Note to Self

"We should therefore pay no attention to such as are deceived by sensory things, and should not uncritically follow those who remain attached to what is worldly because they have never given thought to spiritual realities. To rely upon such men, and to consider that they have made a wise choice in pursuing transitory pleasures, is to put our trust in those who lack any criterion for making a sound judgment; it is like using the blind as judges of color or the deaf as music critics" - St. Neilos the Ascetic

orrologion: "I know thee"

Orrologion has created a post "I know thee" which reminds me why mere acceptance of propositions (such as 'Jesus is Lord') or historical facts (the Resurrection for instance) is quite meaningless. The demons do as much. What they don't do is repent. This then provides us with a powerful clue as to what matters in our life.

Uncreated Light and His affects.

"The vision of Light is preceded by the austere repentance that cleanses us from the passions. This is an exceedingly painful battle but sweet to heart and mind is the vision of Light. This Light is love of a quite especial kind, the blessedness of which may increase so long as one's strength can bear the heavenly flame.

This Light, which 'cometh down from the Father of lights' [James 1:17], regenerates and even re-creates us. This is a radical change in the focus of our attention - before, it was centered on the material and temporary. Grace causes it to turn inwards and thence rise to the spiritual sphere of the 'unseen and eternal' [cf. II Cor. 4:18]. Temporal things that earlier seemed important, maybe of great moment, our spirit now finds insignificant. Riches, power, fame and the like lose their attraction. Even science, which does not bring us really vital knowledge - knowledge of God - like philosophical speculation, which is not life in the true sense, ceases to have anything but transitory value"

-from We Shall See Him as He is by Archimandrite Sophrony pg. 168

Wormwood and Honey

"Annnoyance, humiliations, and similar things in the soul of a novice are like the bitterness of wormwood; while praise, honor and approbation, are like honey and give birth to all manner of sweetness in those who are pleasure loving. But let us look at the nature of each: wormwood purifies all interior filth, but honey increases gall."
St. John of the Ladder

ht. The Arena

Of Darkened Minds forgetting about Death.

"Our mind is so darkened by the fall that unless we force ourselves to remember death we can completely forget about it. When we forget about death, then we begin to live on earth as if we were immortal..." - Bp. Brianchaninov

Or, as Fr. Sophrony recalls it, "Keep your mind in hell, but despair not"

Words, Justice & Novel Ideas

So I have been following this most interesting discussion going on at Fr. Stephen's Glory to God for All Things blog about God's justice.

It soon became evident to me that this discussion is not about mere words (after all, anyone can quote a passage of scripture or one of the Fathers), but rather about the meaning we ascribe to words. It is all about interpretive schemes. What do I mean by this? One can use the common words such as "church" or "Christ", for instance, and convey widely divergent understandings of what is meant. So we need to be clear about what we mean and how we use words and terms. Which interpretation shall we use? In the Eastern Orthodox Church this interpretive scheme is called Apostolic Tradition.

Bishop Dmitri demonstrates the importance of the above, in different but related context:

As history and experience have shown, anything less than the whole truth about Christ ends up in utter confusion and the multiplication of the denominations. …..Most of them have been founded on some novel idea about the Lord Himself…..
Following the teaching of the Apostles and of the Fathers, there are many other things that need to be said and studied. All of the things that are so characteristic of our Church, the rites, the icons, the veneration of the Mother of God and of the Saints, have as their most important function the support of this very doctrine of Christ. Hence, those who would deny any one of these teachings and practices, in effect, deny one part or another of the doctrine of Christ.” -The Doctrine of Christ by Archbishop Dmitri

(HT Mind in the Heart)

It is all too easy to introduce novel ideas into the meaning of words, and we do so at our own peril.

As Fr. Stephen states in the combox "This is not a “pop” attack on the “West,” but a foundational part of Orthodox theology." Indeed.

Changeless Love & Murderers

St. Maximus writes (it turns out quite prophetically) about the fruits of love. He has this to say:

"The one who has zealously acquired the fruits of love does not change from it even though he experiences countless ills. And let Stephen, Christ's disciple, and those like him, persuade you, as well as Christ himself who prays for his murderers and asks forgiveness of his Father as for those acting in ignorance."

St. Maximus pray for us that we, together with you and all the glorious martyrs, may attain to that changeless love!