Philokalia Ministries

Lecture given by Father David S. Abernethy, C.O. on Saturday, March 26. 

After laying some groundwork in the previous weeks we finally stepped in to the meat, as it were, of John‘s writing.  We took up once again Step number One “on renunciation”. John moves very quickly to lay out before us the reasons why one would embrace the renunciation not only of the monks in the desert but of the ascetical life as a whole. The two fundamental reasons are the multitude of our sins and the love of God. The beginning of the spiritual life most often is the simple acknowledgment of our poverty and the infirmity that sin brings into our life. We see the emptiness of this life outside of our relationship with God. The acknowledgment of this truth bears the fruit of repentance; a fundamental turning toward God with streams of tears and heartfelt groanings that reflect an interior reality. It is then that God, as he did with Lazarus, orders that the stone be rolled away from the tomb and that we be unloosed from the passions that hold us in their grip.  Yet, John would not have us see this as a path that we take in isolation. It is always to be trod with a guide or a director, a Moses figure. We need those who can help bring about the healing of the passions of the soul by their care as physicians. We need to be guided by those who have lived a life equal to the angels; that is, who have been freed from the corruption of their wounds and so have become experts and the most skilled physicians/surgeons. We do not live our Christian life out in isolation but only in communion with others and strengthened by those who have been transformed by the grace of God and the ascetical life. This life, John tells us in an unvarnished way, requires violence and constant suffering; a dying to self and sin in order that our hearts might attain to the love of God and the love of chastity and all of the other virtues. There will be great toil in this battle and the false-self, that kitchen dog addicted to barking, John tells us, is only overcome by the one who becomes a lover of chastity and watchfulness.  The foundation of this journey is the courage to offer our souls to God in our infirmity, the faith to trust in Him, and the humility that we might bare all before his healing light of His Grace.  --- Text of chat during the group: 00:11:31 Cindy Moran: What version of the book is being used?   00:15:58 Anthony: copyright 1979 Holy Transfiguration Monastery   00:18:01 Fr. Miron Jr.: https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/cPath/75_105/products_id/569   00:53:17 maureencunningham: What was the book Psychology Orthodoxy wombs the writer?   00:53:58 Fr. Miron Jr.: https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Psychotherapy-Esther-Cunningham-Williams/dp/9607070275/ref=sr_1_2?crid=174I4J6U16QTR&keywords=orthodox+psychotherapy&qid=1648080810&sprefix=orthoodx+ps%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-2   00:56:02 maureencunningham: Thank you   01:16:51 Ashley Kaschl: “The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.” (Job 7:1, DRA)   01:24:50 Rachel: wow!   01:26:04 Rachel: How many times have the faithful heard in the midst of the battle, the same comparisons. A mistaken notion that the engaing in the battle means one has lost their " peace!?"   01:26:43 Bonnie Lewis: Thank you so much Father David.   01:26:45 Cindy Moran: Very good session thank you   01:26:53 Miron Kerul Kmec: Thank you   01:26:54 Rachel: Thank you Father and everyone.   01:27:09 Samantha Topolewski: Thank you!   01:27:20 Carole DiClaudio: Good night everyone!!  

Tonight we concluded Hypothesis 18 and began reading Hypothesis 19. Both emphasize the importance of not engaging in the spiritual life in isolation. One does not throw an inexperienced soldier, a novice in warfare, into the midst of a battle, having never used a weapon, and expect him to survive.  Similarly, we are taught that it would be foolhardy for us to think that we could engage in intense spiritual warfare, especially that of a hermit in deep solitude, without first having many years of being formed in a spirit of obedience and the common life.  One must be teachable in the truest sense of the word; we must be docile to the guidance of others and those who are more experienced. Wisdom teaches us to seek the guidance of those who have experiential knowledge of what it is to struggle with the evil one, to avoid mortal traps. We must become unabashed students of the holy Fathers. We must let the dust of the road, as one from the group noted, and that of the sandals of the elders we follow kick up and cling to us. Simply by drawing close to the Fathers, by studying their writings, we find the surest teaching. In such an age is ours, where freedoms and personal rights are emphasized, it can be very difficult to wrap our minds around the value in the essential need of walking such a path. Yet, as we shall see, it is the only way because it is the path trod Christ himself. --- Text of chat during the group:  00:36:49 Forrest Cavalier: Was it Chrysostom Homily 20 on Ephesians 5:22-24?   00:37:00 FrDavid Abernethy, CO: yes   00:37:01 Forrest Cavalier: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/230120.htm   01:13:16 Forrest Cavalier: I think the word in greek βαφή connotes dyeing, not painting.   01:14:37 Anthony: Thank you, Forrest   01:16:55 Anthony: Forrest, that would make sense for it to connote dyeing, a dipping process; the word looks like it may share the same root as baptizo.  

Tonight we resumed our reading of Step One on the Renunciation of the world. The step fits into the larger context of a break with the world which includes, John tells us, detachment and exile. Here is where monks sought to remove everything from their lives that would keep them from focusing solely upon God and what He alone offers. As Christians we may not imitate the monk in living in the desert; yet, in reality, the desert exists within the human heart. The renunciation that John speaks of in this first step must exist within us as well. There are many ways that we have to let go of the things that hold us within their grip; the passions (sins that have become habitual), disordered desires that make us long for satisfaction and seek it within worldly goods and the fulfillment of the appetites.  In paragraph 4, John begins to define for us the various types of Christians. He does this not as an abstraction but rather as a frame through which we can view our lives. He paints with broad strokes and asks us to gaze deeply into the image to see if we recognize a reflection of ourselves. Are we an irreligious man (not thinking of God at all), a transgressor who distorts the faith in a depraved fashion? Are we a Christian who seeks to imitate Christ in word, thought, and deed - who believes in what God has revealed of himself to us; namely, believing in the Holy Trinity? Are we the lover of God who seeks to live in communion with all that is natural and sinless? Are we the continent man, who in the face of temptations and turmoil, struggles in order that he might be free? Have we interiorized monasticism in the sense that we seek a chaste love, purity of heart and mind? Do we remember death so as to cling to He alone who is our life? Have we set aside the things of this world voluntarily; not because they are evil but because we are a naturally attached to them more than we are attached to the love of God? --- Text of chat during the group: 00:34:39 Anthony: We are tied to an evolutionary metaphysic - to our detriment.   00:35:13 Anthony: "We" being society, even Christian society adopt evolutionary "becoming'   00:36:54 Eric Williams: I think Thomas à Kempis made a good effort to remind Western scholastics of the bigger picture.   00:38:18 Ambrose Little: Some people are more intellectually inclined, and God can use that to draw people to himself.   00:39:20 Joseph Caro: good point Ambrose! I agree, from my own observations   00:39:21 Edward Kleinguetl: To be fair, Aidan Nichols--who I referenced-- is a Dominican.   00:39:34 Ambrose Little: Fr. Garrigou-La Grange, O.P. is great. Highly recommend: Christian Perfection and Contemplation: According to St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John of the Cross https://amzn.to/3JlEwrP   00:39:57 sue and mark: God will and can use who ever a   00:40:05 Fr. Miron Jr.: Let's return to Climacus   00:40:12 sue and mark: whoever and where eer you are to bring you to himself   00:40:57 Carmen Briceno: aren’t we doing the same thing now? over intellectualizing what has happened rather than going back to the sources?   00:58:23 Joseph Caro: “It is a mistake,” says St. John Chrysostom, “to imagine that one can in one’s own strength vanquish concupiscence and preserve purity; by God’s mercy alone can the passions of nature be controlled.”   01:02:58 Bonnie Lewis: This humility will reveal great truths about ourselves.   01:03:08 Mitchell Hunt: Where was that quote from above nothingness and humility? Amazing   01:03:14 Mitchell Hunt: About   01:07:34 Ren: @MitchellHunt - Mother Mectilde de Bar’s “Breviary of Fire.” The chapter on Pride and Humility   01:10:45 Erick: this is pure gold. each sentence of this is an outline of the spiritual life   01:11:19 Anthony: It takes experience in the world to see the trials and sorrow which result from the Curse, and we really then long to be free and to live in accordance with our nature (created and "deified").   01:13:49 Cathy: We can not have 2 gods... We will despise one   01:18:37 Mitchell Hunt: Thank you Ren   01:18:40 Eric Williams: Material comforts are like agglomerations attached to us. As they increase in number, they add to our “mass”, and as mass increases so does gravitational attraction. The more things we amass, the more we draw toward ourselves. With a little more thought one might find an interesting metaphor to be made from the accumulation of accretions becoming so great that a black hole is formed.   01:20:17 Anthony: God is the "Philanthropic One." Beautiful title.   01:22:45 Sean McCune: Eric: We become a nothingness that pulls everything in our grasp to ourselves where they are also become nothingness.   01:25:09 Sean McCune: (It took your comment about material things to get this secular Franciscan to say something) 😏   01:26:40 victoriaschweitzer: Righto. We must receive. We cannot approach with the mindset that we have to accumulate spiritual goodies. Ask and you shall receive.   01:28:21 Eric Williams: Indeed, Sean. The funny thing about massive bodies is that they interact with others. Either we enter into harmonious orbits or equilibria with other persons, or we are rogue bodies that collide with others or gravitational abysses that absorb and destroy all that falls within our sphere of influence. (Have I beaten this metaphor to death yet? 😉)   01:29:14 Mitchell Hunt: I think some people have have missed tonight due to your time zone change recently.  Got me on Monday night  

Thank you to all who attended the group on the Ladder of Divine Ascent. It was wonderful to see so many with the desire to sit at the feet of the great Saint and teacher John Climacus.   Synopsis: Tonight was our inaugural group reading the Ladder of Divine Ascent by Saint John Climacus. We allowed ourselves to jump immediately into the text with step number one “On Renunciation.” We will unpack things as we move forward; including the anthropology and the psychology of the fathers, the language used by Climacus and historical details from his life.  In the first three paragraphs Climacus begins his writing with God, who he describes as the source of life and salvation for all, believers and unbelievers, just and unjust, pious and impious, educated and illiterate, healthy and sick, young and old. He then goes on to define the Christian and the monk and how their identity determines the way they live their lives. Freedom is set out as imperative. God has created all free beings and offers salvation to all. This is the essential frame in which we are to read the rest of the book and understand the ascetical life. We freely seek to give ourselves and our love to God and to embrace the love and grace that He has given to us. Our asceticism is not simply an act of endurance but rather an act of freedom and love. Outside of this the ascetical life loses any sense of purpose and meaning. Likewise we look to the elders, to the fathers in their virtue and purity of heart for their guidance in word and deed. They in turn engage us not as impartial observers or analysts but rather as those who are fellow strugglers in the pursuit of God and of the kingdom. It is the love and desire for the salvation of those in their charge that guides and directs their care of others. --- 19:27:40 From FrDavid Abernethy, CO : https://www.thepittsburghoratory.org/_files/ugd/5299f8_4fb9f89659424fcb997865abbdef4d24.pdf   19:29:16 From siobhan from pittsburgh : Hi Im Sandra   19:29:32 From Michele : Dave and Michele Berthelsen are here.   19:29:52 From siobhan from pittsburgh : not Siobhan   19:29:56 From Rachel : 🙏🏼   19:30:25 From kevinferrick : Hello everyone,   newbie here from Boston.   Hope I navigate the zoom alright   19:30:45 From Sr Mary of our Divine Savior solt : Hi, God bless, Sr. Mary of our Divine Savior   19:31:09 From Amil : Perhaps in the grand scheme of things, we are all pretty tiny.   19:31:23 From siobhan from pittsburgh : I love it!!   19:32:24 From Ambrose Little : https://pghco.org/climacus   19:33:24 From Carole DiClaudio : Hi Kevin!   19:33:46 From Carole DiClaudio : Hi Sr. Mary!   19:40:39 From Joseph Caro : If there is a handout, can the link be posted here? thanks!   19:40:58 From Sean McCune : https://www.thepittsburghoratory.org/_files/ugd/5299f8_4fb9f89659424fcb997865abbdef4d24.pdf   19:41:55 From Miika : Good Morning everyone! First time live! Miika from Finland   19:42:30 From Carol Nypaver : Very cool!  Welcome, Miika!   19:42:37 From Carole DiClaudio : Hello Miika!!!   19:42:53 From Rachel : 2-3 years! I  hope I have that many ( blessed) years.   19:43:35 From Carole DiClaudio : :)   19:47:38 From Erick Chastain : Sorry, I ended up breaking into this zoom room by pure luck I guessed the link. I didn't sign up   19:48:01 From Ashley Kaschl : 😂   19:48:31 From Debra : I always fumble around to find the link   19:48:31 From Erick Chastain : If Fr wants me to leave since I didn't sign up, he or Ren can notify me   19:48:47 From Debra : BTW...thank you Ambrose for the link!   19:49:03 From Ambrose Little : Write it on your heart and on your mind.   19:49:15 From Debra : It's a weird URL   19:52:27 From Ren : No worries Erick :-) All are welcome. Even the hackers ;-)   19:52:55 From Carol Nypaver : 🤣   19:52:55 From Fr. Miron Jr. : 🤣   19:54:02 From Anthony : Wow, this is different than - as in other teachings - "elect" and "reprobate"   19:55:42 From Ren : WOW. Beautiful.   19:56:20 From Jim Milholland : How poetic   20:02:48 From Anthony : "These Noetic creatures" as Father said.  That reminds me of this phrase used by St. Gregory of Narek: "Rational Flock."   20:02:59 From Fr. Miron Jr. : https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Psychotherapy-Esther-Cunningham-Williams/dp/9607070275/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3954VB8PGOFPM&keywords=orthodox+psychotherapy&qid=1646874171&sprefix=ortodog+psychoterapy%2Caps%2C61&sr=8-2   20:05:07 From Rachel : Yes!!   20:06:45 From Fr. Miron Jr. : same seminary experince duing my years...   20:10:26 From Lilly : I didn’t know him until last year   20:10:58 From Gilmar Siqueira : Translated into Spanish by Friar Luis de Granada :)   20:12:34 From victoriaschweitzer : Good point, amil !   20:13:40 From Carole DiClaudio : I thought the same thing, Amil!   20:19:36 From Amil : 🕊️   20:22:37 From Rachel : Bingo   20:27:51 From St. Stanislaus Kostka Religious Education : We simply have to keep ourselves focused on God. No matter what our 'poverty' limitations....not looking at each other's abilities or place in the world...just keep focused on God and ask for God's help.   20:34:03 From maureencunningham : Thank you   20:34:07 From Miika : Sadly theological education in the Nordic countries is also very one-sidedly rationality centered. (At least amongst us "protestants" -not that I protest anything personally...as far as I know)   20:34:22 From Rachel : lol Carol   20:35:12 From iPhone : thank you   20:35:18 From Rachel : Thank you Father and everyone. God bless!   20:35:23 From Bob and Tara Bartz : Thank you!   20:35:24 From Ben David : good night good fight   20:35:30 From Mitchell Hunt : Thank you Father   20:35:31 From Michele : Thank you!  

Tonight we continued with Hypothesis 18 which examines the importance of seeking the guidance of elders; those who have a deep desire for God and have come to know His ways through experience. We can have no conceit of knowledge when it comes to the spiritual life. Natural gifts, talents, and abilities are good in and of themselves but they do not necessarily give us insight into the ways of God or knowledge of divine things. At times we seem to almost have an infinite capacity for self-delusion. The more one progresses along the spiritual path the greater in fact the danger becomes. If we do not guard our hearts, if we do not seek out the counsel of others, we can quickly fall into the pit of self-judgment. The fall then can be great and the damage done terrible. Therefore the Fathers with one voice call us to constantly seek out the wisdom of others, to listen to God at the depths ofour being with a spirit of humility. No matter how wise we become what we understand is infinitesimal in comparison to the wisdom of God and the Spirit that searches the depths of our hearts. In this we can allow ourselves no illusions. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:06:31 FrDavid Abernethy, CO: beginning page 139   00:25:23 Rachel: lol ?? unfortunately yes   00:25:28 Anthony: Or when you leave Mass / Divine Liturgy after profuse incense.   00:26:06 Rachel: Okay...I love the incense. Dont mind that one bit.   00:42:54 Forrest Cavalier: Instead of criticizing priests and deacons we need to dialog with them. It's a two-way commitment, though.   00:57:37 Daniel Allen: The Centurian was a pagan and Jesus said He had found no greater faith than the faith of this centurion in all of Israel. And I believe Scripture even says Jesus “marveled”.   00:58:09 Forrest Cavalier: The Greek original in this Evergetinos says "holy men". Discernment is important when we seek advice.   01:07:57 Bridget McGinley: The centurian is the man I study the most.... I want that Faith! Can you imagine "marveling" Christ? Thanks Daniel!   01:10:43 Forrest Cavalier: 1 Cor 13:2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing  

It is a bitter sweet thing to come to the end of such a long journey - a long and sometimes arduous journey but one that has brought such joy and hope. Tonight we finished the final two letters of Saint Theophan to Anastasia.  They are perhaps the two finest letters of the collection. Saint Theophan speaks with a great directness and honesty about the anxieties that Anastasia experiences and how she has to deal with him. He sees how clearly they can be temptations from the Evil One to pull her away from God, from trusting Him, and from the practice of prayer. It was with great gentleness and tenderness that he guided her through this in order that Anastasia might understand that if she but makes an irrevocable gift of herself to God she will be ever under His protection. She need have fear of nothing and no one.  In the final letter (80) he speaks to her about the extraordinary grace she has received through having endured the storm. Satan sought to sift her like wheat. Yet God used all of this to perfect her faith and to teach her. The Enemy through his tricks sought to create hurry and to alarm her and confuse matters. Yet Anastasia has learned that Godly things are peaceful and quiet. She must only wait. Everything comes in its own time.  In the years to come, Theophan tells her, she must gravitate towards solitude; not necessarily the solitude of the desert but of her heart. There she must wait for God and allow herself to be nourished upon His love. Indeed, there is nothing more beautiful. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:15:51 Andreea Gallagher: Where are we?   00:16:21 Carol Nypaver: 302   00:17:02 Andreea and Anthony: Thanks!   00:17:15 Carol Nypaver: 😇   00:40:31 Barb Heyrman: Considering how related religious experience is to psychological experience it is interesting that at one time they were separated by design   00:53:16 Barb Heyrman: Also points to the problem of comparing ourselves & our circumstances with the situations of another — maybe the ‘recipie’ God is using w/ us & the oven temp & baking time is different   01:00:26 Barb Heyrman: I hear this all the time…the identity as the syndrome … anxiety/ADHD / ‘this is just who I am’   01:12:31 Ren: To join the email group for the Ladder, go to www.pghco.org/climacus-email   01:14:59 Wayne: if we are on the email list do we need to register again?   01:16:23 Wayne: gotta go goodnight   01:16:37 Ren: This particular email list is for you to receive the weekly email with the Zoom link, or information specifically about the group (cancellations, etc…). If you are subscribed to Philokalia Ministries then, yes, you will want to subscribe to this list as well.   01:17:45 Art: Gotta go too.  Good night,   01:19:15 Ren: Bumpkins   01:19:19 Ren: :-D   01:24:39 Rafael Patrignani: thank you! i have yo leave   01:26:18 Anne Barbosa: Thank you!   01:27:04 Eric Williams: There are 30 steps on the ladder, right? We might finish the book in about as many months. ;)   01:27:17 Mitchell Hunt: Thank you been a great study of Theophan   01:27:57 Carol Nypaver: Thank you!   01:28:35 Mitchell Hunt: Great sounds good  

Tonight we continued our reading of hypothesis 18 which focuses upon the importance of seeking the counsel of those who have an experiential knowledge of the spiritual life. We do not live out our Christian life as individuals. Even the monk living in the greatest solitude understands the radical solidarity that he has with others in the life of the Church.  The stories that we are presented with here this evening show us that the desire of monks to seek out the counsel of elders; and not only the desire but the necessity of doing so. To try to walk along the spiritual path, to try and engage in the spiritual battle alone is foolhardy. Inevitably, we will fall to one of the passions or we will find ourselves in the grip of the Evil One.  Humility is key. Our lives have to be radically focused upon the truth and most of all the poverty and the weakness that sin has brought into our lives. We must acknowledge that it is by God alone that we are saved ; and that it is by his grace that we are able to engage in the ascetical life. We must avoid self-styled asceticism that lacks discretion. No matter how wise we might be we must believe that we are in need of learning and counsel. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:55:48 Forrest Cavalier: My summary of this discussion to Anthony's questions: We know by fruits: Wicked self-doubt leads towards despair, quietism (on one side) or self-reliant Pelagianism (on the other.) Proper self-doubt: recognize our poverty, leading to grace, trust, unity to body of Christ.   01:00:04 John Clark: Pre V2 you were required to fast after Midnight the night before attending mass and not eat anything if receiving the Holy Host…   01:00:47 Carol Nypaver: Yep….not even water.   01:08:43 Eric Williams: If disciplines become perfunctory, the Church should inform consciences and instruct the ignorant, not discard the disciplines. 🙁   01:09:36 Erick: agreed Eric   01:13:15 Erick: some people are trying to revive the ancient lenten fasting practice.... See here for details: https://www.beautysoancient.com/lentpledge/   01:14:18 Eric Williams: I hope they revive St Martin’s (Nativity) Fast, too ;)   01:14:30 Rachel: Thank you! God bless everyone!   01:15:41 David Fraley: Thank you and good night, Father.   01:16:14 Rachel: Thank you Ren.   01:16:30 Eric Williams: Thanks for the reminder about that, Ren! 🙂  

Tonight we had the opportunity to discuss asceticism as a preparation for the holy season of Lent. We find in the spiritual  tradition a clear call to enter into a struggle to live the life of faith to its fullest. We are to strive to enter by the narrow gate.  When we look to the Scriptures and the writings of the Saints we see very clearly that they took no passive approach to the embrace of the faith. They knew that it must be lived and that their life must undergo a revolution. To live in accord with the beatitudes or the sermon on the mount means that one will not fit into the norms of this world. Just the opposite. In so far as we experience ease within this world, or experience success and the favors of this world we may be living a life at enmity with God.  Our life should be about seeking to love God above all things and seeking to please him. Our exercise of the faith, our asceticism, means nothing if it is merely an exercise of endurance. It must be rooted in our desire for God and the things of God. It must be rooted in love.  Seen in this light, Lent should not be simply a 40 day period that comes and goes; but rather a springboard into a more committed life in Christ.  Lent is about repentance; turning toward God and away from self and sin. May we take this truth to heart and so know the healing of God‘s grace in all of its fullness. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:03:14 Jean-Paul: in a vow of digital simplicity no camera and no mic   00:20:12 Jean-Paul: Could you please re-state the name of that journal   00:47:16 Andrew musano: “Do that which is good, and no evil shall touch you. Prayer is good with fasting and alms and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold: For alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life: But they that sin are enemies to their own life.”   + St. Raphael the Archangel, Tobit 12:7-10   00:50:41 Anthony: Contendire in Latin.  Contend. Not just "you signed an intellectual contract to get to Heaven."   00:51:30 Jean-Paul: The Great Fast begins with the Exultation of the Cross Sept.14   00:53:00 Louise A: My dear Father always practiced Ember day fasting....if I remember they were originally associated with the great feasts Christmas,Easter, Pentecost.   00:56:30 Andrew musano: Listed below is dates for Fasting in the East. I hope this helps.   https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.112.219/1a3.c9d.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/the-fasts-of-the-orthodox-church.pdf   01:04:13 Jean-Paul: Carthusian guidance on fasting  http://www.quies.org/quies_fasting.php   01:05:30 Jean-Paul: Carthusian fasting for the Fathers is usually on Fridays and consists of eating solely bread and water   01:10:47 Andrew musano: Let all involuntary suffering teach you to remember God, and you will not lack occasion for repentance.   + St. Mark the Ascetic, “On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts” No. 57, The Philokalia: The Complete Text (Vol. 1)   01:18:56 Andrew musano: Ash Wednesday Is a beautiful tradition. 01:28:21 Andrew musano: A foretaste of Heaven on Earth   01:36:09 Ren: The adults are the real annoyance. Lets get rid of all of them :-D ;-)   01:48:59 Jean-Paul: Can anyone tell how long tonights gather will be   01:50:56 Jean-Paul: We are on page 4 will we complete the PDF tonight?   01:52:26 Andrew musano: “It is necessary for a Christian to fast, in order to clear his mind, to rouse and develop his feelings, and to stimulate his will to useful activity. These three human capabilities we darken and stifle above all by ‘surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life’ (Lk. 21:34).”   — St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ   02:10:22 Jean-Paul: More than 40% of the women over 75 live alone -- perhaps there are more hermits and monks than one knows.   02:11:11 Bonnie: This has given me an entirely new way to prepare for Lent.  Much deeper, more meaningful, and hopefully long lasting.  Thank you Father!   02:11:17 Miron Kerul Kmec: thank you   02:11:24 ellice: Thank you! This was beautiful   02:11:28 Jean-Paul: Peace and all good   02:11:29 Andrew musano: Thank you Fr.   02:11:40 Anthony: Thank you :)   02:11:50 Larisa Cowell: Thank you Father I loved it.   02:12:04 Louise A: many thanks Father  

Tonight we concluded letter 77 and went on to read letter 78. As we have seen in past weeks, Theophan is much more direct with Anastasia now that she has made her decision to enter into the religious life. In multiple ways, she has been tempted either by those who have no faith, by her fear of injustice and false accusation, or her desire to express and pursue her own freedom. Theophan warns her against all these things and the kind of false freedom especially that we cling to that offers no hope. In fact, Theophan refers to it as an “evil impulse that is evil”. We are called to walk the path of the cross; to die to self and to self-will and to live for Christ. We have not been promised the love of the world. Rather, we have been promised just the opposite - its hatred. Why would she want to flee her parents house when in reality it is a protective environment for her? It is there that she can learn the life of a obedience at the hand of those who love her the most. What greater opportunity is there to be formed for the religious life than this? Don’t chase false freedoms, he warns her. The impulse to freedom is like chasing rainbows or desiring to catch shadows. When we look at the world we see unhappy people desperately seeking to assert themselves -  often at the cost of others. She must learn to look at her life in the light of Christ and her freedom in light of the communion of love in which she exists with God. Anything else is an illusion. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:06:03 Art: Posting a follow up to Eric C’s question from last week.  While he was asking I was reminded of one possible answer to the dilemma whether to obey the Church 10 years ago or the Church one month ago.  Rather than butcher the response, I’ve included the actual source.  It begins around 15:28 and ends around 20:50   Two points I found helpful were the comments that in a crisis there is an objectively right thing to do. “You hold on to what was always believed everywhere by everybody.”  “What has the Church always believed?  That is what I must continue to believe.”  And    “The faith does not change.  What was once true is still true. Either it was false then, in which case it is false now.  Or else it was true then and it’s true now.”  The speaker is Fr. David Sherry SSPX.    Hopefully you find it helpful.   http://sspxpodcast.com/2021/12/crisis-series-49-father-what-can-i-do-about-the-crisis-in-the-church/   00:32:13 Anthony: I've wondered if this applies to legal processes such as the cases for freedom to act according to a well formed conscience.  OK, suppose you lose the case....would that change your acting according to a well formed conscience?  We are called to accept persecutions.   00:35:35 Anthony: Would the truth of the cross apply to suffering under the English "Reformation," the French Revolution and the Vendee, the American Revolution....and current events like in Eastern Europe?   00:40:30 John Clark: I once had to confront an office bully…It was a good outcome   00:43:00 Lyle: Today, some of us were meditating on the Office of Readings regarding St. Polycarp's martyrdom.  His last words brought tears to my eyes.  “I praise you for all things, I bless you, I glorify you through the eternal priest of heaven, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. Through him be glory to you, together with him and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen”.   00:43:21 Lyle: Surrounded by the fire, his body was like bread that is baked, or gold and silver white-hot in a furnace, not like flesh that has been burnt. So sweet a fragrance came to us that it was like that of burning incense or some other costly and sweet-smelling gum.   00:44:18 Carol Nypaver: Amen!  St. Polycarp, pray for us!   00:46:48 Erick Chastain: you get an academic department at a major public university   00:47:22 Erick Chastain: 😅   00:59:53 Eric Williams: I was bullied every year of my public education. Hardly a desirable kind of socialization.   01:05:21 Ren: Booooooo ;-)   01:05:29 Cathy: I am offended   01:05:49 Carol Nypaver: 🤣   01:06:22 Ren: Suffragette #1 over here :-D   01:06:36 Ashley Kaschl: 😂😂😂   01:09:59 Lyle: Too many times MY exercise of freedom led me FROM the LIGHT (My Lord) to DARKNESS (Rebellion and sin.)   01:13:06 Eric Williams: seen on a bumper sticker: “Teenagers, quick, leave home while you still know everything!”   01:18:49 Edward Kleinguetl: His book, Tattoos on the Heart, is amazing!   01:19:26 Marylouise Lambert: Homeboy Industries   01:20:49 Anthony: We (the Church) were helped along in our deplenishment by Josephism, Jansenism, Americanism.   01:21:53 Anthony: Febronianism....all worked to diminish our unified spiritual/social role   01:22:46 Erick Chastain: actually... I think it was 1 year ago   01:22:54 Miron Kerul Kmec: Thank you!   01:23:03 Cathy: Good for you Eric!!   01:23:13 Mitchell Hunt: Thank you Father David   01:23:16 Erick Chastain: It was this podcast that told me about grace   01:23:22 Anne Barbosa: Thank you!   01:23:26 Cathy: Thank you Father!   01:23:43 Cathy: Bring snacks!