to "Thomas Sowell wrote ..."
Amen.
00:58:03 Anthony: Replying to "Thomas Sowell wrote ..." 
 I should clarify Sowell was talking about places like the Ozarks, that prioritized excessive pride and vendettas.
00:58:24 Jacqulyn: Reacted to "Thomas Sowell is so ..." with 👍
00:59:17 Nypaver Clan: Replying to "Thomas Sowell wrote ..."
👍🏼
01:09:58 iPhone (61): Thank You Father Blessings
01:10:27 Sr. Charista Maria: Thank you dear Fr. Abernethy!
01:10:39 ANDREW ADAMS: Thank you, Father!
01:10:41 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂
01:10:46 Kathleen: Thank you
01:11:02 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father
01:13:03 Kathleen: Hahaha
01:14:04 iPhone (61): Beautiful Icon
01:15:22 iPhone (61): Who is Saint Catherine
01:16:38 Suzanne Romano: Replying to "Who is Saint Catheri..." 
 https://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Catherine%20of%20Alexandria.html
01:16:47 Anthony: Replying to "Who is Saint Catheri..." 
 An Egyptian philosopher whi also found Christ, decided to be a consecrated virgin.  Virginity angered pagans and they tortured her on a wheel, to death.
01:16:51 Forrest Cavalier: Great story! Thank you!
01:17:07 Suzanne Romano: Replying to "Who is Saint Catheri..." 
 She's beyond the pale awesome!

The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Appendix "To The Shepherd", Part VIII

The counsel and the guidance that St. John offers in this letter is unparalleled. His understanding of the role of the spiritual elder and the nature and manner of engaging those in his responsibility is deep and astute, both psychologically and spiritually. Yet what stands out the most in this letter is the dynamic that must exist between the spiritual elder and those in his care. The Abbot or the elder could never be described as an administrator or a master platoon leader in the military. Simply put, he is to be an embodiment of Christ to those in his care, being willing to lay down his life on their behalf. It is crucified love that saves and redeems us, and it is the same love that must guide the words and actions of one who has been given the responsibility for the care of others. What drives the heart of such an elder is the understanding of the care that he himself has been given, the consolation that God has offered to him. These realities move him to share what he himself has received an abundance. In fact to fail to do so is a reflection of a lack of charity as well as gratitude. By nature, a spiritual elder longs to help those in his care to avoid the pitfalls that the Evil One places before them in the spiritual life. He must be sensitive to the most subtle movements among the members of his community and the spirit that is manifesting itself among them.  Likewise, driven by love he must foster a sense of generosity between the members of the community and those in his care. He cannot allow himself the luxury of treating everyone the same - any more than a parent addresses the needs of their children in a mechanical fashion. St. John tells us “the overseers must heed to the sowing of the seed: to the season, person, quality, and quantity.” The elder must nurture and nourish as need demands. And finally, the one who does this in the fullest measure acts in a hidden fashion so that all glory and gratitude is directed toward God.  May God give us such faithful shepherds!
---
Text of chat during the group:
00:10:09 Suzanne Romano: I just this minute received word that Bishop Richard Williamson passed away this evening. Please pray for his immortal soul.
00:10:54 Anna Lalonde: Are you moving there?
00:11:06 Anna Lalonde: In California
00:11:23 Anna Lalonde: Awesome
00:16:20 David: One thing I like about my Dad who keeps a saying from my Grandfather is when someone says thank you. He always says No thank God I am able. A small detail but I have come to appreciate it more with age and now do the same
00:23:04 Zachary Morgan: alhamdulilah!
00:39:34 Anthony: This relationship of shepherd to sheep reminds me of the "royal priesthood" described by St Ephrem in The Cave of Treasures.  Adam and his successor priest-kings on the mount of paradise took the care of all the faithful in their hands....until the numbers of faithful dwelling on the mountain dwindled, going into the plain and mingling with Cain's people.....and then God sent the Flood.
00:40:09 David: When I taught at a catholic school in Spain one of my mentors used to say there two types of teachers: One that seeks control and power and the other is one who learns more than the students about himself and faith.
00:51:50 Joseph Muir: For those who don’t have the book, the two quotes at the end of the last paragraph come from the prophets Jeremiah and Obadiah, respectively
00:54:57 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "For those who don’t ..." with 👍🏼
01:10:47 Anthony: That was the training at my Evangelical university. It's hard to break.
01:10:52 David: It's interesting you look at the early church and people were attracted by love. No where does it say a great Proof or having the best arguement, theology or put people in their place
01:12:11 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Father Blessing
01:12:46 ANDREW ADAMS: Thank you, Father!
01:12:54 Zachary Morgan: Thank you Abouna!
01:13:02 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you! Great to be with you all.
01:13:19 Francisco Ingham: Thank you father!! I hope I can go visit the monastery some day 🙏
01:13:22 David: Thank you father and blessings to you and your Mom
01:13:27 Art: Thank you Father!

The Evergetinos: Book Two - XXVIII, Part II

We have continued our discussion of the farhers’ writing on fornication and the effects that it has upon the soul. Purity of heart is the foundation of the spiritual life and the immediate goal. We are called to remove every impediment that prevents us from not only receiving the grace of God but from offering him our hearts and our love fully. 
In fact, our hearts can be divided, and this is exactly what the demons seek to accomplish. They know they have a strong bodily appetite and desire that they can stir up through our thoughts and images, words and the actions, and the presence of others. Even memories of conversations and the images of people from the past can be used against us in more vulnerable moments to lead us astray.
Holiness and purity is not something that one can judge from external realities. Even the most holy individual who seems to be most endowed with gifts from God can have a heart that is radically divided and even wholly given over to the spirit of fornication. To lack watchfulness in this regard opens one up to the experience of obsession. It does not take more than one instance of infidelity to open the door to taking another step in that direction where obsession can become oppression. Fornication can take hold of the mind and the heart with a fierce grip. Finally oppression can give way to possession where the demon of fornication takes hold of one’s life and darkens their heart completely. 
Disconnected from the wisdom of the father’s we find the counsel of our day much akin to self-help.  Such counsel sad leads a person more deeply into the obsession that wounds them. Under the false guise of prudence and wisdom there’s often deep foolishness that leads an individual to put himself and God to the test. The discipline and watchfulness the father‘s put forward would often be dismissed in our day as scrupulosity or unhealthy. Yet the Saints knew and understood what is precious and what must be protected. Unless one loves virtue and has tasted the sweetness that it brings to one’s life one will easily walk away from it.
I might hazard to say that very few of our generation know the kind of purity of heart of which the fathers speak and to which we are called. Our culture has become so permeated with disordered sensuality that our love for the virtue of purity has been compromised as well as our capacity to pursue it. Only radical humility and clinging to the grace of God can aid us.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:04:28 Sr. Charista Maria: Fr. what community?
00:05:24 ANDREW ADAMS: Replying to "Fr. what community?"
https://www.monksofmttabor.com
00:41:37 Rachel: I think this is very important. fwiw not scrupulous at all
00:42:23 Myles Davidson: Replying to "I think this is very..."
I agree
00:44:16 Mary Clare Wax: Very well said! Thank you!
00:44:33 Forrest Cavalier: Attributed to St Alphonsus: “To avoid the sight of dangerous objects, the saints were accustomed to keep their eyes almost continually fixed on the earth, and to abstain even from looking at innocent objects,” says St. Alphonsus de Liguori.
00:45:35 Forrest Cavalier: There are many times I need to do this, in Sheetz. Or Walmart. Or wherever
00:53:34 Una: What exactly does she mean by prudent? Is there another word?
00:55:21 Forrest Cavalier: Greek is σωφροσύνην
00:55:37 Forrest Cavalier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophrosyne
00:58:16 Una: What would the nuns have been leaving the convent for? Shopping? Visiting?
01:00:42 Una: One priest told me that in seminary he was advised to visit his family regularly to protect temptations against chastity
01:00:56 Una: To avoid too much lonliness
01:01:31 Sr. Charista Maria: Father I would like your thoughts if you are familiar with the story of Bishop Nonnis in the book: Harlots of the Desert, by Benedicta Ward? She shares of the beauty of the Harlot Pelagia, and Bishop Nonnis was so struck by her beauty that it led him to pray for her, and she converted. I happened to just read this on the Feast of St. Anthony.
01:03:07 Mary Clare Wax: Reacted to "Father I would like ..." with 👍
01:03:43 Una: I'm reading Harlots of the Desert too!
01:03:52 Una: One potato chip, yeah
01:04:25 Sr. Charista Maria: Reacted to "I'm reading Harlots ..." with 👏
01:05:01 Una: Today's gospel was about not dividing the Kingdom. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand
01:06:19 Mary Clare Wax: The other clergy turned their eyes away from Pelagia, but Bishop Nonnis looked at her with love.
01:07:24 Anna Lalonde: Seeking prayers... Incense is gravely affecting my health after BioLab chemical fire exposure in September.
01:13:09 Sr. Charista Maria: Father I love your sharing on "oh I just want to watch a movie" or the like. It is so important to recognize the weaknesses of the flesh in order to be on guard against them when they surface.
01:14:46 Una: Or going to movies often
01:14:58 Sr. Charista Maria: Agreed regarding not escaping into family visits. It is such a grace to invite Jesus into the loneliness
01:15:43 Mary Clare Wax: Such jewels from the desert Fathers!
01:15:49 santiagobua: Thank you Father!!
01:15:51 ANDREW ADAMS: Thank you, Father!
01:15:52 Rachel: Thank you
01:15:52 Josh: Thanks father
01:16:16 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father

The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Appendix "To The Shepherd", Part VII

The deeper that we go into this letter, the more we begin to see the necessary qualities of an elder. In our society, we often value what seems to be productive. Yet what St. John emphasizes is the heart of the elder. One cannot offer care to another soul unless they have struggled long and hard with their own passions and are able to look at those who come to them through the lens of compassion, humility, and the love of Christ. 
Repeatedly, we are shown the care that the elder must exhibit in his approach to those who come to him. He cannot be easily agitated when anger or hostility are directed toward him. Nor can he show disgust at the past or present behavior of another. He does not condescend, but rather makes himself the servant of one like himself – one who knows the deep wounds of sin; often wounds that are self inflicted. 
Therefore, John tells us it is not right for a lion to pasture sheep, and it is not safe for a man who is still subject to the passions to rule over passionate men. One who does not seek to tend to the wounded, but rather to rule - one who does not seek to lead by example, but rather instruct with force - is going to be a gross distortion of the image of Christ.
The elder must have the greatest sensitivity to the needs and the struggles of those who come to him, realizing that there is great variety and difference between individuals. Thus, an elder must be the most obedient and humble of souls; that is, he must have a refined ability to hear the truth, to hear the word of God spoken in his heart, and he must possess discernment that is born of humility. An elder can only see in others what he has contemplated in himself. 
His awareness of the wounds that others bear only help him to understand that they are his responsibility. He approaches others not in a detached fashion, but as one who shares deeply in their sorrow and desires their healing as he desires his own. In this, St. John tells us Christ is the standard. The elder must receive all that is thrust upon him with the same selfless love that we witness on the cross. It is here that we begin to understand that John is not simply speaking about monks. He speaks to all of us and the necessity of taking Christ at his word; to love others as he has loved us, to be willing to lay down our lives for others, including those who treat us like enemies.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:09:11 Anna Lalonde: Pray because I was just anointed. Been not well since late Sept.
00:10:02 Janine: Yes Anna…I will pray for you!
00:10:09 Bob Cihak, AZ: Replying to "Pray because I was j..."
Will do. God bless you.
00:10:50 Rebecca Thérèse: Reacted to "Pray because I was j..." with 🙏
00:11:18 Suzanne Romano: Happy Feast of St Paul, Proto Hermit!!!
00:12:50 Anna Lalonde: What's your special day Father?
00:13:09 Tracey Fredman: Reacted to "Pray because I was j..." with 🙏
00:13:53 Anna Lalonde: Yes a BioLab Chemical Fire happened Sept 30. That caused me life threatening health issues in my lungs. So thanks for prayers.
00:14:12 Anna Lalonde: Congratulations!
00:15:16 Suzanne Romano: Maybe St. Paul is responsible for your love of the Desert Fathers! 😇
00:15:18 Bob Cihak, AZ: P. 254, # 44
00:16:16 Eric Ewanco: what step are we on, and what's the lede to the paragraph?
00:16:38 Myles Davidson: Replying to "what step are we on,..."
P. 254, # 44
00:16:50 Eric Ewanco: Replying to "what step are we on,..."
I don't have that book.
00:18:05 Bob Cihak, AZ: Replying to "what step are we on,..."
Lede: Let the established order...
00:18:38 Bob Cihak, AZ: Replying to "what step are we on,..."
of To the Shepherd
00:32:28 Anthony: Gamal Nasser?
00:32:50 Art: Edi Amin?
00:32:50 Myles Davidson: Mubarak?
00:33:03 Adam Paige: Hosni Mubarak ?
00:34:08 Adam Paige: The Life of Repentance and Purity (Pope Shenouda) pdf http://stphilopateerdallas.org/The%20Life%20of%20Repentance%20and%20Purity%20-%20HH%20Pope%20Shenouda%20III.pdf
00:41:23 David: Without detachment of the world we cannot even glimpse heaven.
00:42:01 David: I can't remember the saint that said that but when I looked for a spiritual director someone told me look for detachments first.
00:58:40 David: I love the saying of Mother Teresa- We are all pencils in the hand of God.
01:05:08 David: I have on my bedroom door a saying Fr. George Maloney had which is really hard to practice every day- In loving one another God in us is made flesh. I try to keep this in mind but as the day goes on I sometimes get lost.
01:06:11 Daniel Allen: Terrifying thought… what if instead of the explanations we give or hear to make the gospel more approachable, what if Christ meant the things He said? That’s the most terrifying thought because who really has embodied that? And yet that’s what we’re called to.
01:09:20 Anna Lalonde: Reacted to Terrifying thought… ... with "❤️"
01:11:24 Eric Ewanco: yes
01:15:00 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you. Have a good retreat🙂🙏
01:15:46 ANDREW ADAMS: Thank you, Father! Have a good time with the monks!
01:15:48 MOME hermits: Excellent!!!!
01:15:52 Suzanne Romano: Thank you!
01:16:14 Anna Lalonde: Yes
01:16:16 David: Thank you very much Father. Isaac is worth the wait
01:16:19 Vanessa: i'm fine with that
01:16:21 Jeff O.: happy to finish this!
01:16:22 Lori Hatala: yes comtinue
01:16:23 MOME hermits: Continue
01:16:26 David: Not in our time but God's Time
01:16:27 Janine: Yes…continue with it..
01:16:28 Art: I’m fine with that.
01:16:29 ANDREW ADAMS: I’m good with whatever the group prefers.
01:16:33 Kate : Please continue!
01:16:40 Eric Ewanco: I'm fine finishing it FWIW
01:16:41 Bob Cihak, AZ: Preach it, Father.
01:16:42 Adam Paige: It’s worthwhile to take the time to complete Climacus
01:16:43 Jessica Imanaka: Makes sense to complete it.
01:16:43 Anthony: Isaac's waited 1500 years to talk to me, he can wait a bit more :)
01:16:46 Lee Graham: Yes, finish it up
01:16:48 Jeff O.: Thank you!
01:16:50 Leilani Nemeroff: Thank you!
01:16:50 Cindy Moran: Thank you Father!