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

“Death in battle for God’s sake is better than a shameful and sluggish life.”

There is always a lion for the man who does not want to begin.

Always a reason. Always a danger. Always a wiser moment to wait for. And so he remains on the road his entire life. Careful. Thoughtful. Unbloodied. Unchanged.

St. Isaac is merciless here. Much wisdom can damn a soul. Not the wisdom that fears God, but the kind that calculates and delays obedience. The man who watches the winds never sows. The man who weighs every risk never enters the fight.

The simple man jumps into the water.

He does not negotiate with fear. He does not preserve his body. He burns with first ardor and moves. This is what we lack. Not knowledge. Fire.

The way is filled with blood. Blood means loss. Blood means humiliation. Blood means the death of the life you hoped to keep. If you wish to begin, hold your death in your mind. Remember the day after your burial. Let eternity crush your attachment to this present age. Hope in this life weakens the soul.

Do not begin with a divided heart. Divided labor exhausts and yields nothing. God does not give grace in proportion to our techniques but according to the ardor of love and the boldness of faith. “As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.”

Some beat their heads in repentance. Some drown in prostrations. Some burn in psalmody. Some are seized into silence. There are many forms. But all give themselves without reserve.

Then comes the ruin.

One tastes and turns back.
One tastes a little and grows proud.
One is enslaved by ambition.
One by vainglory.
One by greed.
One by habit.
One begins well and does not endure.

These are the lions. Not in the street. In the heart.

The one who stands firm does not turn back until he receives the pearl. He begins again and again. He refuses slackness. He does not wait for ideal conditions. He does not demand guarantees.

Always begin.

If the heart is pure from passion and doubt, God Himself raises the soul. Not because it was clever. Not because it was impressive. But because it believed and stepped onto the blood-stained road without bargaining.

Begin.

Or die still talking about the journey.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:07:55 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Anthologion

00:08:15 Jesssica Imanaka: https://ignatius.cc/products/anthologion-modern-english

00:08:28 Una’s iPhone: What about The Agpeya? Coptic

00:08:43 Jessica McHale: I use the Publicans Prayer Book. Sophia Press. It's a Small Horologion.

00:09:14 Anthony: Reacted to I use the Publicans ... with "❤️"

00:09:24 Una’s iPhone: What book is Gather talking about?

00:10:49 David Swiderski, WI: Reacted to "I use the Publicans ..." with 👍

00:11:05 Julie: Hi all🙏🏼

00:11:55 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Hi all🙏🏼" with 👋

00:12:41 Elizabeth Richards: From who?

00:12:50 Kate: Replying to "Hi all🙏🏼"

Hi Julie!

00:13:07 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 179, # 29, first paragraph

00:13:54 Eleana Urrego: I love the retreat class, I was sad and happy. Thank you

00:16:24 Anthony: Hope is what sloth & despair (in the Lenten prayer of St Ephraim) want to strangle.

00:17:35 Julie: Or over analysis it

00:28:01 Tracey Fredman: what will come if I surrender? everything that is difficult for me - everyday almost seems "bad" and yet it's "very good" because I can't hide but most face what is most difficult for me. Much grace has enabled me to do what is being asked of me. thankful for the Jesus Prayer when things become so intense as they have been for me this past 5 weeks

00:29:34 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "what will come if ..." with ❤️

00:38:35 Wayne: need to leave early tonight

00:38:58 Angela Bellamy: I had been taught for so long to rely on myself that trusting in God has been a learning curve, even fearful. Trust is difficult to develope but it seems as though every leap of faith I make, the reward is more faith; and trust grows through His grace. It's much like the tree which grows from a mustard seed. Just the smallest leap of faith grows the greatest trust.

00:44:59 Jessica McHale: What about when you have a choice to make--go this way or that way, and they are both good adn lead to God, but you are unsure which the Lord wants you to do. For example, move to another state to give in community with others of the same mindset or stay near aging family who don't practice the faith but migth need your help in the future? It's tough to know what God migth want, even if you trust Him.

00:46:53 Kevin Burke: Reacted to "What about when you …" with 👌

00:51:55 Joan Chakonas: I find it helpful to ask God to make it obvious to me His will- my thinking is so pointless, His guidance with His invisible hand never fails me

00:52:22 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "I find it helpful to..." with ❤️

00:52:28 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "I find it helpful ..." with ❤️

00:54:17 Elizabeth Richards: Memento mori

00:55:24 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "Memento mori" with 😞

00:59:10 Eleana Urrego: We are in a lot instant gratification that "everything is anxiety"

00:59:56 Angela Bellamy: ...be anxious for nothing, but pray about everything... That was my mantra for a little while at first. I don't remember it all now but it's a kindness.

01:08:30 Angela Bellamy: Can these examples of religious furver of the ego? How does one know the difference?

01:11:00 Ben: Anna: Tell me Father, is it possible for one that is ill and weak to follow Christ?  I mean it seems to me that the answer must be yes, but I see this example again and again in spiritual writing that sickness makes one... weak? fall off? not persevere?

01:18:39 David Swiderski, WI: IT is easy to demonstrate love and devotion when everything goes well but it can only be known when there is suffering, sacrifice and the last thread of pride is stripped away.

01:19:31 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "IT is easy to demons..." with 👍🏼

01:20:00 Janine: Wow….great class..thank you Father!

01:20:11 Jesssica Imanaka: Reacted to "Wow….great class..th..." with ❤️

01:20:45 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Wow….great class...." with ❤️

01:21:31 Angela Bellamy: Thank you, Father. 🙏

01:22:10 Jessica McHale: Thank you so much, Father. Your words are in so many ways helpful to me. Blessings and grace of God in all you do---many, many, prayers for you and your mother.

01:22:12 David Swiderski, WI: Thank you father! May God bless you, your mother and this group.

01:22:13 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️

01:22:18 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!

01:22:19 Bob Čihák, AZ: Thank you and bless you, Father!!

01:22:36 Jesssica Imanaka: Reacted to "Thank you so much, F..." with ❤️

01:22:48 Lorraine Green: Thank you!