The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter Two: On Detachment, Part I

One of the participants in tonight‘s group on the "Ladder of Divine Ascent" described St. John’s teaching on Detachment as a “mic drop moment.”  The psychological insight and the understanding of the fickleness of the human mind and the wiles of the ego are presented to us in such an unvarnished fashion that there is no denying the truth of them.  

Yet – there is something in this that is incredibly uplifting to the human heart. The truth though difficult to hear and even more difficult to embrace is liberating and offers freedom. To have a first taste of this in these paragraphs on Detachment is something wonderful. We begin to see that the monks were leaving behind everything within the world not because they hated the world or hated others; but because they were drawn there by He who is infinite and absolute Love. Within the human heart is an urgent longing for what God alone can offer. In Him we come to see the meaning of our own lives and who we are. We step into Reality. And even though this may be very difficult and even though we may want to avoid it more often than not, if we allow ourselves to be drawn by the Lord, allow Him to take us by the hand and lead us into the truth of His Life and the reality of His Love -  what an indescribable joy comes over the mind and heart.

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Text of chat during the group: 

00:02:28 Lita's iPhone: Happy to be joining you all! I’m nursing my newborn so I’ll be without video 😊

 

00:02:37 FrDavid Abernethy, CO: welcome!

 

00:03:04 Ashley Kaschl: LITA! 🙌🏻

 

00:05:26 Robyn Greco: hi Father, Hi everyone

 

00:08:34 Carol Nypaver: May the fourth be with you!

 

00:25:49 Joseph Caro: The nuns in the movie Sister Act might have profited from a reading of Climacus!

 

00:30:20 Ren: I am particularly moved by the insight at the end of the last paragraph, which states that we can be tempted to disparage those in the world in order to avoid despair. Fascinating that, not possessing the faith and love necessary to find value in our life in Christ, we can turn to disparagement of others in an attempt to build ourselves up. I feel this happens a lot in our day.

 

00:33:58 Josie: so this is why the "why" behind detachment is so important..

 

00:35:11 Sam Rodriguez: Some phrases here that come to mind are "I must decrease so that Jesus may increase." Or that "It is not I who live but Christ who lives within me." That we are emptying ourselves of self, yes, but we are emptying ourselves unto the Fullness of Him. And thus, if He Within us, while Living Through us, Calls us out into the world for a Mission, then that's radically different from the Enemy shaming us for not following Him the way the Enemy says that we should, during an attack. Because, if rightfully lived, it is He Who Is Stepping into the world, through our Yes to Him. Our Yes to Him Continuing His Incarnation Through our Yes, even if it will inevitably be within the context of our own personal brokenness. Could be in the Desert. Or the "Desert" of the city. Or in the concrete realities of a Present Moment, where there is a Call to Radical Love, whatever that Moment, that Call might look like. It belongs to Him, not us. Just as *we* belong to Him, not ourselves.

 

00:46:23 Robyn Greco: ouch

 

00:49:40 Debra: What?! You mean monastic life isn't all incense and Gregorian chant...gardening, and making coffee, and beer?

 

00:49:53 Ashley Kaschl: 😂😂

 

00:50:50 Robyn Greco: wow...6 is what those of us today would call a mic drop moment. no beating around the bush and ever so true

 

00:54:44 Carol: can't help comparing this to the adoration and attention an expectant mother receives vs. the relentless hidden self-sacrifice of new parenthood

 

01:03:09 Lilly: One should be very mindful of their inner struggles and not enter monastic life to ‘escape’

 

01:04:26 Anthony: "Monastic" and "curmudgeon" are two distinct and different modes of life.

 

01:10:39 Robyn Greco: lol

 

01:11:30 Robyn Greco: You Father? a curmudgeon? I don't believe it.....🤣

 

01:11:42 Debra: 😆

 

01:12:26 Erick chastain: honestly I seem curmudgeonly when everyone around me is saying obscene things and I have to tell them that they are doing wrong.

 

01:13:07 Robyn Greco: I have to go, dog needs her insulin shot. Thank you Father, see you all next week

 

01:14:37 Lita's iPhone: Thank you!

 

01:14:44 Cindy Moran: Thank you Father!!

 

01:15:05 Bonnie Lewis: Thank you Father!!

 

01:15:06 Josie: thank you