| 22 . There are said to be two forms of sense-perception. The first is a habitual state and persists even when we are asleep. It does not grasp any particular object and it serves no purpose because it is not directed towards an action. The second is the active senseperception through which we apprehend sensible objects. Similarly, there are two forms of knowledge. First, there is academic knowledge, which is theoretical information, gathered merely from habit, about the inner principles of created beings, and which serves no purpose because it is not directed towards the practical execution of the commandments. Secondly, there is actively effective knowledge, which confers a true experiential apprehension of created beings. 23 . A hypocrite, hunting after the glory that comes from an apparent righteousness, is untroubled so long as he thinks that he escapes notice. But when he is detected, he utters streams of imprecation, imagining that by abusing others he can hide his own deformity. Because of his craftiness Scripture has compared him to the offspring of vipers and has commanded him to bring forth appropriate fruits of repentance (cf. Matt. 3: 7 – 8), that is, to refashion the hidden state of his heart so that it conforms to his outward behaviour. 24 . Some say that every living creature inhabiting air, earth or sea which the Law does not judge to be clean (cf. Lev. 11: 1 – 43 ) is wild, even if it seems from its behaviour to be tame. By the same principle, every man subject to some passion is also wild, whatever his outward behaviour. 25 . He who puts on a show of friendship in order to do his neighbour some injury is a wolfhiding his wickedness under sheep’s clothing. Whenever he finds a custom or saying which is genuinely Christian, although somewhat naive, he seizes on it and attacks it; in numberless ways he finds fault with these sayings or customs, prying into the liberty which the brethren have in Christ (cf. Gal. 2: 4 ). 26 . He who hypocritically keeps silent for some evil purpose prepares a trap for his neighbour; and if his plan fails, he slinks off, having brought distress on himself because of his own passion. But he who is silent for a good end nourishes friendship and goes on his way rejoicing, for he has received the enlightenment which dispels darkness. |
| 2. And this that the prophet saw was in substance true and certain, but it signified and foreshadowed something else, mysterious and divine a mystery hidden verily from ages and from generations 2 but in the last times made manifest 3 in the appearing of Christ. The mystery that he beheld was that of the soul, that was to receive her Lord, and to become a throne of glory for Him. 4 For the soul that is privileged to be in communion with the Spirit of His light, and is irradiated by the beauty of the unspeakable glory of Him who has prepared her to be a seat and a dwelling for Himself, becomes all light, all face, all eye; and there is no part of her that is not full of the spiritual eyes of light. That is to say, there is no part of her darkened, but she is all throughout wrought into light and spirit, and is full of eyes all over, and has no such thing as a back part, but in every direction is face forward, with the unspeakable beauty of the glory of the light of Christ mounted and riding upon her. As the sun is of one likeness all over, without any part behind or inferior, but is all glorified with light throughout, and is, indeed, all light, with no difference between the parts, or as fire, the very light of the fire, is alike all over, having in it no first or last, or greater or less, so also the soul that is perfectly irradiated by the unspeakable beauty of the glory of the light of the face of Christ, and is perfectly in communion with the Holy Ghost, and is privileged to be the dwelling-place and throne of God, becomes all eye, all light, all face, all glory, all spirit, being made so by Christ, who drives, and guides, and carries, and bears her about, and graces and adorns her thus with spiritual beauty; for it says, the hand of a man was under the Cherubim, 5 because He it is that is carried upon her and directs her. The four living creatures that bore the chariot were a symbol of the ruling factors 6 of the soul. As the eagle is the king of birds, and the lion of wild beasts, and the bull of tame ones, and man of creatures in general, so the soul also has its ruling factors. |
| 44. If anyone were to undertake to tame and train an animal of many forms and shapes, compounded of many animals of various sizes and degrees of tameness and wildness, his principal task, involving a considerable struggle, would be the government of so extraordinary and heterogeneous a nature, since each of the animals of which it is compounded would, according to its nature or habit, be differently affected with joy, pleasure or dislike, by the same words, or food, or stroking with the hand, or whistling, or other modes of treatment. And what must the master of such an animal do, but show himself manifold and various in his knowledge, and apply to each a treatment suitable for it, so as successfully to lead and preserve the beast? And since the common body of the church is composed of many different characters and minds, like a single animal compounded of discordant parts, it is absolutely necessary that its ruler should be at once simple in his uprightness in all respects, and as far as possible manifold and varied in his treatment of individuals, and in dealing with all in an appropriate and suitable manner. 45. For some need to be fed with the milk of the most simple and elementary doctrines, viz., those who are in habit babes and, so to say, new-made, and unable to bear the manly food of the word: nay, if it were presented to them beyond their strength, they would probably be overwhelmed and oppressed, owing to the inability of their mind, as is the case with our material bodies, to digest and appropriate what is offered to it, and so would lose even their original power. Others require the wisdom which is spoken among the perfect, 1Corinthians 2:6 and the higher and more solid food, since their senses have been sufficiently exercised to discern Hebrews 5:14 truth and falsehood, and if they were made to drink milk, and fed on the vegetable diet of invalids, Romans 14:2 they would be annoyed. And with good reason, for they would not be strengthened according to Christ, nor make that laudable increase, which the Word produces in one who is rightly fed, by making him a perfect man, and bringing him to the measure of spiritual stature. Ephesians 4:13 |
| 54 . Joseph also when in prison was not free from being consulted about matters of uncertainty. His counsel 470 was of advantage to the whole of Egypt, so that it felt not the seven years’ famine, and he was able even to relieve other peoples from their dreadful hunger. 55 . Daniel, though one of the captives, was made the head of the royal counsellors. By his counsels he improved the present and foretold the future. 471 Confidence was put in him in all things, because he had frequently interpreted things, and had shown that he had declared the truth. h10 Chapter XI. A third element which tends to gain any one’s confidence is shown to have been conspicuous in Moses, Daniel, and Joseph. 56 . But a third point seems also to have been noted in the case of those who were thought worthy of admiration 472 after the example of Joseph, Solomon, and Daniel. For what shall I say of Moses whose advice all Israel always waited for, 473 whose life caused them to trust in his prudence and increased their esteem for him? Who would not trust to the counsel of Moses, to whom the elders reserved for decision whatever they thought beyond their understanding and powers? 57 . Who would refuse the counsel of Daniel, of whom God Himself said: “Who is wiser than Daniel?” 474 How can men doubt about the minds of those to whom God has given such grace? By the counsel of Moses wars were brought to an end, and for his merit’s sake food came from heaven and drink from the rock. 58 . How pure must have been the soul of Daniel to soften the character of barbarians and to tame the lions! 475 What temperance was his, what self-restraint in soul and body! Not unworthily did he become an object of admiration to all, when–and all men do admire this,–though enjoying royal friendships, he sought not for gold, nor counted the honour given him as more precious than his faith. For he was willing to endure danger for the law of God rather than to be turned from his purpose in order to gain the favour of men. |
| About Pages Проекты «Правмира» Raising Orthodox Children to Orthodox Adulthood The Daily Website on How to be an Orthodox Christian Today Twitter Telegram Parler RSS Donate Navigation The One Word Which Describes Why We Are Not Saints… Source: St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church Fr. Gabriel Bilas 12 June 2018 Photo: drive-journal.ru The great celebratory cycle of our Church is now complete, as we gathered together last week to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. And now, just a short week later, we turn our gaze towards the countless men and women on the walls of our Churches that had flesh just like ours, who experienced the same types of joy and grief that we experience, and who had to deal with the same difficulties of an earthly life. In everything that they are, they are completely like us…and yet we learn from reading their lives, that they seem so completely different. How many stories and miracles have we read about throughout Scripture and throughout the history of the Church about the Saints, that have made our mouths drop? How many tremendous and incredible feats have they been able to accomplish because of the power of the Holy Spirit coursing through their veins? We read these stories and sometimes feel as if we are reading about fairy tales and miracles that are only performed by God through a chosen few. How do these men and women get to the point that they could, as the savior said, “move and cast mountains into the sea?” How did a simple man in Moses, have the ability to divide the waters of the Sea? How did he take and smash an ordinary rock, creating a stream of water out of nothing in order to quench the thirst of his people? How can St. Mary of Egypt, a harlot and a prostitute of proportions that even the worst kind of modern day filth would look tame in comparison, cross over the rivers of the Jordan as if it were like walking over the sandy dessert? Or even centuries later…closer to our own modern day…how could a simple monk in St. Herman of Alaska, stop a raging forest fire from engulfing an entire village by his prayers…or stop a tidal wave from over taking the shores of his island by simply praying in front of an icon of the Theotokos and of our Lord on the beach? |
| Again I hear: “The winter of adverse thoughts doth beset my lowly heart with assaults of evil spirits, O right beloved Mistress, tame it by thy mediation” (Theotokion, Ode VI of the Canon of the Forefeast). This goes on continuously! What does it mean? It obviously, undoubtedly means that this is the main enemy! And, in this case, the main purpose of the Lord’s coming is demonstrated: to free the world from the dominion of the devil. Not only to teach faith, not only to set an example of holiness, not even (take note) only to forgive us our sins – but rather to pull up the very root of evil: to destroy the power of the devil, to destroy his reign. This is the meaning of Christ’s redemptive work. This began with the Incarnation. Everything else is a consequence. How far removed this is from the conventional view of intelligent people about religion, especially about Christianity! Certain people (alas, even people who consider themselves Christians) do not believe in the existence of evil spirits at all. Others, even if they do believe, do not think about it, as if it were unimportant and secondary in Christian faith and life. Even we, who truly believe, do not attach properly dread attention to this question. Is this not the case? Meanwhile, the lives of saints are full of the devil’s warfare with them. The Church, knowing this truth precisely, and knowing that this is the main enemy, constantly reminds us of this. John the Theologian says plainly: For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8), the enemy of God. If he is the main enemy, then who could free us from his power apart from All-mighty God? Therefore the Apostle John tells Christians: Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4); He is more powerful than the devil. It is for this reason that the ascetics continually call upon the name of Jesus Christ as Savior and Conqueror of the “bitter kingdom,” that they cross themselves, and that they pray – because alone they are helpless! |
| Always on the look out for attack (such as someone pushing ahead of you in a line, or someone forgetting to use your correct title), it meanders through existence adding color, but very little else, to a person’s particular version of reality. However, when an ego gets challenged, it swells out to enormous proportions and can take over the operation of the entire person. Anyone standing nearby needs to take care and watch out, since the ego is vicious when threatened and there is very little anyone else can do except wait for it to subside to its more normal dimensions. From one point of view, an ego actually consists of pain and draws strength by feeding on the pain of others. It is entirely natural, then, that egos should provoke others, hoping to cause a painful reaction in those around them (in this case, the other people present at the meeting) so that they can have a good feed. Sharks feeding on a fresh carcass are tame by comparison. The trouble is, when one person starts doing a little ego-boosting in a meeting, he (or she) is likely to be a threat to … every other ego in the room. This is how the ego sees the world: “I can only be absolutely sure of who I am if I know that I (and my entire world-view and everything about me) is safe from attack by you … and your world-view and everything about you.” Moreover, the ego long since discovered that the easiest way to defend is to attack, followed by a quick retreat behind an emotional wall which (as should be obvious to everyone) if you dare to breach, will result in me being well and truly “upset” … and you know you don’t want to do that. I once worked for a bishop who used to run the diocese in a very idiosyncratic way and whose main tactic was to present things in such a manner that no one could challenge his actions for fear of upsetting him. As systems go, it worked very well, and may have been very productive if he had been the chairman of a company. The Church is not a company, at least not in the commercial sense. |
| And as they were calling to each other, they head answered «Here! Here! Here!», until they all came to the place where the head lay. And there they saw it lying between the two paws of a grey wolf, who, while not daring to harm it himself, had been protecting it from the other wild beasts. Thanking God Almighty for His miracles, the people took the head and carried it back to the town. The wolf followed them as if he were tame, and then, having seen it into the town, returned to the wood. The people joined the head back to the body, and then buried it as best they could, hastily erecting a wooden chapel over it. During the reign of King Edward the Elder in the early tenth century, the Danelaw – that is, the area of England controlled by the Danes – was steadily and systematically reconquered, beginning with East Anglia. Thus already in his reign the Danish ruler Eric was ruling the province under the suzerainty of King Edward. And it was in about 915 that a miracle drew the attention of the liberated people to their last Christian king, St. Edmund. One night, a blind man and a boy who was leading him were walking through the woods near Hoxne. Not seeing any house nearby, they resolved to stay the night in what was in fact the wooden chapel constructed over St. Edmund " s grave. Upon entering, they stumbled across the martyr " s grave; but, though terrified at first, they decided not to leave but to stay in the chapel, using the grave as a pillow for the night. Hardly had they closed their eyes, when a column of light suddenly illumined the whole place. The boy woke up his master in fear. «Alas! Alas!» he cried, «our lodging is on fire!» But the blind man calmed him down, assuring him that their host would not let them come to harm. And indeed, at dawn they discovered that through St. Edmund " s prayers the blind man could now see. The news of this miracle spread throughout East Anglia, and the people resolved to translate the body of their saint to a safer and more honourable shrine. |
| And if ever placed in authority, like Moses, he will rule for the salvation of the governed; and will tame wildness and faithlessness, by recording honour for the most excellent, and punishment for the wicked, in accordance with reason for the sake of discipline. For pre-eminently a divine image, resembling God, is the soul of a righteous man; in which, through obedience to the commands, as in a consecrated spot, is enclosed and enshrined the Leader of mortals and of immortals, King and Parent of what is good, who is truly law, and right, and eternal Word, being the one Saviour individually to each, and in common to all. He is the true Only-begotten, the express image of the glory of the universal King and Almighty Father, who impresses on the Gnostic the seal of the perfect contemplation, according to His own image; so that there is now a third divine image, made as far as possible like the Second Cause, the Essential Life, through which we live the true life; the Gnostic, as we regard him, being described as moving amid things sure and wholly immutable. Ruling, then, over himself and what belongs to him, and possessing a sure grasp, of divine science, he makes a genuine approach to the truth. For the knowledge and apprehension of intellectual objects must necessarily be called certain scientific knowledge, whose function in reference to divine things is to consider what is the First Cause, and what that by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made; John 1:3 and what things, on the other hand, are as pervasive, and what is comprehensive; what conjoined, what disjoined; and what is the position which each one of them holds, and what power and what service each contributes. And again, among human things, what man himself is, and what he has naturally or preternaturally; and how, again, it becomes him to do or to suffer; and what are his virtues and what his vices; and about things good, bad, and indifferent; also about fortitude, and prudence, and self-restraint, and the virtue which is in all respects complete, namely, righteousness. |
| And if they are in their own persons inventors of evil things, how should they refrain from grasping at such things when offered to them? Such results come to us from mutual contest. Such results follow to those who fight for the Word beyond what the Word approves; they are behaving like mad people, who set their own house on fire, or tear their own children, or disavow their own parents, taking them for strangers. VII. But when we have put away from the conversation those who are strangers to it, and sent the great legion Luke 8:31 on its way to the abyss into the herd of swine, the next thing is to look to ourselves, and polish our theological self to beauty like a statue. The first point to be considered is – What is this great rivalry of speech and endless talking? What is this new disease of insatiability? Why have we tied our hands and armed our tongues? We do not praise either hospitality, or brotherly love, or conjugal affection, or virginity; nor do we admire liberality to the poor, or the chanting of Psalms, or nightlong vigils, or tears. We do not keep under the body by fasting, or go forth to God by prayer; nor do we subject the worse to the better – I mean the dust to the spirit – as they would do who form a just judgment of our composite nature; we do not make our life a preparation for death; nor do we make ourselves masters of our passions, mindful of our heavenly nobility; nor tame our anger when it swells and rages, nor our pride that brings to a fall, nor unreasonable grief, nor unchastened pleasure, nor meretricious laughter, nor undisciplined eyes, nor insatiable ears, nor excessive talk, nor absurd thoughts, nor anything of the occasions which the Evil One gets against us from sources within ourselves; bringing upon us the death that comes through the windows, Jeremiah 9:21 as Holy Scripture says; that is, through the senses. Nay we do the very opposite, and have given liberty to the passions of others, as kings give releases from service in honour of a victory, only on condition that they incline to our side, and make their assault upon God more boldly, or more impiously. |
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