But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts

February 19, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

[I Pet. 3:10–22; Mark 12:18–27] But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts (I Pet. 3:15). Sanctify‐ing the Lord in one’s heart is the soul and spirit of the hidden man of the heart depicted above. As in the beginning, God created the body of man out of particles of dust, breathed into him the breath of life (cf. Gen. 2:7), and man became as he ought to be, so the hidden man of the heart, created on the inside from the indicated virtues, is only a real spiritual man when his heart sanctifies the Lord God. Thus, we read in the Lord’s Prayer, “Hal‐lowed[1] Be Thy Name.” If this does not occur, then the man, who was modelled from the aforementioned virtues, will end up a stillborn child, without the spirit of life. Let this be known to those who think to get a‐way with a few virtues without hav‐ing any relationship to God! What does it mean to sanctify God in the heart? It means showing great rev‐erence before Him unceasingly, al‐ways bearing in mind the thought of His omnipresence; being eager at every instant to zealously please Him, and with all fear to beware of everything unpleasing to Him. Espe‐cially, it means committing all of your temporal and eternal life unto His fatherly care; to accept all that happens humbly, submissively and thankfully, as coming straight from His hand.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

[1]In the Slavonic, the words “sanc‐tify” from the Epistle is the same as word as “hallowed” in the Lord’s prayer.

Faith God’s Gift

February 17, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

[II Cor. 5:1-10; Luke 7:2-10] What a bright person the centurion is! How did he reach such faith that he sur‐passed with it all Israelites, raised with revelation, prophesies and miracles? The Gospels do not indi‐cate how, but only describe his faith and tell of how the Lord praised him. The path of faith is a secret, concealed path. Who can even ex‐plain within himself how the con‐victions of faith are composed in the heart [cf. Lk. 2:19]? Best of all, the holy Apostle resolved this by calling faith God’s gift. Faith truly is God’s gift, but unbelievers are not without responsibility, and, consequently, they themselves are at fault for the fact that this gift is not given them. If there is no recipient for this gift, it is not given, for there is nothing to receive it with; while in such a case to give is the same as to spend in vain. How a soul is made a worthy recipient of the gift of faith is diffi‐cult to determine. Extreme humility could be seen in the centurion, de‐spite the fact that he was a man of power, virtuous and sensible. Is it not through humility in general that this great mercy, which gives faith, is attracted? This is not at all sur‐prising. At the very least it is known to everyone that unbelievers always are of a proud spirit, and that faith most of all requires the submission of the mind beneath its yoke.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

Rich people entering tthe Kingdom

February 8, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

[James 2:1-13; Mark 10:23-32] Hearing the word of the Lord a‐bout the inconvenience rich people have in entering the Kingdom of God, the disciples thought, Who then can be saved? The Lord said to this, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. It is not possible to re‐nounce self-interest without the in‐fluence of grace on the heart; it is not possible to cope with all sorts of weaknesses for things, or with all the sin living in us and all of its con‐sequences without God’s grace. God’s grace is given, according to faith in the Lord, in the mysteries of the holy Church. Hold tightly to the holy Church of God and to all of its institutions, and the power of God, helping to bring about every good, will always abide with you. But at the same time always remember that these illuminating and life-giv‐ing institutions are a means and not the goal; that is why you should go through them only in order to enliv‐en and nourish the grace-filled pow‐ers hidden in you through their in‐fluence, and then take up your work as a strong man, ready for every good deed. If you keep what you have received to yourself and not release it through good deeds, you will not be right; just like one is not right who shuns everything belong‐ing to the church. Incorrect zealots of piety make the very structure of a pious life subject to criticism; but this does not take the significance a‐way from this structure, and does not justify philosophizers, who shun it only on these grounds.

Saint Theophan tthe Recluse

What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder

February 5, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

[Heb. 12:25-26, 13:22-25; Mark 10:2-12] What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. With these words the Lord affirms the integrity of marriage; only one lawful ground for divorce is indicat‐ed — a spouse’s unfaithfulness. But what should one do if one discovers something like this? Be patient. We have a universal commandment —to bear one another’s burdens; even more willingly should close ones, such as spouses, mutually fulfill this with respect to one another. Unwill‐ingness to be patient blows up some unpleasantness out of proportion, and trifles pile up into a dividing wall. What is the mind given us for? To smooth out the path of life. Wis‐dom will work out any unpleasant‐ness which is met. Because of lack of earthly wisdom, it not worked out; even more because of an un‐willingness to think over well the state of things, and even more from not having any goal in life other than pleasure. Pleasures cease, sat‐isfaction with one another ceases; on it goes until divorce. The more goals in life are debased, the more frequent divorces become on the one hand, and on the other — un‐lawful temporary cohabitation. The source of this evil lies in materialis‐tic views of the world and life.

The World Paseth Away

January 25, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

Friday. [I John 2:7–17; Mark 14:3–9] The world passeth away, and the lust thereof (I John 2:17). Who does not see this? Everything around us pass‐es away — things, people, events; and we ourselves are passing away. Worldly lust also passes; we scarce‐ly taste the sweetness of its satisfac‐tion before both the lust and the sweetness disappear. We chase af‐ter something else, and it is the same; we chase after a third thing —again the same. Nothing stands still; everything comes and goes. What? Is there really nothing constant?! There is, says the Apostle: he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (I John 2:17). How does the world, which is so transient, endure? Be‐cause God so desires that the world endure. The will of God is the world’s unshakeable and indestruc‐tible foundation. It is the same a‐mong people — whosoever begins to stand firmly in the will of God is made steadfast and firm at once. One’s thoughts are restless when chasing after something transient. But as soon as one comes to his senses and returns to the path of the will of God, his thoughts and inten‐tions begin to settle down. When at last one succeeds in acquiring the habit for such a way of life, every‐thing he has, both within and with‐out, comes into quiet harmony and serene order. Having begun here, this deep peace and imperturbable serenity will pass over to the other life as well, and there it will abide unto the ages. Amidst the general transience of things around us, this is what is not transient, and what is constant within us: walking in the will of God.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

The Meeting of The Lord

January 22, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

Tuesday. [Jude 1:1–10; Luke 22:39–42, 45–23:1] The Meeting

Lord. At this meeting the Lord is surrounded on the one side by Sim‐eon — righteousness which awaits salvation, but not in righteousness itself, and Anna — a life of strict fasting and prayer, made alive by faith; and on the other side by sub‐stantial, comprehensive and stead‐fast purity — the Virgin Mother of God, and by humble, silent submis‐sion and devotion to the will of God — Joseph the Betrothed. Transfer all of these spiritual attitudes to your heart and you will meet the Lord; not carried to you, but coming to you Himself. You will take Him into the embrace of your heart, and you will sing a hymn which will pass throughout the heavens and glad‐den all the angels and saints.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

Original Sin

January 4, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

[James 1:1-8; Mark 10:11-16]

With what love the Lord treated children! Who doesn’t treat them with love? The longer one lives, the more one loves children. In them is seen freshness of life, cleanness and purity of disposition, which cannot but be loved. Looking at the innocence of childhood, some suppose that there is no original sin, that each person falls himself when he comes of age and meets with immoral urges, which, it seems to him, he does not have the strength to overcome. Everyone falls himself, yet the original sin nevertheless is present. Apostle Paul sees in us the law of sin, warring against the law of the mind. This law, like a seed, at first is as if not visible, but then is revealed and entices. Those who are born of lepers do not manifest leprosy until a certain age, but then it is revealed, and begins to consume them just as it did their parents. Where was the leprosy before this time? It was hiding within. So does the original sin hide until the time, and then comes out and does its business. Environment means a lot for both suppressing this sin and revealing it. If there were no sinful elements all around, there would be nothing with which to feed this hidden sin, and perhaps it would dry up of its own. But herein is our sorrow: that all around there is very much favourable food for it. There is much sin in every person as well as in society; but all of this does not necessarily determine that we will sin. Sin is always a matter of freedom—struggle and you will not fall. Only he who does not want to struggle falls. Why do we not want to struggle? There are no regulations concerning desire and lack of desire: I want to, because I want to; and I don’t want to, because I don’t want to. Self-rule is the original principle—one cannot go beyond it.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

All Things New

January 2, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

New Year’s Day. The Circumcision of the Lord. Saint Basil the Great. [Col. 2:8–12; Luke 2:20–21, 40–52]. Since New Year’s Day is the begin‐ning of the days of the year, we ought to gather in our soul those thoughts, feelings and dispositions that would direct our affairs throughout the year in a Christian way. We will find this the moment we bring to mind what New Year’s Day is in the spiritual life. In the spiritual life, New Year’s Day is when one who has been living care‐lessly becomes zealous about salva‐tion and pleasing God. When one makes this resolution, then all is re‐built afresh both internally and ex‐ternally, upon new beginnings —the old passes away and all is new. If you have this, renew it; if not, ac‐quire it — and for you this will be New Year’s Day. A worthy celebrati‐on of the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and of the commemora‐tion of Saint Basil the Great are also tied with this. The essence of this change we have mentioned is that a person begins from this moment on to live solely for God, for his salva‐tion; whereas previously he lived exclusively for himself, preparing destruction for himself. Now he abandons former habits, all com‐forts and all in which he found plea‐sure; he cuts off passions and lustful dispositions and takes on works of strict self-denial. Such a change pre‐cisely represents what, according to the Apostle, the circumcision of the heart should be. The celebration of the circumcision of the Lord re‐minds us of this and obligates us to do it, while St. Basil the Great pro‐vides us with an example to follow. So all the themes which crowd our consciousness on New Year’s Day come together into one — our inner renewal through the circumcision of the heart. If it pleases the Lord to give someone this mindset on New Year’s Day — that is, not only to think in such a way, but also to bring all of this into his life — he will celebrate New Year’s Day in a most perfect Christian manner, and will prepare for a Christian passing of the whole year. On the following New Year’s Day he will only have to renew and enliven what he has now taken on.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

Salted With Fire

December 24, 2012 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

Monday. [Heb. 11:17-23, 27-31; Mark 9:42-10:1] Every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Before this the Lord said that one must be prepared for all sorts of sacrifice and all deeds of self-denial, only to stand on the good path. Though these sacrifices are dear to us, like our own eye, or indispensable like our right hand, we must offer them without a mo‐ment’s hesitation; for if you grudge offering such a sacrifice, and are lead away because of this from the right path to the wrong, you will be forced to suffer eternally in the fu‐ture life. So, offer painful and sor‐rowful sacrifice here to avoid tor‐ments there. Without purification by fire here one cannot be saved from the eternal fire. Everyone de‐siring to be saved must be salted with fire, and pass through purifica‐tion by fire. All of us, by the law of our creation, must offer ourselves in sacrifice to God; but every one of us is impure. That means we must purify ourselves, so that from us will be made a sacrifice pleasing to God. But if you start to purify your‐self, unearth passions from your soul, it will be painful, like being burned with fire. This operation of inner self-purification is like the op‐eration of fire purifying metal. Met‐al is without feeling. If you were to give it feeling, it would feel the puri‐fying and the burning simulta‐neously. The same thing occurs in a person who purifies himself. Under‐going this operation he is as if burned through by fire. The purify‐ing fire passes through all of the parts of his body like salt penetrates a body which is being salt-pre‐served. And only he who subjects himself to this operation is a truly God-pleasing sacrifice; that is why it is necessary for everyone to be salt‐ed with fire, as in the Old Testa‐ment, where every sacrifice was salted before offering it as a whole burnt offering.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

Greatness Of Humility

December 23, 2012 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

Saturday. [Heb. 5:1-8; Luke 14:1-11] When you are bidden somewhere, do not sit in the highest place. In sum: always and everywhere, seek the lowliest place. In this simple rule is briefly expressed the entire rich substance of humility. Take this rule, sit down and examine all pos‐sible cases in your life, and in ad‐vance choose the lowliest place in each of them. This will be the prac‐tice of humility, which will gradual‐ly move from external deeds to the inner, and will form a sediment of humility there as a foundation. Time will make this seed to grow a‐midst this practice, and humility will at last fill all of your soul and body, and all outer affairs. What will happen? Moral greatness will shine on your brow and attract uni‐versal respect; and the words will be fulfilled in you: Whosoever exalt‐eth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalt‐ed. However, do not have this as your intention while practicing hu‐mility, but rather humility itself. It in and of itself brings a blessed good disposition to the soul. Where hu‐mility comes all inner troubles cease and all external adversities do not produce startling impressions. Just as a wave which meets no im‐pediment spills into a boundless sea without noise or crash, so outer and inner sorrows do not harm a hum‐ble soul, but are carried as though on the surface, without leaving a trace. This is the worldly advantage, so to speak, of a humble person. What light from above illumines him, what consolations are sent, what breadth of free action is re‐vealed! Truly, only humility con‐tains it all…

Saint Theophan the Recluse