Philokalia Ministries

We began this evening with page one of the second volume of The Evergetinos. In many ways, we pick up where we left off in the first volume with humility. However, we are given very explicit examples of those who are a model of the virtue. Perhaps it would be better said that they present us with an other-worldly manifestation of the virtue - the Holy Fool.  Such individuals, so driven by the love for Christ, have set aside so completely self-esteem and reputation that their presence reveals the poverty,  inadequacy or complete lack of this holy virtue in others; especially those who deem themselves to be religious.  To hear the stories of their lives almost knocks the wind out of the reader. The very presence of their sanctity brings down upon them the scorn and the abuse of others. They embody Christ’s teaching, “You will be hated by all because of my name.” They are hated because they embodied the humility of Christ, who counted reputation as nothing, emptied himself and became a servant, obedient unto death.  It is hard to be in the presence of such individuals. Their hidden sanctity will still speak to the souls of those in their midst and provoke a reaction. The demons who guide and direct our thoughts will seek to make us mock and ridicule them and blind us to their true goodness. Thus, they provide us with a cautionary tale – that in our lesser moments we are capable of mocking the Lord in others, when we hold them in contempt. We are not so far from committing such unholy violence in our hearts, when we lose sight of the dignity of those around us. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:04:02 Leilani Nemeroff: Thank you!  I am driving right now.   00:11:45 Suzanne: Can hear a pin drop!   00:12:55 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Can hear a pin drop!" with 📌   00:13:16 Suzanne: Reacted to "Can hear a pin drop!" with ☺️   00:35:06 Rebecca Thérèse: The thing that people don't understand is that even if she had been a simpleton and their judgement of her was correct, they still shouldn't have treated her like that. "For inasmuch as you did it to the least of these..."   00:36:47 sharonfisher: It’s odd to me that the most holy among us behave this way.   00:36:57 Louise: Was she a victim soul?   00:39:02 maureencunningham: They did not see her   00:40:53 Suzanne: She reflected Christ's attribute of taking upon Himself the sins of mankind.   00:42:49 Lee Graham: No doubt, she forgave all those who abused her, lest they would have to live separated from God throughout eternity   00:43:16 sharonfisher: How is it that she feigned foolishness, 1st para. Was she testing them?   00:43:29 maureencunningham: Did the early church  run to be Marty   00:45:33 Anthony Rago: If she were foolish perhaps she was like Brother Juniper, companion of St Francis, very plain kind and simple. Perhaps even a little "touched" but that weakness became a strength by grace.   00:46:44 Suzanne: The Age of the Desert corresponds to the Age of Heresy, post persecution. It's a communal reparation.   00:49:10 sharonfisher: Reacted to "If she were foolish …" with ❤️   00:58:57 Sean: it would be hard to find someone who "longs to be loathed"...quite the opposite...   01:00:33 Rebecca Thérèse: The problem with being loathed is that people don't just loathe you and leave you alone, they're constantly bothering you with their loathing!   01:01:04 Suzanne: Reacted to "The problem with bei..." with ❤️   01:05:31 sharonfisher: I so agree, the West sometimes pays less attention to the saints than I would like. But in an effort to provide services that people (families) can actually attend, they have to cut somewhere.   01:07:37 Adam Paige: I think the West has emphasized the temporal cycle over the sanctoral cycle in recent years, but if the Office of Readings and the Martyrology could become more prevalent in the life of the church, that would go some way to helping   01:09:29 Anthony Rago: I was thinking this sounded like the charcoal saint!  Didn't Alexander also see Our Lady of Blachernae promising to protect the city from besieging barbarians?   01:11:54 Michael Hinckley: The West tends to get very Thomistic I believe.   01:13:16 Suzanne: Father, is it too late to ask a question about one of your FB posts?   01:13:37 Suzanne: You put up a quote from St. Symeon: “For unless a person has been trained in strict vigilance, so that when attacked by a flood of useless thoughts he tests and sifts them all … he is readily seduced in many unseen ways by the devil.” Presuming there is no human being available to train and guide you in learning to discipline your thoughts, how do you acquire this skill? Is there a book you can recommend that gives practical instruction on how to purify the thoughts?   01:14:17 sharonfisher: Reacted to "You put up a quote f…" with ❤️   01:14:18 Suzanne: LOL!   01:14:38 Jacqulyn: Reacted to "LOL!" with 👍   01:16:46 sharonfisher: Thank you for not rushing us through this and allowing questions and discussion. So valuable!   01:17:01 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Thank you for not ru..." with ☦️   01:17:16 Suzanne: Reacted to "Thank you for not ru..." with ❤️   01:17:30 Sean: the coal carrier reminds me the movie the island   01:17:48 maureencunningham: Thank You Blessing   01:17:48 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:17:53 Adam Paige: Reacted to "the coal carrier rem..." with 👍   01:17:54 Louise: Thanks, Fr. Abernethy!   01:17:58 Suzanne: Great meeting, and God bless you all!   01:18:00 Anthony Rago: Reacted to the coal carrier rem... with "👍"   01:18:03 Lorraine Green: Thank you, Father   01:18:17 sharonfisher: Reacted to "Thank you for not ru…" with ❤️   01:18:22 sharonfisher: Reacted to "Thank you for not ru…" with ☦️   01:18:40 Leilani Nemeroff: Thank you.   01:19:06 sharonfisher: And to your spirit!  

Elder Porphyrios emphasizes the need to become a poet to grasp the mystery of 'Holy Humility.' St. John's writing on humility delves into our call to participate in divine life. It challenges us to let go of preconceived notions and embrace a path beyond reason and imagination.

The dialogue centers on the challenges of detachment from worldly possessions and the importance of humility. Monastic life anecdotes reveal how even monks can cling to unnecessary comforts. Insights from an elder monk stress self-reflection and the danger of seeking validation. The life of Saint John the Merciful illustrates the moral dilemmas of wealth and the calling to help the impoverished. Ultimately, the focus shifts to the value of spiritual over material wealth, encouraging a richer connection with the soul.

Delving into the dangers of deceitful disposition and misused intelligence, the podcast explores the impact of guile on virtues like humility and repentance. It contrasts genuine piety with sham reverence, emphasizing living upright lives centered on God. The discussion touches on the complexities of distinguishing between genuine intentions and manipulative behavior.

Exploring the virtues of humility and self-reproach, the podcast delves into the importance of detaching from worldly desires and embracing weakness to draw closer to God. It highlights overcoming disturbances with humility, navigating criticism gracefully, and seeking healing in the spiritual journey. Emphasizing selfless sacrifice and choosing the path of divine love, the podcast offers profound insights into the essence of humility.

This podcast delves into the virtues of meekness and simplicity, emphasizing the importance of reshaping our experiences through humility and truth. It explores the challenges of cultivating simplicity in a complex world and warns against the pitfalls of deception and self-delusion. The discussions touch on the transformative power of meekness in relationships and the significance of interceding for others with love and compassion.

Delving into the transformative power of humility, the podcast explores the beauty of acknowledging our need for healing and the destiny to share in God's life. It emphasizes the journey of perfecting humility through struggles and grace, leading to a vision of spiritual life centered on God's love and virtue.

Explore the transformative power of solitude in the desert fathers' writings and the deep understanding of the interior life. Compare psychoanalysis introspective practices with spiritual traditions. Reflect on personal trauma, family dynamics, and psychology. Delve into activating aggressive faculties and spiritual therapy. Discover the influence of the desert fathers on emotional growth and challenges in maintaining authentic spiritual traditions.

This podcast explores the struggles with blasphemous thoughts and the importance of entrusting them to the Lord. It also delves into the virtues of meekness, simplicity, and guilelessness and how they provide stability and growth. Meekness is a strength that allows for unconditional love and maintaining perspective in a chaotic world.

Coming towards the end of the first volume of the Evergetinos, it is clear that we are being nourished upon solid food. During these many weeks, the fathers have been leading us into a deeper understanding of the virtue of humility. It is one thing to understand the definition of humility; even something as clear as “truthful living”. However, it is only in the illustrative stories that the fathers give us that we move from the realm of imagination, personal judgment and reason to see this virtue with the eyes of faith. What we are called to is the perfect humility of Christ; he who sought only to do the will of his heavenly father. Christ sacrifices himself for the sake of love. What we see in the stories is the subtlety with which we focus upon the ego even as we pursue things that are religious. We are presented in particular with a powerful story about Saint Anthony the Great. He is told that a cobbler in the city has reached a level of greater sanctity than he has despite his ascetic rigors. This cobbler saw himself as the least of all the people in the entire city and the most worthy of condemnation and judgment by God. He would tell himself this in the morning and at night. What is significant about this is that he does not compare himself with any other person in acknowledging this truth. Looking at God he can only see his need for mercy and for complete gratitude. Yet Anthony as great as he was and having sacrificed so much still had a question within his heart. Is there anyone out there who has attained a level of greater sanctity? At that moment, Anthony turns his gaze away from God in order to compare himself with others. He loses sight, if only for a moment, of God. To gaze only upon God and his love drives out every element of ego. There is only Christ! --- Text of chat during the group: 00:08:36 FrDavid Abernethy: page 400 para 76   00:09:41 Suzanne: LOL!!!   00:41:23 sharonfisher: I hope everyone knows about the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. Poor or wayward folks that end up imprisoned could benefit so much from the work these folks do. I feel like the prison cell could be substitute for a monk’s cell or the isolation of the desert fathers. (Not sure where this fits in the discussion, but seems relevant.)   00:42:11 sharonfisher: AGREE!   00:43:54 Michael Hinckley: St Thomas Moore choose to see his cell in the tower as such I believe.   00:46:24 Suzanne: I think that I've actually made myself sick from self-reproach because of my past. Thirty years of extreme desolation has warped my perception of God's love for my soul. Self-reproach can be a form of self-torture. The desert fathers is the first time anything I've come across has given me courage.   00:48:00 Lee Graham: Hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest.   01:12:13 Sean: Anthony's ego? gosh...he's called Great.   01:16:29 Sean: compare and despair   01:16:55 Steve Yu: Reacted to "compare and despair" with 👍   01:17:29 Maureen Cunningham: How do you not get into a self hate toward you life. did not the church father warn against self pity   01:18:46 Suzanne: Did you see the Russian movie, The Island, about the monk who was tortured by guilt, yet worked miracles?   01:19:17 Maureen Cunningham: Yes I saw movie wonderful   01:19:40 Suzanne: Incredible movie!   01:20:04 Nypaver Clan: Father, at the start of this discussion, you mentioned that the slightest turning toward God fills the heart with great Grace.  Likewise, the slightest turning away from God fills the heart with pride.   01:22:01 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you  Blessing prayers for you Father   01:22:09 sharonfisher: And with your spirit!   01:22:12 Suzanne: Thank you so much!   01:22:13 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂