A Monk In The World

The healing of the soul begins with noticing God's many theophanies and with falling in love with them. In other words, it begins with eros/love for Beauty. In renewing our love for authentic Beauty, we are slowly cleansed of the ugly images of trauma and the false images of worldly pleasures. Our character, unraveled by what we have experienced, begins to be knit together and becomes whole again. We begin to be "created" again.

After this we can discuss Goodness. By embracing what we find within authentic Beauty - the crucified Savior and the Cross - we attain Goodness and become good, and find our communion to others restored.

The Ethics of Beauty

To love without measure.

St Augustine

What is the measure of love?

The one limit of a perfection is the absence of a limit.

St Gregory of Nyssa

What is the limit of perfection?

“During times of dryness, when the heart is hard and prayer does not flow, stand your ground patiently. Even if you do nothing but struggle against despondency, you have already fulfilled your task.”

St. Gregory of Sinai
(On Stillness and Prayer)

“When God sees that a soul is not negligent but continues to knock at the door and seeks Him sincerely, He will remove the darkness that separates us from Him. But it is through endurance and patience that we reach this place. Do not be faint-hearted when you feel nothing, for the feeling of His presence is not the goal, but the purification of the heart is.”

St. Macarius the Great
(Homily 27)

“Do not be troubled by the fact that you feel dry during prayer. It is a sign that you are truly praying. When you have that dryness, it means that your heart is thirsty for God, and God allows that to increase your thirst and longing for Him.”

St. Theophan the Recluse

"When temptations increase, the grace of God increases likewise. The Lord says, 'I will chasten whomever I love (Mat. 24:19).' The Lord gives no great gift without great trial. The Lord gives us temptations to the extent that we are able to bear them. And his grace is given to us accordingly."

- St Gabriel of Georgia

🔴living the Orthodox worldview(improved audio quality)

🎤Fr Seraphim Rose

👇👇👇

The child who has learned to see beauty in classical painting and sculpture will not easily be drawn into the perversity of contemporary art or be attracted by the garish products of modern advertising and pornography.

Fr Seraphim Rose
(Orthodox worldview/on parenting)

The child who has been educated in good literature, drama, and poetry and has felt their effect in his own soul—that is, has really enjoyed them—, will not easily become an addict of the contemporary movies and television programs and cheap novels that devastate the soul and take it away from the Christian path.

Fr Seraphim Rose
(Orthodox worldview/on parenting )

‌The following poem - letter was written by Saint Paisios to his mother when he left his home to become a monk on Mt Athos.

My mommy, I bid you farewell, I go to become a monk,
I am leaving this futile life, of delusion, to laugh,
In the solitude of the desert, I will pass my youth,
For the love of Christ, I will sacrifice all.

All the goods of this world, like offal I will leave,
To complete the first commandment, to love God,
With the cross of Golgotha, to follow Christ,
And in the Jerusalem above, I pray we meet again.

I leave your great affection, mommy to be able,
In order to be eternally with, Jesus, I will supplicate,
For this reason black, is what I wanted to wear,
In order to be dedicated to Christ, to like the things of God.

And for a mother hereafter, I will have the Panagia,
To protect me harmless, from the slyness of the enemy,
My mom with devoutness, in the desert here with quietude,
I will pray for you always, and for all citizens.

Monk Paisios of Philotheou. Mount Athos. 05/01/1957

Paisios

Orthodoxy can't be comfortable unless it's fake

Fr Seraphim Rose

https://youtu.be/6sL7ArCWJbc?si=Q0r_UF_2A5N3rNBz

https://youtu.be/mzratspSxOM?si=osJ4p8XfGYA0M3QL