Just as a thought is made manifest through actions and words, so is our future reward through the impulses of the heart.
Thus a merciful heart will receive mercy, while a merciless heart will receive the opposite.
The law of freedom teaches the whole truth. Many read about it in a theoretical way, but few really understand it, and these only in the degree to which they practice the commandments.
Do not seek the perfection of this law in human virtues, for it is not found perfect in them. Its perfection is hidden in the Cross of Christ.
The law of freedom is studied by means of true knowledge, it is understood through the practice of the commandments, and is fulfilled through the mercy of Christ.

Monday Aug 28, 2023

Mark the Ascetic - On the Spiritual Law 23-27

Monday Aug 28, 2023

A man wanted to do evil, but first prayed as usual; and finding himself prevented by God, he was then extremely thankful.
When David wanted to kill Nabal the Carmelite, but was reminded of the divine retribution and abandoned his intention, he was extremely thankful. Again, we know what he did when he forgot God, and how he did not stop until Nathan the Prophet reminded him (cf. I Sam. 25; 2 Sam. 12).
At the times when you remember God, increase your prayers, so that when you forget Him, the Lord may remind you.
When you read Holy Scripture, perceive its hidden meanings. 'For whatever was written in past times was written for our instruction' (Rom. 15:4).
Scripture speaks of faith as 'the substance of things hoped for' (Heb. 11:1), and describes as 'worthless' those who do not know the indwelling of Jesus (cf. 2 Cor. 13:5).

Monday Aug 28, 2023

Mark the Ascetic - On the Spiritual Law 17-22

Monday Aug 28, 2023

To brood on evil makes the heart brazen; but to destroy evil through self-restraint and hope breaks the heart.
There is a breaking of the heart which is gentle and makes it deeply penitent, and there is a breaking which is violent and harmful, shattering it completely.
Vigils, prayer and patient acceptance of what comes constitute a breaking that does not harm but benefits the heart, provided we do not destroy the balance between them through excess. He who perseveres in them will be helped in other ways as well; but he who is slack and negligent will suffer intolerably on leaving this life.
A self-indulgent heart becomes a prison and chain for the soul when it leaves this life; whereas an assiduous heart is an open door.
'The iron gate that leads into the city' is a hard heart (Acts 12 : 10); but to one who suffers hardship and affliction the gate will open of its own accord, as it did to Peter.
There are many differing methods of prayer. No method is harmful; if it were, it would be not prayer but the activity of Satan.

Monday Aug 28, 2023

Mark the Ascetic - On the Spiritual Law 13-16

Monday Aug 28, 2023

Blind is the man crying out and saying: 'Son of David, have mercy on me' (Luke 18:38). He prays with the body alone, and not yet with spiritual knowledge.
When the man once blind received his sight and saw the Lord, he acknowledged Him no longer as Son of David but as Son of God, and worshipped Him (cf John 9; 38).
Do not grow conceited if you shed tears when you pray. For it is Christ who has touched your eyes and given you spiritual sight.
He who, like the blind man, casts away his garment and draws near to the Lord, becomes His disciple and a preacher of true doctrine (cf. Mark 10:50).

Thursday Jun 22, 2023

Mark the Ascetic - On the Spiritual Law 10-12

Thursday Jun 22, 2023

Do not become a disciple of one who praises himself, in case you learn pride instead of humility.
Do not grow conceited about your interpretations of Scripture, lest your intellect fall victim to blasphemy.
Do not attempt to explain something difficult with contentiousness, but in the way which the spiritual law enjoins: with patience, prayer and unwavering hope. 13. Blind is the man crying out and saying: 'Son of David, have mercy on me' (Luke 18:38). He prays with the body alone, and not yet with spiritual knowledge.

Monday Jun 12, 2023

Mark the Ascetic - On the Spiritual Law 5-9

Monday Jun 12, 2023

May He who inaugurates every good thing inaugurate all that you undertake, so that it may be done with His blessing.
When reading the Holy Scriptures, he who is humble and engaged in spiritual work will apply everything to himself and not to someone else.
Call upon God to open the eyes of your heart, so that you may see the value of prayer and of spiritual reading when understood and applied.
If a man has some spiritual gift and feels compassion for those who do not have it, he preserves the gift because of his compassion. But a boastful man will lose it through succumbing to the temptations of boastfulness.
The mouth of a humble man speaks the truth; but he who speaks against the truth is like the servant who struck the Lord on the face (cf Mark 14:65).

Monday Jun 05, 2023

Mark the Ascetic - On the Spiritual Law 1-4

Monday Jun 05, 2023

1. Because you have often asked what the Apostle means when he says that 'the law is spiritual' (Rom. 7:14), and what kind of spiritual knowledge and action characterizes those who wish to observe it, we shall speak of this as far as we can.

2. First of all, we know that God is the beginning, middle and end of everything good; and it is impossible for us to have faith in anything good or to carry it into effect except in Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

3. Everything good is given by the Lord providentially; and he who has faith that this is so will not lose what he has been given.

4. Steadfast faith is a strong tower; and for one who has faith Christ comes to be all.

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

St. Theodoros The Great Ascetic - 98 - 100

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

98. 'Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning', says the Lord (Luke 12:35). A good girdle for our loins - one which enables us to be nimble and unhampered - is self-control combined with humility of heart. By self- control I mean abstinence from all the passions. Our spiritual lamp is lit by pure prayer and perfect love. Those who have prepared themselves in this way are indeed like men who wait expectantly for their Lord. When He comes and knocks, they open at once; and when He has entered - together with the Father and the Holy Spirit - He will take up His abode with them (cf. John 14:23). Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He comes will find acting in this manner (cf. Luke, 12:37).

99. A monk, as a son, must love God with all his heart and all his mind (cf. Deut. 6:5, Mark 12:30), and, as a servant, he must reverence and obey Him, and fulfill His commandments with 'fear and trembling' (Phil. 2: 12). He must be 'fervent in spirit' (Rom. 12: 11), and wear 'the whole armor' of the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph. 6:11). He must strive for the enjoyment of eternal life and do all that is prescribed. He must be in a state of inner wakefulness, guard his heart from evil thoughts, and through good thoughts must continually practice divine meditation. He must examine himself daily concerning his evil thoughts and acts, and must correct any defects. He must not become proud because of his achievements, but must call himself a 'useless servant' (Luke 17:10), altogether in arrears over fulfilling his duties. He must give thanks to God and ascribe to Him the grace of his achievements, and do nothing at all from self-esteem or love of popularity, but do everything in secret and seek praise only from God (cf. Rom. 2:29). Above all and in all things he must completely fortify his soul with the Orthodox faith, according to the dogmas of the Holy Catholic Church as taught by the divine message-bearers, the apostles, and by the holy fathers. Great is the reward for those who live in such a manner. They receive everlasting life and an indestructible abode with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the coessential Divinity in three Persons.

100. 'Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God, and keep His commandments, for this is the whole man' (Eccles. 12:13. LXX). Here the Preacher says to us: I show you in summary form the best way to salvation; fear God and keep His commandments. By fear he means not the initial fear of punishments, but the perfect and perfecting fear, which we ought to have out of love for Him who has given the commandments. For if we refrain from sin merely out of fear of punishment, it is quite clear that, unless punishment had awaited us, we should have done things deserving punishment, since our propensity is for sinning. But if we abstain from evil actions not through threat of punishment, but because we hate such actions, then it is from love of the Master that we practice the virtues, fearful lest we should fall away from Him. For when we fear that we may neglect something that has been enjoined, the fear is clean (cf. Ps. 19:9A arising for the sake of the good itself. This fear purifies our souls, being equal in power to perfect love. He who has this fear and keeps the commandments is the 'whole man', in other words, the perfect and complete man.

Knowing these things, let us fear God and keep His commandments, so that we may be perfect and entire in the virtues. And having a humbled spirit and a contrite heart, let us repeat unceasingly to the Lord the prayer of the great and divine Arsenios: 'My God, do not abandon me. I have done nothing good before Thee, but grant me, in Thy compassion, the power to make a start.' For the whole of our salvation lies in God's mercy and compassion. To Him be glory, might and worship: to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and through all the ages. Amen.

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

St. Theodoros The Great Ascetic - 93 - 97

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

93. He who has completely uprooted self-love from his heart will, with God's help, easily conquer all the other passions. For a man dominated by self-love is under the power of other passions as well, since from it arise anger, irritation, rancor, love of pleasure, licentiousness. By self-love we mean an impassioned disposition towards and love for the body, and the fulfillment of carnal desires.

94. Whatever a man loves, he desires at all costs to be near to continuously and uninterruptedly, and he turns himself away from everything that hinders him from being in contact and dwelling with the object of his love. It is clear therefore that he who loves God also desires always to be with Him and to converse with Him. This comes to pass in us through pure prayer. Accordingly, let us apply ourselves to prayer with all our power; for it enables us to become akin to God. Such a man was he who said: '0 God, my God, I cry to Thee at dawn; my soul has thirsted for Thee' (Ps. 63:1. LXX). For the man who cries to God at dawn has withdrawn his intellect from every vice and clearly is wounded by divine love.

95. We have been taught that dispassion is born from self-control and humility, while spiritual knowledge is born from faith. Through these the soul makes progress in discrimination and love. And once she has embraced divine love, she never ceases to rise towards its height on the wings of pure prayer, until she comes 'to the knowl- edge of the Son of God', as St Paul says, 'to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ' (Eph. 4:13).

96. Through active virtue desire is brought under control and anger is bridled. Through spiritual knowledge and contemplation the intellect makes its spiritual ascent and, being raised above material things, departs towards God, attaining true blessedness.

97. Our first struggle is this: to reduce the passions and to conquer them entirely. Our second task is to acquire the virtues, and not allow our soul to be empty and idle. The third stage of the spiritual journey is watchfully to preserve the fruits of our virtues and our labors. For we have been commanded not only to work diligently, but also to preserve vigilantly (cf Gen. 2:15).

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

St. Theodoros The Great Ascetic - 89 - 92

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

89. What Christ our God called the 'narrow way' (Matt. 7:14), He also called an 'easy yoke' and 'light burden' (Matt. 11:30). How could He equate these things when they seem to be contraries? For our nature, certainly, this path is harsh and steep, but those who pursue it wholeheartedly and with good hope, and who aspire after holiness, find it attractive and full of delight, for it brings them pleasure, not affliction. Hence they eagerly follow the narrow and painful way, greatly preferring it to that which is broad and spacious. Listen to St Luke, who tells us how the apostles, after being beaten, departed from the presence of the council rejoicing (cf Acts 5:41), even though this is not the natural effect of a beating. For scourges normally cause, not pleasure and joy, but pain and suffering. Yet if, because of Christ, they resulted in joy, what wonder is it if other forms of bodily hardship and ill-treatment have, because of Him, the same effect?

90. While we are oppressed and imprisoned by the passions, we are often at a loss to know why we suffer from them. We must, therefore, realize that it is because we allow ourselves to be diverted from the contemplation of God that we are taken captive in this way. But if a man fixes his intellect without distraction on our Master and God, then the Savior of all can Himself be trusted to deliver such a soul from its impassioned servitude. It is of this that the prophet speaks when he says: 'I have set the Lord always before me; for He is at my right hand, so that I shall not be moved' (Ps. 16:8). What is sweeter or safer than always to have the Lord at our right hand, protecting and guarding us and not letting us be moved? And to attain this is within our power.

91. There is no gainsaying what the fathers have so well affirmed, that a man does not find rest except by acquiring inwardly the thought that God and he alone exist; and so he does not let his intellect wander at all towards anything whatsoever, but longs only for Him, cleaving to Him alone. Such a man will find true rest and freedom from the tyranny of the passions. 'My soul', as David says, 'is bound to Thee; Thy right hand has upheld me' (Ps. 63:8. LXX).

92. Self-love, love of pleasure and love of praise banish remembrance of God from the soul. Self-love begets unimaginable evils. And when remembrance of God is absent, there is a tumult of the passions within us.

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

St. Theodoros The Great Ascetic - 85 - 88

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

85. Accepting the task of hospitality, the patriarch used to sit at the entrance to his tent (cf. Gen. 18: 1), inviting all who passed by, and his table was laden for all comers including the impious and barbarians, without distinction. Hence he was found worthy of that wonderful banquet when he -received angels and the Master of all as his guests. We too, then, should actively and eagerly cultivate hospitality, so that we may receive not only angels, but also God Himself. For 'inasmuch', says the Lord, 'as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren you have done it to Me' (Matt. 25:40).

It is good to be generous to all, especially those who cannot repay you.

86. If a man's heart does not condemn him (cf I John 3 :21) for having rejected a commandment of God, or for negligence, or for accepting a hostile thought, then he is pure in heart and worthy to hear Christ say to him: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God' (Matt. 5:8).

87. Let us try to use our intelligence in training our senses, especially the eyes, the ears and the tongue, not allowing them to see, hear and speak in an impassioned way, but only to our profit. For nothing can more easily slip into sin than these organs, when they are not trained by the intelligence. Again, (here is nothing more apt for keeping them safe than the intelligence, which guides and regulates them and leads them towards what is necessary and what it wishes. For when they are rebellious, the sense of smell becomes effeminate, the sense of touch becomes indiscriminate, and innumerable passions come swarming in. But when they are subordinate to the intelligence. there is deep peace and settled calm in the whole person.

88. The fragrance of a costly aromatic oil, even though kept in a vessel, pervades the atmosphere of the whole house, and gives pleasure not only to those near it but also to others in the vicinity; similarly the fragrance of a holy soul, beloved of God, when given out through all the senses of the body, conveys to those who perceive it the holiness that lies within. When in the presence of one whose tongue utters nothing harsh and discordant, but only what is a blessing and benefit for those who listen, whose eyes are humble, whose ears do not listen to improper songs or words, who moves discreetly and whose face is not dissolute with laughter but rather disposed to tears and mourning, which of us will not feel that such a soul is filled with the fragrance of holmess? Thus the Savior says: 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven' (Matt. 5:16).