Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-eight

Tonight we began Letter 58.  St. Theophan begins to teach Anastasia about importance of prayer in the spiritual battle. He has already shown her the various stages of temptation that lead to the development of a passion. However, he acknowledges that such understanding serves little use when one is in the midst of warfare. What is most important is rejecting the thoughts, feelings, and desires that lead to a passion and to do so with extreme prejudice. This is the one instance where wrath is allowed. We must strike down a sinful thought immediately. However, in the face of the relentless activity of the demons this may not be fully effective. In fact, most often it is not. Rather, what is most important in the spiritual life is the constant turning of the mind and the heart toward God through brief aspirations; especially the Jesus Prayer. We must not let our thoughts wander. Nor, must we simply seek to expose the obscenity of the passion. We must not enter a verbal altercation. It is only in turning the mind and the heart to God swiftly that prevent the temptations from penetrating. When the eye of the heart is fixed upon God we rest upon the everlasting rock. We find our security in the spiritual battle in God alone. Thus, we must flee to Him.

 

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Text of chat during the group:

00:05:26 Art: Fr.  David I’ll be listening online.  With things going back to normal I’m back doing the “soccer mom” thing but in my case it’s the Jiu Jitsu dad.

00:05:55 Art: glad to be here

00:06:09 Art: nope sitting in the dojo

00:17:42 renwitter: Reservations for The Ladder of Divine Ascent books are now open! If you would like a book, please text me (Ren) at 603-341-4974 or email me at info@pittsburghoratory.org. Books can be picked up at the Oratory, or shipped (at cost) to any of the States or Canada. Please use the following link to pay for your copy once your reservation is confirmed: www.pghco.org/books . There are three price points: $26 for the book, $34ish for the book + shipping in the US, and $46 for the book and shipping to Canada. We have 46 copies, so we should be able to accommodate everyone who would like one, at least at first. God bless!

00:18:22 renwitter: pghco.org/books

00:18:41 Lisa Weidner: Thank you, Ren

00:20:44 renwitter: Also, for anyone wondering. The edition Father David will be using will be the blue, hardcover edition currently being published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery Press

00:55:19 Andrew Ewell: Thanks Ren that's great

00:57:08 sue and mark: yes, thank you ren

00:58:24 renwitter: Jesus Prayers all the time!!

01:04:29 Andrew Ewell: Beautiful story

01:05:32 Andrew Ewell: Yes!!

01:15:42 Art: Welcome Ashley.  Glad to see someone else from The Valley (Phx)